The Health Benefits of Art

In 2010, the American Journal of Public Health published a study on  the connection between art, healing and public health. In that study, researchers analyzed more than 100 patients about the impact of art on health and the ability to heal ourselves. The study included everything from music and writing to dance and the visual arts.

Regarding the visual arts, the result shows that such activities as painting and drawing had the following impacts on the patients:

• Filled occupational voids, distracted thoughts of illness.
• Improved well-being by decreasing negative emotions and increasing positive ones.
• Improved medical outcomes, trends toward reduced depression and reduced in stress and anxiety.
• Improved on flow and spontaneity, expression of grief, positive identity, and social networks.

Thus art can help reduce stress and anxiety, increase positive emotions and reduce the likelihood of depression.