How Art Therapy Helps in Lean Phases?

I have been doing art since childhood. I cannot say I am a great artist, but I am pretty decent, I guess.

At one point, I wanted to be an artist, but I come from an unprivileged background, and people in this socioeconomic group generally don’t pursue art. They want job security!

So, I chose biology and earned double MS and PhD degrees in the field. But art remained a constant throughout my life.

Whenever health or stress issues arise, I increase my art activities. I still do and will continue until the end.

Let me share a profound experience with art in 2016. At that time, I was going through dark times.

I was suffering from systemic allergies due to heavy exposure to cockroach allergens while staying in an apartment in San Diego. My hormonal, immune, and neural systems were ravaged, and I was feeling the consequences.

I did not have a permit that I could work, and I had just finished a highly demanding and difficult course in Bioinformatics. However, not having a work permit turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as my body was not in a condition to spend eight hours in a cold office. Restoring my health was the priority.

Despite having completed the degree after 2–3 years of struggle, I could not go to India and stay with my parents, because I did not have a valid visa.

I was almost in my mid-30s. We could have tried to have a child, but my body was too sick for that, and it would have been dangerous. One of my friends had an inflamed body, and she went into pregnancy, which caused ectopic pregnancy, resulting in the removal of one fallopian tube.

To heal myself, I engaged in several activities. Nobody recommended, but I knew my body and its limits. These activities included:

Reading: Lots of science articles on PubMED and other research publications.

Research: Conducting my research and publishing articles.

Photography: Practicing photography regularly.

Nature Walks: Taking daily nature walks for better oxygen and reducing weight.

Watercolor Art: Creating watercolor art.

Gardening: Working on my patio garden.

Blogging: Writing blogs on Blogger.

All these steps combined to create a holistic therapy that significantly contributed to my healing.

Over time, everything I desired happened. I got a job, visited my parents, and had children (everything did not come in one platter, but at different times).

Everything fell into place because I put in the necessary effort.

I invested in high-quality watercolors and cold press watercolor paper. I painted whatever inspired me.

I have two small kids now, which means I do not get enough time for fine arts. So, my art is now limited to pebble crafts, paper collage, watercolor, and other simple projects. As soon as they leave me alone and give me more personal time, I will get back to fine arts.

Meanwhile, let’s see some of the art pieces I have made.

I hope you like the arts and find encouragement to create your own.

I tell you to not waste your money on mental health medicine. Do art in your style. I recommend art therapy to everyone, as it does not cost much and it’s tranquil hobby.

No one is judging you. Just start and enjoy the process. Before you know it, you will be experiencing physical and mental well-being, for it declutters the mind and gives an indescribable joy.

When you create something unique, you feel great about yourself and achieve high self-worth. Try art therapy.