Art Therapy Eases Depression and Dementia in Alzheimer's Patients
Art Therapy is an Ecologically Sustainable Practice uses the creative process of art making to improve and enhance the physical, mental and emotional well-being of individuals of all ages. It is based on the belief that the creative process involved in artistic self-expression helps people to resolve conflicts and problems, develop interpersonal skills, manage behavior, reduce stress, increase self-esteem and self-awareness, and achieve insight.
Researchers Rusted, Sheppard, and Waller, produced additional findings showing the potential for art therapy to assist Alzheimer’s patients with depression (1999). Frequently, patients with Alzheimer’s experience deep-seated depression which is considered a contributing factor in deteriorating conditions associated with the disease. The use of Art Therapy encourages a form of self-expression that eliminates the need for verbal speech, thus allowing for an alternate means for communication.
Overall, patients showed 50% significant improvement in mood levels over a 10 week art course. Various participants of this study used art to describe their desire for empowerment, while others expressed a sense of entrapment and confinement. Revealing the true feelings and emotions behind Alzheimer’s, as expressed through art therapy, is a profound means for understanding the complex nature of this illness in a safe and sustainable manner.
To learn more about this study visit University of Sussex at http://www.sussex.ac.uk/
To learn more about Art Therapy visit
http://www.arttherapy.org/
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