As the sun comes out to play, we find ourselves at an ideal time to flex our creative muscles! Whether it’s a landscape painting of the bay, a sketch of the flowers in your garden, or knitting a new bag to lug all of your beach gear, engaging in creative activities is good for your mental and emotional health. Making art can be used to process “rough stuff” and help people reflect on and manage their emotions. Additionally, the very process of learning a new activity, and engaging parts of the brain we don’t typically use as much help increase connectivity and neuroplasticity, which is how the brain compensates for injury and disease. A 2015 study by the Mayo Clinic’s American Academy of Neurology proposed that people who engage in ‘art activities’ in middle and old age may be able to delay cognitive decline in very old age.
So what does all of that mean? Well, basically, making art is good for your brain!
Aging is a physical and mental process. The body slows and deteriorates. Gradual loss of independence and realizations of mortality can cause feelings of hopelessness or despair. In many cases, these things are compounded with the cognitive declines that are characteristic of dementia. These are all difficult things to come to terms with, and they are topics that are not necessarily easy to discuss. There are many ways to tackle these issues and work through them.
Art Therapy is a relatively young psychiatric discipline that is beginning to pick up steam. The basic premise is that therapists have people use creative processes to improve mental and emotional health. Now, as a caveat, people who are experiencing significant anxiety or depression should speak to a qualified mental health professional. They will know much more about these issues and how to treat them than a blog post will. That being said, I think we can all learn a little bit from this idea of art therapy. We can use creative activities to examine our thoughts, work through new ideas, and also just have a little bit of fun; all in a way that benefits our brains!
So where should I start?
Anywhere! Pick up a paintbrush, or a pencil. Knit, play an instrument, journal, write poetry. Maybe you are an established artist; in that case, good for you! You probably already know most of the artistic communities around the area, but if not, there are some links down at the bottom. Maybe you took some art classes in school, or as a hobby as an adult. In that cases, pick up where you left off. You may be rusty, but I have found in my personal life that these things are like riding a bike; you never truly forget. Even if you’re like my mother, who swears she doesn’t have a creative bone in her body, you can still participate! After all, this art isn’t about creating a masterpiece on the ceiling of a cathedral. This art is about you, and to benefit you- just have fun with it.
If you have truly no idea where to start, then luckily, the Belfast area happens to be a wonderful little artistic hub. The well-known Senior College has offered arts and crafts classes. Waterfall Arts also offers classes and workshops. The Belfast Free Library offers a knitting club (Knit2Together), open poetry readings, and a creative writing club (Quills). Then, of course, we have Belfast Summer Nights on the fourth Thursday of every month. Or, if you would rather fly solo, just check out Ocean State for some basic supplies and go with the flow!
Happy Creating! 😊
Local links
Blog is written by Zoe Quick of Private Home Care, Inc.
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