Creative approaches such as art therapy, music therapy and psychodrama allow us to express any difficult thoughts, memories or feelings we might have without worrying about being constrained by words.
Because of this, being creative has been shown to help people heal in many ways, even when it comes to drug addiction therapy.
Why does creativity help with addiction recovery?
Many people with a drug addiction carry around a great deal of guilt and shame. Having suppressed this for so long, when it comes to entering therapy, it can be very difficult to put these feelings into words.
Creative approaches can help sufferers describe their pain through art, writing or role play or they may see their own pain in someone else’s creative expression. With a therapist guiding the process, creative approaches can be a stepping stone that allows people to eventually talk about their pain rather than escape through the use of drugs.
Creative approaches to drug addiction therapy
Art therapy
Art therapy uses music, art, dance or drama to help people express themselves by creating something such as a piece of music, painting or a play. It has been found to be particularly beneficial to those who feel distanced from their feelings or find it too upsetting to talk about painful experiences.
Why exactly can art therapy be such a helpful part of addiction recovery?
- Objects may remind you of past experiences you’ve had and help you to express and explore your feelings around them.
- Materials can be used to shape objects to mimic changes in emotions or circumstances.
- Studies have shown that writing about a traumatic experience is a form of disclosure which can be cathartic.
- Creative activities which promote play, such as dance, rock climbing or chess, have been shown to help people feel more in control of their environment – something very beneficial when recovering from addiction.
- Studies show that creativity changes the brain and allows people an uninterrupted or purer focus. This optimal experience can help people feel more present and fulfilled.
Music therapy
In music therapy, participants communicate with their therapist through music by either playing, singing or listening to it. It can be helpful in a number of ways including:
- It can help to communicate difficult feelings and memories that people find too hard to put into words.
- It can help bring back old feelings and memories people may have forgotten, thus helping to deal with difficult experiences from the past so people can move on.
- It gets patients used to expressing themselves so they can eventually talk or write about their feelings more easily.
- Engaging in a creative activity can open a new channel for people to connect with their emotions. For example, studies show that listening to music can foster a healing environment and reduce stress.
Dance movement therapy
Dance therapy uses dance and movement to help patients express how they’re feeling. It can help people to become more aware of the emotions they find difficult to talk about and to become more comfortable with their body.
Drama therapy
This is a form of therapy which uses theatre and drama. It’s usually done in groups but can also be offered on a one-to-one basis. As well as being involved in the acting, it provides patients with the opportunity to get involved in backstage activities such as being the director, creating scenery or being in charge of lighting.
It can help patients in drug addiction recovery by:
- Allowing them to express how they feel so they can put difficult experiences behind them.
- Exploring and understanding their relationships with other people and how this could have led them down the path to addiction.
Trauma
It is also important to note, that the above ideas are very helpful in the healing process of trauma. Being that most people with addictions have suffered from some sort of trauma in their lives, this is an added reason to give serious consideration to some of these ideas.
If you would like more information about drug addiction treatment in Toronto, please feel free to contact us and we will be more than happy to help.
