Introduction
Art therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach that applies creative techniques to treat various conditions and improve participants’ overall well-being. Art therapy meshes the mind, spirit, and body through verbal and nonverbal articulation. Individuals, families, different groups of people, and communities can participate in art therapy. Art therapists work with people suffering from mental and medical conditions and those seeking creative, spiritual, and emotional development.
Some positive effects of art therapy include improved memory, better reasoning, reduced stress, anxiety, depression, and a lifted spirit in older adults. One of the adverse effects of art therapy is eco-toxicity, which can subject participants to health risks if the artwork uses solvents and thinners, especially indoors (Ching-Teng et al., 2019). Studies have assessed art therapy’s validity, cultural approach, reliability, and effects in scholarly case studies (Elimimian et al., 2020). Nonetheless, other reviews show that art therapy’s significant effects are positive indoors (Ching-Teng et al., 2019). With the prevalence of different types of cancers, art therapy has diverse effects on anxiety, stress, and quality of life of adult participants with the disease.
How Art Therapy Works
Art therapists use various forms of artistic creations to help participants with self-expression as a discrete form of psychotherapy. Participants in art therapy express their thoughts, feelings, and emotions and interpret and resolve them with the aid of art therapists (Elimimian et al., 2020). Firstly, art therapists explain to clients what art therapy is and what they should expect after therapy sessions (Bosman et al., 2020). Art therapists affirm to clients that they do not have to be artistic or creative in any way to participate in art therapy.
The therapists then presented various therapy techniques to participants, which allowed them to express themselves. Art therapists guide clients through multiple questions that help them decide which state-of-the-art suits them (Schnitzer et al., 2021). Once clients go through their comfortable art form, the therapist discusses their feelings about themselves and the art (Ching-Teng et al., 2019). Both the client and the art therapists plan for the next session.
Forms of Art Therapy
Art therapy enhances mental health through various creative expressions. As a healing strategy, doctors initiated art therapy when they realized that people suffering from mental health issues expressed themselves through artworks. Innovative treatments include writing, music, drama, and dance (Kievisiene et al., 2020).
Techniques in innovative therapy include drawing, photography, sculpting, scribbling, painting, and clay works. In hospitals, community clinics, rehabilitation, and psychiatric clinics, art therapists encourage patients to voice their feelings through art therapy (Kievisiene et al., 2020). The excellent aspect of art therapy is that clients can learn or perfect their skills to create their finished products. In contrast, art therapy lets clients focus on their inner feelings and emotions and express them through art.
Art Therapy for Cancer Care
People with cancer experience various complicated feelings and thoughts. The difficulties arise from the symptoms of the disease itself or the treatment processes. Multiple studies have shown that anxiety, fear, and depression are among the challenges experienced by cancer patients, primarily through chemotherapy treatment (Elimimian et al., 2020). The patients usually find it difficult to express their inner feelings through words.
Jung, a psychoanalyst, says that a creative state is a happy state (Kievisiene et al., 2020). Hence, art therapists aim to help them be satisfied by revealing their feelings. Throughout the different stages of cancer, emotions of pain, body weakness, hair loss, side effects of medications, post-operative scars, and permanent body changes may cause stress and depression. Additionally, the fear of death is commonly felt and can cause confidence loss and negative emotions in the patient (Elimimian et al., 2020). Continued emotional distress has a consequent cognitive adverse effect.
Art therapy is one of the suitable methods of treatment used to help cancer patients with their emotional attritions. The role of art therapy for cancer patients is to improve the overall quality of life (Schnitzer et al., 2021). Artistic treatment elevates their psychological disorders, reducing their anxiety, stress, and fears and improving their treatment procedures (Xunlin et al., 2019).
Art therapists produce various art forms or encourage participants to create their self-expressing creative works (Elimimian et al., 2020). The works of art provoke self-reflection about personal fears, hopes, and emotions. The patients are then offered time for psychosocial support, where they share their experiences with other patients. Patients improve their psychological well-being commendably at the end of the sessions.
Effect of Art Therapy on Anxiety Among Cancer Patients
Cancer patients may develop anxiety from the onset of diagnosis of the disease. In other cases, tension develops in cancer survivors. Pressure grows from fear of the recurrence of cancer among the survivors. They tend to worry constantly that the disease may come back and are very alert about any symptoms they experience in their bodies (Bosman et al., 2020). They may exhibit anxiety through the need to keep checking their cancer status at the hospital and make frequent doctor visits for tests (Lobban & Murphy, 2019). Other causes of stress depend on the type and stage of cancer.
For example, adrenal gland tumors trigger emotional anxiety and constant headaches, causing depression. Cancer patients can reduce Stress tendencies if they are willing and ready to participate in art therapy. Art therapists use creative approaches with patients with anxiety to help them improve their coping mechanisms. The creative arts approaches used on patients with anxiety include drawing, sculpting, and painting (Lee et al., 2019). The innovative methods alongside counseling have been proven effective, and participants have shown drastic improvements. Art therapy requires consistency for fast and reliable results.
Effects of Art Therapy on Depression among Cancer Patients
Depression is a continuous period of distress caused by sadness, fear, and vulnerability to diseases and problems. In this case, cancer patients feel sad from the onset of the disease diagnosis. Sadness continues as the disease progresses and other symptoms occur (Schnitzer et al., 2021).
The patients also experience feelings of fear of death or the condition getting worse. Patients experience distress in every stage of cancer, making it a consistent health concern (Bosman et al., 2020). Depression also affects an individual’s psychological state, manifesting in their behavior and physical body.
The significant worries affecting cancer patients to depression include financial, health, treatment, job, relationship, identity, family, and existential concerns. Creative activities for participants with depression in art therapy include collage-making, drawing, clay works, and painting (Radl et al., 2018). The art therapists guide participants to express their feelings and emotions through their choice of creative arts (Lyshak-Stelzer et al., 2007).
Studies have shown significant improvement in findings between pre- and post-art therapy exposure. Patients exhibit advancements in accepting their situations and agreeing to go through medical therapy in support of treatment. Mood for depressed patients improved after the first art therapy sessions and continuously enhanced with further sessions.
Effects of Art Therapy on Quality of Life Among Cancer Patients
Quality of life is determined by how happy or contented one is. For cancer patients, depression and anxiety affect how they feel about themselves and how they live. Studies have shown that art therapy benefits patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy (Radl et al., 2018). Through self-expression through art therapy, patients develop self-evaluation and expression, which improves self-development (Czamanski-Cohen et al., 2019). They then relax and simplify complex emotions that cause them anxiety and depression.
Studies have also shown that if art therapy sessions are conducted consistently for long periods, patients reduce symptoms of pain, fatigue, sadness, and depression (Schnitzer et al., 2021). Studies found Creative arts techniques of coloring and drawing to be the most effective forms of primary art therapy in improving quality of life (Czamanski-Cohen et al., 2019). The patients can enhance their daily lives, eventually improving their quality of life.
Conclusion
Through creative art techniques, many cancer patients have offloaded their emotional attritions. Art is a form of self-expression; most cancer patients have embraced it as their language. Art therapy does not have to be a professional medium of self-expression, making it a suitable and accommodating means of expression.
Cancer patients can then maintain their mental and physical health and incorporate balance. Symptoms of depression and anxiety are common in cancer patients. Depression, fear, and stress affect patients’ quality of life psychologically and emotionally.
Interventions in art therapy have been effective and reliable in various research studies. Participants in art therapy improve self-expression and emotional regulation. Art therapy can then be termed an effective supportive care intervention among cancer patients following the positive effects of previous art therapy sessions.
References
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