After making the decision to seek professional help for your addiction, there are different treatment approaches that you can choose from. Most addiction treatment centers provide different types of therapy such as;
• Art therapy
• Relapse prevention
• Group focused
• Individual focused
• Skills focused
The forms of therapy are used jointly to give you several scenes of healing and expression.
Art Therapy
The use of art therapy in reducing relapse rates and treating disorders resulting from substance abuse dates back to the 1950s. For art therapy to be effective in reducing relapse rates, you must be able to express yourself through imaginative and creative exercises. This is because, in art therapy, you use your creativity and imagination to make art that enables you to express yourself productively and in a healthy way. The objective of this form of therapy is to broaden the scope of your communication techniques to express your feelings in a better way.
It includes different activities that employ creative processes. The creative processes allow you to create art or to interpret and contemplate established pieces of art. The types of art used in art therapy include;
• Music
• Painting
• Acting
• Poetry
• Dancing
• Drawing
The different types of art therapy reduce relapse rates when combined with conventional treatments. This is by tapping into your emotions that may be difficult to express through traditional forms of communication. Specifically, music therapy motivates you to receive treatment. The significance of music therapy in reducing relapse does not depend on the musical background. In treating substance use disorders and addiction, you listen to music to engage your emotions and to break the barriers to recovery.
Music therapy has many benefits that relate to positive emotional variation, relaxation, and is useful in reducing repeated relapses. The activities that you take part in the lead to decreased anxiety and anger. Art therapy relates to your willingness to take part in the treatment of addiction and the reduction of rates of relapse.
Traditional treatment approaches have been criticized for failing to address certain unique qualities. The use of art therapy, combined with existing traditional approaches, actively engages and motivates you to continue with treatment. Art therapy can be used to promote your engagement in treatment and to enhance your intrinsic motivation for change. Art therapy complements traditional approaches. Its aspects can be used to promote your internal motivation for change by creating imagery.
The approach has been used in the past, and evidence shows that it increases your motivation and engagement. Besides, it makes it easier to explore your emotions, thereby making it easier to complete the treatment and counseling sessions.
Art therapy is communicative in nature. In this regard, it makes it easy for you to express your thoughts and feelings. It is useful even if you have inherent psychological issues relating to substance abuse and addiction. The process of creating art is non-verbal, and it broadens the way you can pass your ideas and emotions to others. Also, it gives you a chance to explore, comprehend, and resolve issues in your life that you may not be comfortable discussing in a normal conversation.
The different forms of art therapy motivate you to talk about your images because it helps you to discover insight and meaning of life. There are different techniques that art therapy uses to reduce relapse rates when combined with traditional treatments. The techniques are:
Active Imagination
You can use this artwork as the starting point by letting your mind roam in free affiliations. This opens the door to discuss your feelings and self-contemplation.
Third-hand Approach
This approach includes help from your therapist. However, it does not eliminate the fact that you are still in charge of your esthetic vision even though the therapist assists in producing artworks.
Gestalt methods
In this approach, your therapist helps you to work out your current experiences and feelings. The artwork may be used to introduce deep conversations or as an instrument to explain your thoughts. This is by describing the artwork from its point of view.
Art therapy reduces relapse rates when combined with traditional treatment approaches. This is because it furnishes you with a means of understanding and coping with addiction. Both traditional treatment and art therapy focus on aiding you to practice self-examination and coping skills.
Art therapy is an excellent approach to dig into different features of your life that you were not able to explain using other approaches. When you undergo art therapy with other patients, it can help you get closer. Besides, it helps you to comprehend the experiences and feelings of the other recovering patients. Call us today at 772-266-5320.
