Brushstrokes of Resilience
- Varun Kheria
- Jan 31, 2024
- 3 min read
Have you ever found yourself lost in the strokes of a painting, tapping your foot to the rhythm of a catchy tune, or feeling a surge of emotions while watching a powerful dance performance? It turns out that art can do wonders for your mental health! Engaging with art through painting, music, dance, or storytelling provides a unique outlet for self-expression and emotional release. The best part is that art is accessible to everyone!
Research has shown that the prevalence of mental health concerns is increasing dramatically for young people around the world, and this increase is not being adequately supplemented by traditional mental health treatment methods such as in-person therapy sessions.
To address the severity of this crisis, it is important to explore accessible and scalable unconventional methods of bettering our mental health. A recent study [1] has explored the potential of arts and culture in mitigating this crisis, and the findings are compelling. In this blog, we will delve into the results that highlight the transformative impact of arts and culture-based strategies and discuss the urgent need for action.
The Severity of the Crisis
The two main factors contributing to impairment among young people worldwide are mental health and substance use disorders [2]. Sadly, suicide is the leading cause of death for people aged 10 to 24. The fact that 14% of people worldwide between the ages of 10 and 19 are struggling with mental health concerns makes this catastrophe even more severe [3]. These issues were made much MUCH worse due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The limited resources and personnel currently available to address youth mental health concerns pose a significant challenge to protecting and promoting youth health.
The Role of Arts and Culture
Researchers have proposed using solutions that focus on integrating arts into mental health strategies to provide accessible, scalable, and cost-effective support. This approach aims to use existing local resources and cultural practices and treat mental health concerns. Engaging in the arts not only provides therapeutic benefits but also fosters a sense of community, self-expression, and cultural identity [4]. These are crucial protective factors against mental health issues.
Evidence Supporting Arts-Based Strategies
Numerous studies across diverse fields have shown that arts-based programs provide substantial benefits to mental health. These interventions not only stimulate emotional and cognitive responses but also enhance self-concept and stress resilience [5]. Moreover, evidence indicates that exposure to arts-based stimuli leads to significant neurobiological changes [6].
Our brains aren’t set in stone – we’ve touched upon the topic of neuroplasticity in our previous blogs, but essentially, it means that our neural networks always respond to and can change through exposures and experiences. A paper published by the Berklee College of Music mentions: “Just as adverse or traumatic life experiences can cause certain areas of the brain to atrophy, enriching life experiences can foster brain growth. This is the neurological premise on which we build a case for the therapeutic effects of music. Music causes both structural and functional changes in the brain, both with immediate exposure and over several weeks, months and years. The changes in brain circuitry and connectivity created by music exposure may allow us to activate certain areas of the brain to promote healing.” [6]
Overall, these findings demonstrate that arts and culture can be valuable tools for supporting mental health.
We must act now
Despite mounting evidence, mainstream initiatives often overlook art and based solutions for youth mental health. It’s up to us to transform our approach towards mental health and here are a few ways we could go about it -
Elevating Youth Voices is crucial to strengthen global initiatives for bolstering youth mental health, achieved by rigorously incorporating their lived experiences and perspectives.
Developing core outcome measures is vital to objectively evaluate the efficacy of arts and culture-based programs. Transparent and systematic evaluation methods guide future optimization of initiatives.
A comprehensive review of successful arts and culture programs globally will lead to a better understanding of their potential impact. Even informal research can prove useful.
Securing dedicated funding opportunities is crucial to turn recommendations into reality. Advocacy for financial support aimed at research and translational efforts focused on arts and culture-based strategies is critical for making these programs globally accessible.
By giving priority to the voices of young people, creating transparent assessment methods, learning from successful global models, and securing funding, we can improve mental health support for the youth. The benefits for the well-being of young people worldwide are immeasurable. By embracing the arts and culture, we can pave the way for a brighter and more resilient future for the next generation. It is time to act now!
- Varun Kheria, Science Communicator, ARISA Foundation
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