When Dr. Frank Clark was studying medicine to become a psychiatrist, he decided to write his first poem.
"All that chatter in my head, everything I've been feeling, now I can put it on paper and my pen can talk," he said, recalling his thoughts back then.
Back then, she struggled with depression and relied on several things to keep it at bay: running, therapy, medication, and her faith.
"I had to find something else to fill the void," he says.
It turned out that poetry was the missing piece in his "welfare puzzle."
"I saw an improvement in my mood," said Clark, who now sees patients in Greer, South Carolina.
"It gave me another way out."
The notion that art can improve mental well-being is something that many people intuitively understand but can lose sight of, especially if we have disconnected from the dance, creative writing, drawing and singing that we used to enjoy as children.
But there's a "really strong body of evidence" suggesting that creating art, like activities like attending a concert or visiting a museum, can benefit mental health, says Jill Sonke, director of research at the University of Florida's Center for Art in Medicine.
Here are some simple ways to improve your mood with the arts.
Try the technique of the three drawings
Dr. James Gordon, psychiatrist and founder of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine, pioneered the "three-drawing technique."
It appears in the new book "Your Brain in Art: How the Arts Transform Us."
"In my experience, this kind of art goes beyond words by helping us understand what happens to us and understand what we should do with it," Gordon says in the book.
You don't have to be good at drawing: stick figures are worth it.
Start by drawing yourself quickly; Don't think about it too much.
The second drawing should show you with your biggest problem.
The third drawing should show you once the problem is solved.
The goal of this exercise is to encourage self-discovery and help people take charge of their healing.
It can be done with or without a therapist, explains Susan Magsamen, an assistant professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and co-author of the book.
Coloring something intricate
If you're one of the many people who have turned to adult coloring books, you may not be surprised that research suggests this activity can help relieve anxiety.
Coloring within lines—of an intricate pattern, for example—seems to be especially effective.
A study evaluating college students and another evaluating older adults found that spending 20 minutes coloring a mandala (a complex geometric design) did more to reduce anxiety than coloring freely for the same amount of time.
Susan Albers, a clinical psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic and author of "50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food," described coloring as a "mental mini-vacation."
When we focus on the texture of the paper and choose the colors we like, it's easier to disconnect from distractions and stay in the moment, he says.
"It's a great form of meditation for people who hate to meditate," he added.
More music
Studies show that listening to music, playing an instrument, or singing can be beneficial.
In a 2022 study, for example, more than 650 people from four age groups were surveyed and asked to rank artistic activities that helped them "feel better" during the 2020 pandemic lockdowns.
The youngest participants, aged 18 to 24, overwhelmingly rated musical activities as the most effective.
In all age groups, "singing" was one of the most valued activities.
Other studies have found that singing reduces levels of cortisol, a hormone the body releases when under stress. For example, mothers who had recently given birth and regularly sang to their babies had less anxiety.
Magsamen noted that music can be effective in reducing stress because elements such as rhythm and repetitive lyrics and chords activate multiple regions of the brain.
"I sing in the shower," Magsamen says.
"I sing at the top of my lungs with the radio."
Write a poem
Clark has continued to write poetry since earning a medical degree and offered some advice for those interested in giving it a try.
First, banish any thought that you're not creative enough.
"I think a lot of times we're our own worst critic," he says.
"I think anyone can write poetry."
Start with a simple haiku, Clark suggested. Haikus consist of only three verses: the first and last have five syllables and the middle one, seven.
Also consider involving your friends — a suggestion from a 2020 article in the Journal of Medical Humanities that explored the "healing power" of poetry.
As the authors wrote:
"Simply reading a poem once a week, sharing a poem with a friend, or spending five to ten minutes freely writing about a favorite memory, current idea, concern, or hope can be effective first steps in experiencing the benefits of poetry."
.2023 The New York Times Company
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