Surviving Cancer Through Art And Early Detection
When you are a patient of cancer or equally serious illness, anything that helps alleviate the pain, depression, and other adverse is heaven sent. In this article, we take a look at the true story of a cancer patient who overcomes the trauma of her treatment through art. It also answers questions linked to art therapy. While we emphasize that early detection from reputed diagnostic centres such as Anderson Diagnostics can be life-saving, the aid art and craft provide is also valuable.
Geetha Paniker is a survivor of triple negative cancer with a double mastectomy who believes that creative arts stimulated her brain enough that she could power through the trauma of her many treatments. In her own words, art washes away the dust from the soul. She believes that anything creative, be it painting, drawing, knitting, sculpting, crocheting, writing, stitching, or photography, can help deal with the pain and stress that comes with illnesses. Immersing yourself in art and craft:
• Relaxes the body
• Clear the mind
• Brings a holistic serenity
By providing a distraction, they give the brain a much-needed reprieve from depressing thoughts. At times, they can even help you attain the “flow state” – a meditative-like state that supports re-energizing.
Understanding Art Therapy
The cancer patient is just one example; the benefits of art therapy have been leveraged by many others.
• So, what is art therapy? It is a simple approach to improving your life through art.
• What can be used as art? Doodling, knitting, colouring, painting, drawing, photography – anything art form can be utilised for therapy.
• How does it help? The art becomes a medium through which awareness, understanding, and esteem of the self are explored and increased.
• What are its benefits? Art therapy enhances not only the emotional state of the person but also their mental and physical being. It does so by expressing your feeling (and thoughts) through colours, images, designs, and even shapes. While words are harder to form to explain what you are feeling to others, art is a more straightforward method to it, which makes it therapeutic.
• How can art therapy be done? It can be done anywhere from at home alone or work. It can also be conducted in a counselling session with a trained expert.
Is Art Therapy Only For People With Medical Conditions?
Just like where it can be done (everywhere), the answer to who can do art therapy is everyone. One doesn’t need to be a maestro to leverage the advantages of art therapy because the aim is to indulge the mind not come up with a masterpiece. Since the artistic value of the creation is lower than the health benefits it offers, art therapy can be done by:
• People who have suffered trauma through an accident or medical condition.
• People who have been exposed to a significant loss in life.
• People who are trying to overcome any of their addictions.
• People who fight with mental health disorders.
Cancer is just one of the most common avenues where art therapy is utilised to help individuals. It is also prevalent in making sure that children express themselves.Here – https://mesothelioma.net/benefits-art-therapy-cancer-patients/ – you can check out the benefits of art therapy for cancer patients.
The reason art and craft show such visible influence is the impact it has on the brain. When a patient starts working on a creative project, the neural activity of the brain is increased in areas connected with:
• Memory
• Self-monitoring which makes the person self-aware
• Introspection which brings forth positive perspectives
Overall, the individual becomes resilient and better equipped to deal with problems or stress that may occur in the future. The best part of art and its medical benefits is that it helps persons with major or minor illnesses. It is an excellent option for individuals who simply suffer from everyday stressors or people with life-altering ailments like cancer.
To sum it up while getting checked up early is one option to fighting health concerns, diving into arts and crafts is the solution to a healthier mind while suffering from them.
