Can Viewing Art Be Good for Your Health?
Living in the digital age viewing art is more and more accessible online. But is viewing art “live” actually good for your health? This topic, if you know me personally is “dear to my heart”. Being a health and wellness practitioner for over 15 years I witness the rise of stress, anxiety, and depression amongst women along with the use of antidepressants. For some, a second or third dose of antidepressants is prescribed by allopathic doctors merely for things like post partum, fatigue, brain fog, or sleeping in. Does this solution address the cause?
These are some facts:
Antidepressant use is especially high among women, up 29 percent since 2001, the report showed, and anti-anxiety meds are used by women at almost twice the rate seen among men. In 2010, 11 percent of middle-aged women were on an anti-anxiety medication, while only 5.7 percent of men that age were. (Huffington Post Nov 16, 2011)
Often our symptoms are our body’s way of speaking to us and are a wakeup call to change our behavior, approach or attitude. When we take medications that mask our symptoms and dull our emotions we dim our ability to recognize the underlying problem and what our body or heart is trying to tell us. In my own life and in my practice with women I discovered that many symptoms like fatigue, depression, and grief are like a door that is stuck. Once this doorway gets “unstuck” through some holistic modalities , compassion and acceptance women return to their innate creativity with joy and renewed vitality often weening off antidpressnats.( with the help of a doctor)
In the book ” The Artist’s Way” by Julia Cameron ( filmmaker and producer)- a twelve step program to heal the inner child ( the artist), she recommends taking yourself on an artist’s date ( by yourself) to your favorite furniture store, art gallery, fabric store or you name it- whatever brings you joy for up to two hours every week. This simple yet enriching time alone can boost your mood, creativity, relationships and outlook. She understands the powerful value of seeing art to become inspired and happy.
The Nord-Trondelag Health Study collected information and samples from 130,000 Norwegians ages 13 and up. Koenraad Cuypers, a researcher in the department of public health and general practice at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, studied the outcome from the study, which questioned more than 50,000 men and women about how often they participated in cultural activities like attending galleries and museums and viewing films.
Cupyers discovered that participation in cultural activities, such as creating art, attending concerts and sporting events was associated with good health, satisfaction with life, low anxiety and low depression in both men and women. Specifically, up to 84 percent of those who participated in at least four activities reported good health, and up to 91 percent of them reported high satisfaction in their lives.
The study concluded that these health benefits were found in people who both created or consumed the culture. This means creating artwork as well as viewing or collecting art offer the same benefits.
As I reflect on the times I went to yoga/spiritual retreats in upstate New York, in the 90’s, I marvel at the fact that every time I was there I was “somehow” seated next to a woman artist. I remember that I felt like this was a sign, a reflection of myself in that other person- a secret wish I was not in touch with but yet the seeds were being planted in my being that creativity would be part of my life purpose and joy. I would sit with delight and surprise as these events occurred. One such artist is Jill Roman. Soon after I found myself at a pastel art class with her in the Bay area of California with an 85-year-old art teacher that patted me on the back and said, ” keep going”. I’ll never forget such powerful encouragement as I began painting a bird not knowing what I was doing but just did it. I can still say now I don’t know what I’m doing but love that part and just keep doing it. In fact, making art and seeing art is plugged into my weekly calendar- visiting new galleries, new exhibits at museums and visiting furniture stores to spark my aesthetic side.
If the eyes are the doorways to the soul why don’t we become more conscious of what we see, look at and take into our being? Who knows, perhaps the arrangement of colors on a canvas, or the photos of flowers at the Botanical Gardens will move your soul to create, opening new doorways to better health and well being.
Gedalia Genin PhD
“Sparking new pathways to health and vitality using natural modalities”. www.gedaliahealingarts.com