Art as Empowerment: Facilitating Mental Health
Mental health has occupied different spaces in society throughout history. Initially perceived as something that was inherently unknowable, conversations about mental health occupy a more central position in our lives now. In the last three decades, the need to understand and facilitate better mental health has been recognised by larger organisational bodies as well. A greater amount of research has gone into the area as a consequence. It was through this research that we understood the magnitude of the mental health epidemic. In 2001, WHO recognised that “one in four people in the world will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives”.
In India, recent studies state that current mental health morbidity was around 10.6%. Organisations such as The Banyan also note that there exists a treatment gap of over 90%, which necessitates that the solution to this epidemic cannot be contained within traditional (formal) mental health settings, such as clinics and hospitals. In line with the collectivist value framework, community mental health spaces are now being facilitated and educated to a greater degree. This allows for the decentralisation of treatment modalities in the context of mental health.
An avenue for access to better mental health can be found in the link between art, culture and community. It is commonly assumed that art exists in a therapeutic space primarily as a mode of therapy, which can be understood as the “art as a tool” approach. Another perspective through which art can be understood in the context of mental health is art as empowerment. Art then serves as a medium for people struggling with their mental health to express themselves and feel represented. This forces a sense of community that helps not just in conversations about mental health, but also in moving away from the sense of isolation that poor mental health often brings with it.
This intersection of art, community and mental health is one that is beginning to be explored even in India. For instance, earlier this year, Nehru Science Centre (Mumbai) co-hosted a seven-day exhibition that documents the experiences of persons suffering from mental illness. As part of the first Kolkata festival, Pavlov Mental Health hospital had an art exhibit within its premises that documented the lived experiences and the often untold (and usually, unheard) narratives of its residents. Such exhibits and forms of engagement can facilitate a sense of community by making sure people’s voices are heard and represented. By doing so, art can help bridge the understanding gap, bringing us one step closer to destigmatising therapy and seeking help for mental health.
