Get Arty: Creative Activities and Mental Health
Let that sink in. We think you’ll agree that this is an alarming statistic, and it demonstrates how important it is that we both talk about and support young people’s mental wellbeing.
How do we do that?
Well, there is some evidence that creative activities like painting, drawing and writing can have a positive impact on a person’s mental health.
This link between creative tasks and positive mental wellbeing is one of the reasons we’re so passionate about providing creative opportunities for our young people. We host regular creative sessions, covering everything from make-up special effects to T-Shirt printing!
So, how can creative activities benefit our mental health?
Relaxation
Doing something arty, whether it’s glass painting or just doodling in a notebook, can be a great way to unwind and reduce stress. Creative tasks often require a lot of focus and can help you “switch off”. They can be an effective break activity, giving you time away from a phone screen or a stressful situation.
Creative activities can also be fun, low-pressure hobbies – you don’t need to be the next Picasso to pick up a paintbrush! Sometimes it’s a good idea to try out new and different art activities and just enjoy the experience, without worrying about how “good” or “bad” you are at art.
Social
Creative activities can be a great way to meet new people, both in-person and online!
During lockdown, a lot of people started new creative hobbies, from knitting to pottery, and found online communities to share their work with and learn from. If there’s a creative activity you want to try, chances are someone has made useful how-to videos about it on YouTube or TikTok.
At group, we find that working on creative projects can be a good way to socialise and chat to other people. While everyone can work at their own pace on their own thing, doing it within a group setting let’s you talk to others, learn from them and share ideas.
Spending time with others and building a sense of community are beneficial for mental wellbeing.
Process Feelings/Stress
Finally, doing something creative can be a good way to work through difficult emotions or handle stress. By creating art based on what you’re experiencing, you can give yourself time and space to explore and examine your feelings.
Doing something simple, like keeping a journal or sketch book, can be a great way to monitor your mental health and write about how you’re doing in a safe space.
Activities We Offer
So now you know the positive benefits of creative activities for our mental wellbeing, it’s probably worth letting you know what sort of activities we have on offer here at Connect Alloa!
In the past, we’ve run creative writing sessions, played drawing games and hosted online art sessions using our Discord channel (which you can learn more about here).
This summer, we have included a range of different creative events as part of our summer programme. These activities have been generously sponsored by Clackmannanshire Council’s #ClacksSummerOfWellbeing.
We’ll be hosting a photography workshop, T-Shirt printing and an online make-up tutorial over the next few weeks. To find out more and register for our events, check out our Eventbrite page.
New members are always welcome! Please complete our online registration before attending group sessions.
We hope everyone is having a lovely summer!