Art therapy can be a great way to let out what you are feeling. You may discover something new about your anxiety that can make it easier to explain to a therapist. Here are some art therapy activities to better visualize your anxiety and to make you calmer.
Art Therapy Activities For Anxiety
The idea of a panic attack can have the tendency to put you into a panic attack either from stress or unexpectedly in a new place with new people. You should make yourself a panic book to help yourself feel calm and comforted. Get yourself a sketchbook or a notebook and collect magazines, paint, markers, color pencils, and stamps. Make a collage or a drawing of anything you love that makes you feel calm like going to the beach, a certain person, the library, or a poem. Once you are done making it, carry the book with you, continue to add to it, and use it when you feel anxious or about to have a panic attack so you can put yourself in a safe place.
Another activity you can do is to represent your anxiety as a human, something abstract, or a monster to recognize when your anxiety comes out and how to deal with it. Draw, paint or create a collage that represents your anxiety. Think about the body and personality, voice, interests, and what the body would look like with and without anxiety. You can even journal your discovery right next to your work. You can also make mindfulness beads by going to the store and picking out the ones that stand out. Make a string for a keychain or a bracelet in the order that appeals to you. Reflect on the beads’ appearance, texture, noises, or focus on each bead one at a time.
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You can also create zentrangles where you draw patterns so you can enter yourself into a peaceful state by focusing on the moment. First, draw four dots with one on each corner. Then, draw a border on a square piece of paper. Draw a string or multiple strings to divide the page with. Lastly, draw confident strokes with a pen of defined shapes. Do not worry what the work of art looks like as long as you draw the shapes within the border. Shade the shapes with a graphite pencil and initial your work of art.
Located in Tacoma, Washington, Bayview Recovery Center’s mission is to offer clinically-driven programs and services to treat a number of substance abuse disorders along with anxiety and depression using cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, trauma therapy, yoga therapy, and more for a successful recovery. For more information, please call us 888-570-7154 at as we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
