Anxiety, Mood Disorders, and Trauma

How to get the help you need

Everything is unpredictable…

We live with this essential truth by alternating between feelings of panic (anxiety) and trying desperately to establish concrete security. We may live in a state of panic or near panic. Or we may develop routines and habits that become stagnant and soul-draining to find the security that eludes us. With either response, it leads to feeling stuck. And feeling stuck can contribute to Depression (on top of the anxiety!).

That’s a lot to manage.

But in the unpredictability is freedom. No two moments are alike. We always have the ability to choose to do something different in this next moment we’ve been given. That’s where creative arts therapies can come in. Learn to be spontaneous yet grounded and find new solutions to old problems.

Here are a few of the mental health issues that can benefit from creative arts therapies:

Anxiety

The unpredictable nature of life can cause anxious thoughts of “what if” to the point of panic and/or emotional paralysis. We project into the near and distant future and it can feel terrifying to contemplate. Creative arts therapies can help by teaching you how to ground yourself, an essential step in creating art. Creative arts therapies can externalize the feelings of anxiety and panic, allowing you to observe your emotions and behavior which can allow for some distance to see potential problems clearly and make a plan for solving.

Depression

There are as many kinds of depression as there are people. It’s different for each person. Depression can manifest as low mood or can manifest as extreme irritability. You could not be able to get out of bed and be plagued with thoughts of death, or you could function normally but feel emotionally cut off, dead inside, feel that you could never be happy again as long as you live. Depression, in whatever form it takes, is debilitating and worse, it’s disheartening. You have a vague remembrance of enjoying life at some point, but that is long gone. Creative arts therapies can help in a couple of ways, 1) learning spontaneity and how to respond just a little differently in each situation to keep emotionally flexible, and 2) helping to explore the causes of your depression. We all know the neuroscience points to biological causes for depression. But I haven’t met a single depressed person who didn’t have other causes for distress: unfulfilling relationships, troublesome substance use, ptsd and trauma, bad bosses and work environments, to name a few. Add to the stage the larger societal issues of systemic racism, sexism, and homophobia, lack of adequate health care, crumbling infrastructure and precarious free markets, and its clear the anxiety and depression about our situations are real and must be honored with working through. Talking. Acting. Drawing. Sewing. Whatever medium you are drawn to, Creative arts therapies can help you express yourself and how you see your place in the world.

Bipolar Disorder

As if depression wasn’t bad enough, some individuals also experience extreme highs that are beset with risky and distressing behavior. It may manifest as a really good day (hypomania) or present with delusions depending on the severity (mania). It is also can result in extreme irritability and argumentativeness. For the person with Bipolar Disorder, Creative arts therapies can aid by helping focus. As with grounding exercises that may be done when someone is experiencing anxiety, there are arts and drama related exercises that can help a bipolar person focus their tremendous energies. It can’t solve the puzzle of the extreme mood shifts, but it can be harnessed to help an individual cope with the onslaught of emotions. Producing a piece of art, learning a monologue that mirrors your situation, can help with focus, and also with processing your own journey.

PTSD and Trauma

Trauma is pervasive in our society. So many have been negatively impacted by abuse, accidents, or health issues and live with the consequences in their daily lives, whether it is hyper-vigilance, disassociation (spacing out), anxiety, depression or anger management issues. The creative arts therapies can help with treating trauma and ptsd by bringing a creative lens to your experience, whatever that is and you might be ready for. For some, it is directly through exploring the trauma itself but for others it’s the impact it has had in their lives. Creative arts therapies can help with crafting a life that helps mitigate the more distressing aspects of the trauma response. Self-care, a term that is frequently bandied about, is critical in the management of PTSD and trauma experiences. Practicing a creative art, whether it be singing or building a birdhouse, focuses the mind, offers a small bit of peace and tranquility as well as digs into your reaction to your trauma and it’s impact on your life. It is profoundly important for folks with trauma to find an outlet for their pain and frustrations. The creative arts is one way to do that.

There are other mental health issues that can be addressed with creative arts therapies. Looking forward to working with you in person, text, phone, or video chat.

Call, text, or email:

Barbara McGlamery, MA, LCAT
Licensed Creative Arts Therapist
tel: 929-324-6132
email: bmcglamery@gmail.com

Or click on the “Contact” link below