I always look forward to going to my drama lessons because its a place where I felt I could be myself completely. People that have gone through something or those with a mental illness "DRAMA THERAPY" saves their lives it was also sometimes the only thing they could leave their house for.
People with health problems would go to drama therapy - they improvise scenes that explore topics such as self harm and suicide inspired by members real life experiences.
It also puts on performances for audiences - including staff at the trust and university students studying psychology and drama therapy to raise awareness of mental health problems and how they can effect people.
The arts can keep people well, aid recovery from illness, help people live longer, have better lives and save money in health and social care services.
The group educators people on living with mental health issues. It puts on performances and then holds a workshops to discuss what the audience what the audience has just seen.
Healthcare students find this particularly helpful as they can ask candid and picking questions that they might be afraid to in a clinical.
I came out of secondary quite depressed because I had a bad past. When I did my first performance L2 Performing Arts with my class - we take a bow and the audience are there clapping, I stand there thinking "Wow I've made an impression, I did it!".
Every performance is an achievement, the key themes the groups in drama therapy explores are rejection, loss, abandonment and grief - which are at odds with going up on the stage.
They add that the performances to highlight the needs for healthcare professionals to see people above and beyond a diagnosis = "If it enables them to see more than just a mental health diagnosis then we've won the day".
The arts valuable role in mental health is being recognised.
It can help boost confidence and make us feel more engaged and resilient. Besides those benefits, art engagement also alleviates anxiety, depression and stress.
The arts seem to have an important role to play in this - through offering help, promoting well - being and creating a space for social connection.
Getting included with the arts can have a powerful and lasting effect on health, it can help to protect against a range of mental health conditions, help manage mental ill health and support recovery.
There are many ways to engage in the arts and improve your mental health:
- When we talk about the arts we include usual and performing arts, such as a traditional craft, sculpture, digital art, text, dance, film, literature, music, singing, gardening and the culinary arts.
"Arts and creativity are an important part of the programmes we run at Mental Health Foundation, art can be a different and fun way to express and talk about emotion" Jolie Goodman Programmes Manager for Empowerment and later life.
Engaging in the arts seems to be growing in popularity as a way to improve your well being participating in the arts can enable people to deal with a wide range of mental health conditions and psychological distress.
The best part is that it helps people to improve that mental health through creativity.
