Many people find that spending time on artistic activities, such as drawing and painting, can be soothing. Repeatedly moving a pencil or paint over paper can itself be a calming act, and sometimes being creative is an opportunity to express difficult thoughts and emotions that can’t otherwise be put into words, gaining more insights on what you’ve been through or are going through.
Some have said that art helps them to focus on the present moment, helping them focus on how they’re feeling and experience connections between their emotions and body. While this can be overwhelming, it is a step towards better self-awareness and may help with knowing what solutions or actions to take.
There are plenty of websites where you can download free colouring pages to get you started and you can find free art classes nationwide through the National Saturday Club website and other organisations.
In the below video, illustrator and animator Mair Perkins, who has worked with our Schools in Mind team on booklets and We all have mental health animation, discusses the many ways in which drawing and painting may help your mental wellbeing: