Tapping into your inner artist

Do you enjoy a leisurely stroll around the art gallery or museum, a night at the opera or thrashing around in the mosh pit at a death metal concert? There is good evidence that getting involved in the arts can have a powerful effect on mental health and wellbeing. The arts can protect against a range of mental health conditions as well as being beneficial for those who are experiencing mental health symptoms.

It's also much more than just passively enjoying the arts – active involvement in various art forms is also beneficial. This includes activities such as drawing, painting, playing music or participating in plays or community choirs. These things provide a creative outlet, helping people to express their thoughts, emotions and experiences. They can be helpful for people to express emotions in a non-verbal way, which can be particularly important for people who might otherwise struggle to convey their feelings through words.

Artistic endeavours can help with stress management, by getting your mind off the things that have been causing concern to focus on the activity at hand. In some ways, it is a form of mindfulness, forcing you to be engaged and in the present. When you are immersed in creating, playing, observing or listening to artistic works, you can reach a state of flow, where the chaos of daily life seems to stand still.

You don’t need to be Beethoven or Michaelangelo to get involved with the arts. In fact, learning a new skill is probably beneficial in helping to tackle perfectionism. Be willing to make mistakes and embrace the chaos, safe in the knowledge that you are rewarding your brain through learning.

We often talk about the art and science of dentistry. Perhaps it’s time to embrace your artistic side outside of the dental clinic.