Benefits of Art Therapy

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Drugs like opiates can lead to physical dependency, which can make it extremely difficult to recover without help. Besides a fatal overdose, addiction can cause personal, legal, and financial problems. Substance abuse disorders can also aggravate underlying medical and mental health disorders. Inpatient and outpatient rehabs, which offer programs like art therapy, can help you learn how to manage your symptoms and find recovery. Among the benefits of art therapy, this art therapy program in Utah combines with other treatments, like medication management and individual therapy for addiction in Utah. Addiction is deadly. The United States is experiencing a record number of fatal drug overdoses, as drug overdoses have become the leading cause of death among Americans under the age of 50. The opiate epidemic has played a significant role in the increased number of drug overdoses, as fatal heroin overdoses have quadrupled since 2010. Heroin with synthetic opiates, like fentanyl, has made heroin use more dangerous than ever.

How Addiction Works

Substances like opiates, alcohol, and benzodiazepines can cause both psychological and physical addiction. All substances cause your brain to release a rush of pleasurable neurotransmitters, which is responsible for the pleasurable effects you associate with intoxication. Once your mind connects your substance of choice with pleasure, your brain begins to reward your substance use by releasing an excessive amount of neurotransmitters whenever you use it. When you don’t use, your brain restricts the release of neurotransmitters. Eventually, your brain can become dependent on your substance of choice to release any neurotransmitters. Cravings occur when you are depleted of neurotransmitters and can intensify whenever exposed to triggers. Triggers can be people, places, or things that remind you of your substance of choice. Holistic therapy programs in Utah address the various triggers involved and strengthen resiliency. During addiction, you can experience significant personality and mood changes, especially if you have an underlying mental health disorder. Drug and alcohol use can also impair your judgment and alter your decision-making centers. Addiction is also a chronic and progressive condition, meaning symptoms will continue to get more severe the longer you avoid treatment. Common signs and symptoms of addiction include:

  • Inability to stop or reduce your drug or alcohol use

  • Needing to increase the amount you use to experience the same pleasurable effects

  • Concealing your substance use from friends and family members

  • Experiencing memory loss or blackouts when you use

  • Spending the majority of your time using or acquiring your substance of choice

Treatment offers you specialized programs like group counseling and art therapy to help you learn how to manage cravings and triggers.

Benefits of Art Therapy

When you decide to get help for a substance abuse disorder, you can choose between both inpatient and outpatient programs. Many treatment centers offer art therapy, which is a Utah evidence-based approach that allows you to use forms of creative expression to work on your recovery. With the benefits of art therapy, you gain healthy coping mechanisms to handle things like negative emotions. Art therapy is an alternative to talking-based treatment, which is especially helpful if you find it difficult to verbalize your thoughts or feelings. Some of the other benefits of art therapy include that it can improve memory and cognition. Mental health and substance abuse treatment both utilize the benefits of art therapy. Activities like drawing, painting, and crafting can all be a part of an art therapy program. The fact that art therapy can be used with other forms of treatment, like family therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in Utah, is why the benefits of art therapy make it an essential part of many treatment programs.

Finding Help Today

Addiction can make you feel lost, hopeless, and trapped. Finding help is the first step in learning how to overcome addiction. The benefits of art therapy and other evidence-based treatments can provide you with the resources, support, and education you need to beat addiction. To learn more about our substance abuse treatment programs, call us today at 866.830.4628.

Benefits of Art Therapy

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Dr. Daniel Pickrell

Dr. Daniel Pickrell
Medical Reviewer

Dr. Pickrell is a board-certified psychiatrist with interests in addiction and psychiatry. He strives to identify the underlying cause of substance use. His understanding of addiction as the overlapping symptoms of biopsychosocial development is the foundation to his care model. He is committed to helping both patients and families understand that addiction is a treatable medical illness. He has been involved in the treatment of addiction for the last 17 years and completed his residency training at the University of Utah.

By: Acqua Recovery

Posted Date: Jan 27, 2023

Updated Date: Nov 5, 2024

Drugs like opiates can lead to physical dependency, which can make it extremely difficult to recover without help. Besides a fatal overdose, addiction can cause personal, legal, and financial problems. Substance abuse disorders can also aggravate underlying medical and mental health disorders. Inpatient and outpatient rehabs, which offer programs like art therapy, can help you learn how to manage your symptoms and find recovery. Among the benefits of art therapy, this art therapy program in Utah combines with other treatments, like medication management and individual therapy for addiction in Utah. Addiction is deadly. The United States is experiencing a record number of fatal drug overdoses, as drug overdoses have become the leading cause of death among Americans under the age of 50. The opiate epidemic has played a significant role in the increased number of drug overdoses, as fatal heroin overdoses have quadrupled since 2010. Heroin with synthetic opiates, like fentanyl, has made heroin use more dangerous than ever.

How Addiction Works

Substances like opiates, alcohol, and benzodiazepines can cause both psychological and physical addiction. All substances cause your brain to release a rush of pleasurable neurotransmitters, which is responsible for the pleasurable effects you associate with intoxication. Once your mind connects your substance of choice with pleasure, your brain begins to reward your substance use by releasing an excessive amount of neurotransmitters whenever you use it. When you don’t use, your brain restricts the release of neurotransmitters. Eventually, your brain can become dependent on your substance of choice to release any neurotransmitters. Cravings occur when you are depleted of neurotransmitters and can intensify whenever exposed to triggers. Triggers can be people, places, or things that remind you of your substance of choice. Holistic therapy programs in Utah address the various triggers involved and strengthen resiliency. During addiction, you can experience significant personality and mood changes, especially if you have an underlying mental health disorder. Drug and alcohol use can also impair your judgment and alter your decision-making centers. Addiction is also a chronic and progressive condition, meaning symptoms will continue to get more severe the longer you avoid treatment. Common signs and symptoms of addiction include:

  • Inability to stop or reduce your drug or alcohol use

  • Needing to increase the amount you use to experience the same pleasurable effects

  • Concealing your substance use from friends and family members

  • Experiencing memory loss or blackouts when you use

  • Spending the majority of your time using or acquiring your substance of choice

Treatment offers you specialized programs like group counseling and art therapy to help you learn how to manage cravings and triggers.

Benefits of Art Therapy

When you decide to get help for a substance abuse disorder, you can choose between both inpatient and outpatient programs. Many treatment centers offer art therapy, which is a Utah evidence-based approach that allows you to use forms of creative expression to work on your recovery. With the benefits of art therapy, you gain healthy coping mechanisms to handle things like negative emotions. Art therapy is an alternative to talking-based treatment, which is especially helpful if you find it difficult to verbalize your thoughts or feelings. Some of the other benefits of art therapy include that it can improve memory and cognition. Mental health and substance abuse treatment both utilize the benefits of art therapy. Activities like drawing, painting, and crafting can all be a part of an art therapy program. The fact that art therapy can be used with other forms of treatment, like family therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in Utah, is why the benefits of art therapy make it an essential part of many treatment programs.

Finding Help Today

Addiction can make you feel lost, hopeless, and trapped. Finding help is the first step in learning how to overcome addiction. The benefits of art therapy and other evidence-based treatments can provide you with the resources, support, and education you need to beat addiction. To learn more about our substance abuse treatment programs, call us today at 866.830.4628.

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