How Can Art Therapy Help Patients with Chronic Conditions like Hearing Loss and Other Comorbidities?

Anyone with hearing loss can relay instances of anxiety-induced episodes that were caused by their inability to hear or clearly communicate with others. Sometimes it can feel like you’re in the eye of a hurricane. It’s important to always remember to slow down and breathe. Hearing loss is the third most common chronic physical condition in the U.S.

Art therapy can be healing for all chronic conditions.  

What is Art Therapy?

The American Art Therapy Association describes art therapy as “an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.”

Patients should focus more on the process of getting to a healthier mental state, rather than the result.

Art therapy can happen in so many forms including dancing, drawing, music/singing, cooking, knitting, painting, sculpting, meditation, writing, and any other creative outlet that you can think of. No previous artistic experience is necessary, but the devotion towards exploring your creative side can be helpful when selecting how you want to interpret your inspiration.

The Benefits of Art for Chronic Conditions in Patients

There are so many complexities when it comes to a patient’s physical and mental health. Taking care of chronic conditions for a lifetime will take its toll. Anxiety, depression, isolation, and mental health can worsen the physical symptoms of these health issues.

Various studies that were reviewed by the American Journal of Public Health indicate that art therapy helps patients manage their chronic conditions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain, cancer, and other chronic illnesses for extended periods of time. This includes:

• Improving relief from stress and emotional resilience
• Supports cognitive function and motor skills
• Alleviates feelings of anxiety, depression, or pain
• Advocates the expression of oneself creatively through nonverbal communication
• Influences bonds with other people and self-discovery
• Improves independence and confidence in one’s own abilities

The great thing about art therapy is that anyone can be creative. It is crucial for each individual to find the proper medium, which takes time and experimentation with various mediums.   

If you have hearing loss and want to improve your life with art therapy that includes music and listening, contact us at Pure Sound Hearing for a complimentary hearing test and consultation. 

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