words Al Woods
Artists and musicians are often flawed people. The impulse to create, perform, and express comes from somewhere, and it’s usually not a stable upbringing, a good childhood, and security. When someone doesn’t grow up with emotional, financial, or physical security, they tend to find it elsewhere. Artists want to live by their own rules. They want the satisfaction of making things, but they also use their pain to do it as a form of art therapy.
It’s no secret that a lot of artists could benefit from therapeutic treatments. Furthermore, getting the help and attention that these people need won’t make them any less of an artist. It can improve their work greatly. If you or someone you know could use a little help, below are five treatments that might help the artist or musician.
Dual Diagnosis Addiction Treatment
Artists are known for partying. They are infamous for drinking, sex, and taking drugs. However, so often it’s because they are self-medicating something. When someone needs treatment for addiction to substances, it’s vital that they receive dual diagnosis treatment. Dual diagnosis is the approach to addiction treatment that considers the whole person and their entire life.
Dual diagnosis helps the person get off using drugs and alcohol, but it also aims to treat the underlying issues that led them here. These can be internal chemical imbalances like depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety, or they could be external forces like trauma and abuse. There are many combinations that lead artists to self-medicate and become dependent upon substances.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy was designed to provide assistance to those who are trying to change the way they think, feel, and act but can’t do it. This form of therapy is effective for people who emotionally eat, people who have phobias, and people who may not be addicted to drugs and alcohol but use them to self-medicate. Cognitive behavioral therapy is often effective for artists who want to live better, more productive lives.
Whether you are looking for CBT therapy in San Antonio or Seattle, there are plenty of professionals who can help people overcome their challenges. CBT is one of the best ways to tackle behavioral issues. If you respond to depression, external factors, and your learned behaviors poorly, you can rework these things and move forward.
Psychedelic Therapy
So often psychedelic drugs are used recreationally, but the real benefit of these substances is to be used in therapeutic contexts. When a person is struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma, or fear of immortality, there are a few therapies that use psychedelic drugs to tackle these issues.
For example, MDMA therapy can be great for trauma, anxiety, and depression. Ketamine allows you to look at your chemical imbalances in a new way and divorce yourself from them. Psilocybin is incredibly effective for terminal patients who can’t accept death. LSD has shown promise in nearly all these ways too. Artists think outside of the box. Psychedelic therapy is good for them when used responsibly, with the right intention, and for the right reasons.
EMDR
EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization reprocessing. This is when a very physical approach is taken to rewiring the brain in response to trauma. Over a few sessions, the patient is instructed to move their eyes in specific ways that help retrain the brain. Other desensitization tactics can be used too. The goal here is to change the way you respond to memories and feelings of trauma. You might still feel poorly when encountering trauma triggers, but you won’t have that knee jerk reaction you used to have. For artists who have experienced trauma, EMDR is quite effective.
The good news is that these therapies are just the tip of the iceberg. When you need help, there are plenty of ways to get it. Artists are more susceptible to these struggles—it’s probably why they are artists—but that doesn’t mean non-creative people can’t benefit from these therapies too. Whatever you are struggling with, if you put in the time to find the right treatment for your needs you can work on yourself and create a better life. Do you think one of these treatments is right for you? It’s time to give it a try!
