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Research consistently demonstrates that no single treatment approach is perfect for everyone and rehabilitation plans need to be continually adapted to meet each person's unique needs. Frequently, the best approach is a variety of approaches, and many rehabilitation centers offer both traditional and expressive therapies. Creative therapies, specifically, offer individuals multiple avenues of expression and healing.
Drug addiction is a complex illness that impacts every aspect of a person's life. Due to the complexity of these disorders, treatment is diverse and can involve a variety of techniques.
Traditional approaches for treating addiction include:
Behavioral therapies and expressive therapies share the goal of helping a person recover from his or her addiction and preventing relapse; however, they approach this process differently. While behavioral therapies use incentives to change a person's actions, creative therapies use art to help individuals express themselves in a healthy and productive manner. Expressive therapies provide a means for a suffering person to convey his or her experiences and is increasingly being used in treatment programs.4
Expressive therapies, sometimes called creative therapies or art-based treatment, offer an alternative approach to addiction.
Examples of expressive therapies generally include:
Scientific research demonstrates benefits of art therapy; however, conclusions are limited due to smaller sample sizes and weak study designs. Generally, art therapy has helped individuals suffering from addiction to reduce denial and shame,6 communicate more effectively,7 and increase motivation to participate in treatment.8
Art therapy is commonly used at rehabilitation centers to help individuals communicate their emotions in a non-verbal manner. There are two general categories of art therapy: "art as therapy" and "art psychotherapy." Both forms are used by art therapists in the treatment of addiction as a means to help their patients achieve insight and healing.5
Art as therapy asserts that art making is therapeutic because it offers an opportunity to express oneself imaginatively and authentically, and over time this will lead to personal fulfillment and recovery. A therapist using this approach might offer an individual a ball of clay without any specific prompt. In this scenario, the individual can create whatever he or she wishes as it is merely the process of creating something that facilitates healing.5
Art psychotherapy is based on the idea that art is a means of symbolic communication. This approach emphasizes the end product (e.g. drawings, paintings, sculptures), which is analyzed by a therapist and used to track treatment progress. During recovery, it may be difficult for some individuals to verbalize their painful thoughts or struggle with addiction. Art psychotherapy offers an alternative means of expression. Using this approach, the art therapist might give individuals canvas and paint, asking them to illustrate their emotions related to their addiction. This method may lead to self-discovery and then self-acceptance.5
Expressive therapies are an excellent tool for individuals on the road to recovery. Art therapy, music therapy, dance therapy, and other creative approaches all help a person express his or her emotions in other ways than just through talking.
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