Bipolar is a severe mental condition under the category of depressive disorders with the major symptom being the presence of maniac episodes, during which a patient experiences unusual mood changes. The mania portrays extremely happy feelings and energy while depression manifests through sadness and depression. This mental condition affects children, teenagers, and adults at different levels with maniac episodes taking longer as a person grows older. Management of this condition is possible with early diagnosis and use of medication as well as therapeutic measures. Art therapy has proved effective in managing the mood changes of patients since it allows them to express their emotions in form of art (Riley, 2000 p.8). This paper seeks to prove the effectiveness of art therapy in management of bipolar disorder among teenagers.
Art therapy is the use of creative media to assist an individual recovers from trauma, mental illness, or substance abuse (Riley, 2000 p.2). It facilitates the exploration and expression of feelings leading to stabilization of moods. This is an effective method to assist teenagers with bipolar relax their minds and focus on their feelings as well as express them to the world. Art requires concentration and complete absorption during which the mind heals as one feels fulfillment, freedom, and enjoyment. School programs should adapt art therapy to improve the self-esteem of teenagers with bipolar and stabilize their minds.
(Choi, Lee & Lim, 2008) explores the effectiveness of group music in management of depression, relationships, and anxiety among psychiatric patients. The patients under study received music therapy while the control group received none. The findings uncovered that music indeed has a significant effect on the improvement of depression, relationships, and anxiety among the patients. These results contribute to the conclusion that art therapy can effectively manage mood changes among teenagers with bipolar.
(White, 2004) explores the use of drawings to determine the mental condition among young people with mental and behavioral disorders. The study uses the formal elements art therapy scale (FEATS) to rate the drawings that indicate the emotional and behavioral health of the patients. A drawing can therefore indicate the current condition of a patient hence enable accurate diagnosis and treatment. This study shows that art therapy cannot only help in management of bipolar disorders, but can also contribute to its diagnosis among teenagers.
(Jorm, Allen & O’donell, 2006) examines the therapy process used in management of adolescents with depression disorders. The study explores different therapy processes to aid in effective management of mood changes especially in a home environment. It identifies that art is an effective way for families to adapt since it requires minimum supervision from clinical experts. The teenagers could draw from the comfort of their homes or attend school at their own convenience. This indicates that art therapy is a convenient way to manage mental disorders and promotes self-treatment. It can also complement other management measures such as medication to enhance the results.
In conclusion, bipolar is a manageable condition that requires patience and understanding of the patients. Teenagers with bipolar disorder may face various social challenges, but with art therapy, their self-esteem could improve as well as their ability to control mood changes. Art therapy is an effective way to slow down the mind and calm the patients’ moods in the process. Art therapy could also help in assessing the mental condition of a patient to determine whether therapy is working (Riley, 2000 p.41). With utilization of art therapy for teenage patients with bipolar, their conditions would eventually improve.
References
Choi A. N.,Lee M. S., Lim H. J. 2008. Effects of Group Music Intervention On Depression, Anxiety, And Relationships In Psychiatric Patients: A Pilot Study. The Journal Of Alternative And Complementary Medicine. 14(5): 567-570.
Jorm A. F., Allen N. B., O’donell C. P. 2006. Effectiveness Of Complementary And Self-Help Treatments For Depression In Children And Adolescents. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology. 39(3): 436-443.
Riley S. (2000). Contemporary Art Therapy with Adolescents. London: Kingsley.
White C. R. 2004. Use Of Drawings To Identify Thought Impairment Among Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders: An Exemplary Study. Journal of American Art Therapy Association. 21(4): 210-218.
