Ever wondered why therapists recommends drawing or painting for depression and anxiety?
Winston Churchill, the legendary British Prime Minister, the man who led Britain through its darkest hour, and one of history’s most celebrated leaders, had a secret battle known only to those in his inner circle.
He struggled with severe depression. Back in the day, it was known as melancholy.
There were periods when this dark cloud of sadness and despair seemed to follow him everywhere. In his memoir, he called this “the black dog.”
Yet Churchill, with the help of his physicians, discovered something that helped keep the black dog at bay: keeping his hands busy.
Despite the weight of leading a nation through war, he was often seen painting, laying bricks, or gardening. He immersed himself in activities that required focus and creativity.
Churchill once wrote that these hobbies provided relief from his troubled mind and gave him moments of peace.
Today, modern psychologists are beginning to understand why, and it starts with understanding the mechanisms of depression and anxiety.
First, we now know that every bad thing, every catastrophe, every horror that has ever happened, or could ever happen to you, either happened in the past or exists in your future.
Depression is often precipitated by being caught in a cycle of negative thoughts, mostly about the past. Anxiety, on the other hand, is caused by constant worry or negative expectations about the future and future outcomes.
If you can stay grounded in the present moment, there is only the here and now. There is nothing but peace.
Engaging your mind or hands in activities like painting or drawing snaps your mind back from the future or the past and forces you to exist in the present.
From a therapeutic perspective, these activities do far more than simply pass the time. They quiet mental chatter and create a refuge from the endless cycle of worry and rumination that often accompanies anxiety and depression.
Your mind becomes absorbed in choosing colors, creating shapes, and paying attention to small details, leaving less mental space for endless worrying.
And the best part is that it doesn’t require any expensive equipment or complicated techniques. Just a pencil, a few colors, and a blank page.
Important Caveat
Drawing and coloring do not cure depression or anxiety. Think of them as complementary tools.
These activities can help support therapy, medication, exercise, social support, and other evidence-based treatments.
So.. If you ever find your mind spiraling, either to the past, or the future; do yourself a favor and pick up a pencil, choose a few colors, and start creating