Did you know that if you enjoy painting, sculpting, drawing, scrap booking, or photography as hobbies that you are unknowingly promoting positive health while you create? More than just enjoyment, arts and crafts range from enhancing self-esteem, increasing brain productivity, to even lessening the effects of serious health conditions. This is especially helpful in many of our geriatric psychiatry patients, where we strive to incorporate art and other engaging crafts as a part of our Recreational Activities that we do daily.
Here are a few benefits of arts and crafts:
A stress relief: Becoming immersed in creating art allows your mind to break away from pressing or distracting thoughts and really focus on the task at hand. This creates a meditative state where concerns are momentarily forgotten; which can lower stress levels and help promote mental clarity.
Confidence Boost: Looking at a finished work or your creative masterpiece provides a burst of self-esteem that brightens the mood by increasing the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is known as the “feel good” molecule; which reduces feelings of depression and generates confidence.
Improves quality of life for those with illness: Studies have shown that people with debilitating illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer’s have had improved medical outcomes after creating art. The creative process lessens psychiatric symptoms and enhances patient’s pleasure and social behavior.
Enhances brain productivity: The increase of dopamine caused by creating art and crafts enhances the creation of new neurons; which, promotes focus, concentration and readies the brain for learning. By creating art, you strengthen the connectivity between the brain’s left and right hemispheres, in doing so boosting psychological resilience and productivity.
Check out one of our Recreational Activities conducted on the Senior Behavioral Health Unit at MCB called Swipe Art. Art is one of many recreational activities conducted on our unit at the hospital.
July 1, 2020 is also known as International Joke Day
Today, one of our recreational activities in the Senior Behavioral Health Unit will be centered on how to create a culture of happiness…along with jokes, a few short funny stories, and more!
Our Senior Behavioral Health Unit staff strives to create and provide a happy atmosphere. Here is how we define happiness in our unit:
H– Helps alleviate agitation and depression
A– Actives feel good hormones
P– Produces energy
P– Produces relaxation
I– Increases productivity
N– Nourishes the spirit, soul and body
E– Encourages playfulness
S– Strengthens the immune system
S– Stimulates cardiovascular health
Laughter stimulates the release of endorphins, the body’s natural “feel-good” chemicals that promote improved well-being, social engagement, and quality of life. Laughter has also been proven to reduce tension, soothe aches and pains and improve the immune system.
We are always looking for ways to educate and help patients learn to incorporate laughter and humor into their day-to-day routines.
As well as a name badge, all of our staff wear a happy face and are here around the clock providing patients with an intensive therapeutic environment which promotes stabilization of an acute psychiatric crisis.
As always, we strive to create healthier families and a stronger community here at Medical Center Barbour. Our MCB Senior Behavioral Health Unit is proud to be HERE FOR YOU and your loved ones when you need us most.