CONCLUSION
Challenges
The COVID-19 pandemic threw a giant inconvenient wrench into my senior capstone project. There were many obstacles I had to overcome because of it. Initially, I was using the school's Creative Media equipment and one of the study rooms in the library to conduct my in-person interviews. But when the lockdown happened and the campus closed down, I needed an alternative location, as well as a good microphone to use. I ended up purchasing my own wireless lavalier microphone setup, and I conducted the remaining interviews from home and the tattoo shop that Sarah owns. I also was unable to get all the B-roll footage that I needed for my documentary video when the stay-at-home order was declared by state officials. Additionally, my severely outdated laptop is unable to handle to processor requirements needed to run Adobe Premiere Pro. Originally, the plan was to edit my documentary video at the Creative Media lab, but the coronavirus happened and I needed to use another computer. Luckily, I was loaned one from the school to use until the end of the semester.
Conclusion
So, how do people in Hawaii use art therapy to cope with anxiety? Although everyone who was interviewed had some kind of artistic background, an individual experiencing any type of anxiety can utilize art therapy as a method of coping whether they are creatively inclined or not. It is not necessarily the act of being artistic that helps one cope with anxiety, but being able to express your feelings and emotions freely. That is why art therapy is not limited to traditional art like drawing or painting, because everyone expresses their emotions through different means and methods, such as dancing, sculpting, collaging, writing, poetry, music, photography, acting, etc. People should not be concerned whether the end result is artistic or not because if within that process of creating that art helps alleviate an individual's stress and anxiety, then it should not matter. It is not the end product, but the process of creating and being able to express oneself in whatever way possible that makes it therapeutic.
Additionally, self expression is only one aspect of an individual's life. In order to attain mental and emotional wellness, there needs to be a balance in all other areas of one's life: physical, spiritual, financial, intellectual, social, etc. One must work on all aspects of their life in order to not stress about what is lacking. Simply, if all areas of one's life are in order, there are less things to worry about.
This entire process was a true blessing in disguise for me. In a way, working on this senior capstone project helped me cope with my own anxiety. By performing all the background research, gathering the data from the two Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaires, and being able to discover how my friends going through their own personal experiences, I was able to learn more about myself and how I can better deal with my anxieties and specifically my Acute Stress Disorder, if it should occur again. The process of creating and working on this senior capstone was one of my art therapy techniques that allowed me to cope with anxiety.
If you are experiencing feeling of anxiety, depression, or having any other type of mental health issues, please talk to someone about it. I kept most of my feelings and emotions bottled up inside of me when I initially went through my episode of Acute Stress Disorder, and the stress just kept building up. It wasn't until I talked to a psychologist that most of my stress and anxiety started to alleviate. But you don't necessarily have to seek out a mental healthcare professional. For me, at the time, the opportunity presented itself and it was the most convenient option. Just being able to share your experiences and concerns with anyone helps with alleviate your stress. If you don't feel comfortable sharing your experiences with someone you know out of fear of being judged, there are many national and local resources available to you, which I have listed conveniently in the "Resources" tab above. Please seek help, if you need it.
Additionally, self expression is only one aspect of an individual's life. In order to attain mental and emotional wellness, there needs to be a balance in all other areas of one's life: physical, spiritual, financial, intellectual, social, etc. One must work on all aspects of their life in order to not stress about what is lacking. Simply, if all areas of one's life are in order, there are less things to worry about.
This entire process was a true blessing in disguise for me. In a way, working on this senior capstone project helped me cope with my own anxiety. By performing all the background research, gathering the data from the two Generalized Anxiety Disorder questionnaires, and being able to discover how my friends going through their own personal experiences, I was able to learn more about myself and how I can better deal with my anxieties and specifically my Acute Stress Disorder, if it should occur again. The process of creating and working on this senior capstone was one of my art therapy techniques that allowed me to cope with anxiety.
If you are experiencing feeling of anxiety, depression, or having any other type of mental health issues, please talk to someone about it. I kept most of my feelings and emotions bottled up inside of me when I initially went through my episode of Acute Stress Disorder, and the stress just kept building up. It wasn't until I talked to a psychologist that most of my stress and anxiety started to alleviate. But you don't necessarily have to seek out a mental healthcare professional. For me, at the time, the opportunity presented itself and it was the most convenient option. Just being able to share your experiences and concerns with anyone helps with alleviate your stress. If you don't feel comfortable sharing your experiences with someone you know out of fear of being judged, there are many national and local resources available to you, which I have listed conveniently in the "Resources" tab above. Please seek help, if you need it.
© Copyright 2020 Joseph Joel Baldueza