Therapeutic Photography – Alleviating Mental Illness through Photography

Photography is a way to communicate with the world. Things that are hard to put in words or are intentionally held back due to fear of stigma can find their way into the world via images. The colors somehow compel one to embrace the otherwise odd concept and accept it as normal. Solen Feyissa, an avid photographer and Instructional Designer at the University of Minnesota (UMN) talks about how we have immersed ourselves so much into the media-saturated world, where sticking to the screens of our devices seem to be the only plausible solution to our problems. We have not even given thought to the idea that we can pick up our cameras and move around to see, feel, and experience things for ourselves as they are rather than wishing and gasping while we scroll our screens.

Researchers at Penn State a meta-analysis of more than 100 studies which focused on the effects of art on physical and psychological health in The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health: A Review of Current Literature. These studies revealed how photography gives you a voice and a medium to express yourself aptly. It enhances your self-worth and encourages you to focus on the positive aspects and thus reduce your stress hormones.

The research concluded following findings to help you let your hair down and live to the fullest through the art of photography.

Flow with the World

Letting yourself loose, and going with the flow naturally eases your muscles and calms your nerves. In scientific language, it is a state where you allow your mind to get involved in an activity with full zeal and focus. Once you immerse in an activity you come to love, time is the last thing on your mind. You become a whole new person full of hope, positivity, and eager to be part of something that makes you feel you!

Photography is all about losing yourself in finding the perfect angles. What's more, you are naturally attracted to things and shoot something that has a deeper meaning, a different version and a different meaning for every eye that falls on it. According to Solen Feyissa, that’s the beauty of photography, although you lose yourself in the search for a better angle, you create something far more powerful. This whole process takes you into a peaceful state.

Give Meaning to Things

Photography is a tool you use to assign meanings to things. We have seen journalists using a single picture to create a thousand different narratives. Similarly, each image you take interprets the world differently for every person. Every scene is a unique expression that one understands according to his or her perspectives.

Photography gives you the liberty to remove or add to the frame things you want. It is a way you can employ to reflect your feelings, your values, and your thoughts without the interference of anyone else.

Find Your Way to Happiness

Like an innocent care-free child, the art of photography allows you to relish everything, every mood, every experience. You don’t have to go for somber issues. It is a joyous ride with no restrictions and limitations. You are always exploring, looking, searching for new things that keep you motivated and happy.

Immersing yourself in creative things keeps your stress levels down. This pursuit thus elevates your mood, removes anxiety, and keeps you happy and healthy.