Get Your Mind Off It… Draw

There is something therapeutic about scribbling on a sheet of paper or brushing the canvas. You don’t have to be gifted in art either. Heck, even doodling a mustache and eye patch on your boss’s Facebook profile pic can give you a good feeling, although for a slightly different reason. In this edition of “Get Your Mind Off It…” we’ll explore what art therapy does, how it can help you become a non-smoker and where to get quality supplies fairly inexpensively.

When you create art, even the tiny scribbles you make while you are on the phone with a client, you can lower your stress level and even help restore your health. According to the American Art Therapy Association’s code of ethics, the creative process used in making art is not only healing but also life-enhancing.

It might not cross your mind to ever pick up a pencil instead of a cigarette, but art tools hold an important benefit to the quitter that some other “I’m-trying-to-quit” habits lack. Art is a hands on activity, and as such, you might not have the “missing cigarette” feeling. Your hands will be busy holding a brush, erasing a pencil line or molding a vase. Also, the artist has a tendency to ignore outside influences while working. Some artists are known to have forgotten to eat, drink or even sleep while working their craft.

When you start looking at art and craft supply stores, you might be overwhelmed by the options and selection. A great place to start looking for how-to books, charcoal pencils, art erasers and other supplies is your local community college book store. They will not only have just the basic essentials to get you started, their prices are sometimes better than those specialty chain stores.

Replacing old habits with new ones is a very important step on the road to quitting for good. Try some art therapy and you may just find a new use for those cigarette papers.