Art & Addiction

Art never saved me; Art gives me freedom.

I’m not naïve enough to say that art stopped my addictions and that creativity was the answer to everything because it wasn’t. It took hitting rock bottom, facing loss at the deepest level and knowing in my bones that I just couldn’t go on with the way I was going.

Art never saved me.

That would be a pretty big thing to live up to.

Art isn’t the cure to a bad day, nor is it always easy.

Instead, art gave me the purest form of expression I’ve ever experienced.

Art gives me freedom.

Art is like a sanctuary, a place to go and hide when everything is too noisy out there. Sometimes it’s hard, sometimes it’s easier, but it’s always truthful and real. Even making bad art is necessary, it’s the freedom to express without judgement and without fear of being rejected.

A lot of rehabs are now offering art classes, and I can see why. It will never be the sole reason someone will get sober, but it’s a way to take all the stuff in your head and try and put some colour to it. It’s not about it being good or bad, it’s just about doing something with your loud internal dialogue.

Similarly to dancing and writing, art is just another way to feel pure expression. Before kids can write, they paint and draw. As soon as kids stand, they dance. As soon as they speak, they learn to tell stories. Creativity is part of our genetic makeup and one of the biggest things in addiction recovery is to keep it simple and come back to what we know. When things get really tough, you don’t overcomplicate, you stick to doing easy tasks that you know you can achieve.

I owe a lot to art, and one of the biggest things it’s given me is hope again.

If you’d like to know more about me and how art helps me navigate the world, check out my website and follow me on social media.