The Arts and Mental Health

In recent years, mental health has become more of a conversation in society. While there is still a stigma attached to mental illness, people are more willing to talk about it. With the increased conversations, there have sprung up numerous controversies surrounding mental health. One of the largest of these concerns centers around treating mental health problems. There are fierce advocates for both sides of the argument about treating mental disorders with medications, some saying that it is the only way while others saying that the drugs are more of a hindrance than a help, and that more holistic approaches are better.
Regardless of where people stand on the medication issue, there are things than have been shown to improve mental health in general, which is the first step along the way to healing for those with more serious disorders, and improves the quality of life for anyone, regardless of their mental health status. Use of the arts as a tool for improving mental health has been proven to work, and yet many people do not take the time to enjoy them. There is a type of art for everyone, be it music, theatre, dance or some form of physical artwork such as painting and sculpture.
Mental health policy and prevention takes a large amount of money. Over the rest of the semester, I will be showing that by providing funding to the arts, particularly theatre, in schools and for people outside of the education system, the government will be able to promote increased mental health in society as a whole, and in a more cost effective manner than with policies and programs that either cannot reach, or do not appeal to society as a whole. The inherently versatile nature of theatre and the arts would allow an initiative like this one to benefit a greater number of people of all demographics.