Ortiz 1

Valeria Ortiz
Fogelson
Composition
3 May 2016

The Effects of Art Therapy on Mental Illness versus Psychotropic Drugs

In a given year there is an estimated 26.2% of Americans aged 18 or older, who have
been and/or will be diagnosed with a mental disorder (National Institute of Mental Health). This
translates to an estimated 57.7 million people who face serious disorders that often impair and
jeopardize function in ordinary life. Considering the copious number of diagnosable cases, there
are many different methods used in order to treat, if not cure, behavioral and developmental
illnesses such as schizophrenia, anxiety, depression and so on. All of these methods boast
increased levels of productivity and focus for their respective patients; yet, art therapy has been
seen to elicit a dynamic range of positive responses from patients with mental disorders,
especially within children and teenagers, as opposed to exclusively prescribed medication.
Despite the benefits of using psychotropic drugs to treat mental illnesses, the additional use of art
therapies alongside these medications helps maximize their effects on children and adolescents
with mental disorders.
Over the years, the medicinal community has made many astonishing breakthroughs in
terms of treatment options and medications meant to treat symptoms and cure the many diseases
of the body and its organs, especially the brain. In the past 15 years, the pharmaceutical industry
has introduced two major new classes of psychotropic drugs, nine new antidepressant agents and
five new antipsychotic drugs that have all been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) since 1988 (Frank, 2015). These medications play a crucial role in treating

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several mental disorders. These drugs have risen in popularity because of their positive effects
and the fact that they have decreased the need for long-term hospitalization which has essentially
lowered the cost of mental health care. Knowing this, it is important to understand exactly how
psychotropic drugs such as Xanax, Prozac, and Valium affect the average teenage mental health
patient. The purpose of these drugs can be described according to the way in which it influences
receptors, transporters, and enzymes within the human nervous system (Schulz, 2000). Because
of this wide range of cellular processes, psychiatric drugs are often syndromal, meaning that they
treat certain syndromes depending on the disorder itself. For example, antidepressants like
Prozac and Zoloft only treat depressive symptoms, while antipsychotics like Sycrest and Abilify,
only treat schizophrenic symptoms. These drugs are meant to reduce or eliminate symptoms by
rectifying chemical imbalances within the brain, which is why it is important to match a certain
medicinal treatment to its respective drug. However, despite these benefits psychiatric drugs are
not as immaculate as they seem. Figure 1 demonstrates the results of a case study performed by
the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) MedWatch systems that shows that between 2004
and 2012, there have been 14,773 reports on psychiatric drugs causing violent side effects
including: 1,531 cases of homicidal ideation/homicide, 3,287 cases of mania & 8,219 cases of
aggression (Citizens Commision on Human Right, 2004). Among these trends, it is also true
that many antidepressants and psychotropic drugs in general may cause more side effects in
terms of nausea/vomiting, weight gain, diarrhea, headaches, drowsiness etc. Additionally, the
effects of these drugs might not be immediately present; in fact, the effects of medication for
mental health disorders can take several days to several weeks to take place, and it can take
several months for their full effects to be felt by a patient (Hazelden), a fact that is further
aggravated by the young age of both children and teens, as their body composition and

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development is starkly different to that of an adult. Consequently, while the use of medication is
extremely beneficial, it still poses its own set of risks and setbacks.
Art as a form of treatment for mental health is a method that is not as commonly known
or accepted, like that of prescribed medicine, yet it still has many noteworthy effects on the
minds of teenagers who suffer from these mental disorders. Art therapy does not work the same
way as a medicated drug does; while psychotropic drugs physically change the makeup of the
human brain, this therapy allows the patient to assume control within his/her recovery, and
provides a comforting sense of hope and control, in an otherwise bleak situation. Biologically,
there is evidence that suggests that engagement in artistic activities, can enhance ones moods,
emotions, and other psychological states which in turn can have a notable effect on important
physiological parameters (Stuckey, 2010). For example, the use of art therapy has been seen to
reduce stress and depression within individuals who have chronic cardiovascular diseases
(Stuckey, 2010). Additionally, the psychotherapys popularity also stems from its ease of use, as
it is fairly easy for everybody to participate in, especially within children and teens. Being that
they are so young, art therapy is a better way for children and teenagers to deal with their
respective illnesses, as they are less likely to be able to express themselves through words. It
brings a level of catharsis for those who are unwillingly to accept their medical situations.
Nevertheless, despite these tangible effects,
art therapy is still a widely unexplored field,
one that has only recently begun to be
acknowledged within the medical
community. A study concluded that even
though the effects of art therapies are

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positive in nature, art therapy alone cannot form a key focus of a patient's treatment
programme (Heath, 2016). What does this mean for the future of medical treatment geared
towards mental illness? Essentially, for treatments to become more effective, they should
incorporate both the biological solution in the form of light medication paired with the
psychological solution, in the form of the psychotherapies, which helps the patient cope with
feelings and symptoms, all the while changing certain behavioral patterns that might contribute
to the illness.
Many people view mental illnesses as tragic and volatile. Common stereotypes, like the
uncontrollable lunatic and the suicidal teen, have reigned over popular media as overused
archetypes used callously to advance the plot of a television show or a movie. The use of
prescribed medication is also widely associated with severe mental illnesses, and has been
thought of to be one of the only treatment options available. These gross oversimplifications
make it almost impossible for the public to learn about other, new initiatives, such as that of art
therapy. Aside from being a bright yet dynamic way to alleviate the burdens of mental disorders
within tenagers, art therapies have been seen to both increase and stabilize the temperament of
mental health patients without the use of medication. By increasing the publics knowledge of
art therapy through art-intensive medical (as well as recreational) programs, their overall
perception of those with mental disorders will become more positive and one based on facts.
While art therapy on its own might not be a potent counterattack towards the many symptoms of
mental illness, ultimately it is the combination of art therapies and psychotropic drugs that will
provide a comprehensive and effective treatment option.

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Bibliography
Citizens Commission for Human Rights. Fort Hood Shooting: A Wake-up Call for
Lawmakers Investigating Psychiatric Drugs & Violence Connection Is Long Overdue
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Citizens Commission on Human Rights International. The Link Between Psychiatric Drugs and
Violence. 2016. Web. 2 May 2016.
Frank, Richard G, Rena M Conti, and Howard H Goldman. Mental Health Policy and
Psychotropic Drugs. 83.2 (2005): 271298. Web. 4 May 2016.

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Heath, Rhea. Should Arts Therapies Be a Key Part of the Rehabilitation and Aftercare Program
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National Institute of Mental Health. Any mental illness (AMI) among U.S. Adults. National
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