Break

Sergio Vera Vazquez

Anxiety is a lingering feeling one often experiences when facing uncertainty in their life. Negative habits form as a result of always feeling uncertain. Anxiety perpetuates other side effects, mostly including depression and stress. [1] If these negative patterns are not addressed, an individual’s mental health has the potential to decline over the course of time.

Today, anxiety impacts 40 million adults in the United States, 18 and older. Eighteen percent of the country’s population is impacted every year. [2] Anxiety is highly treatable, but 37 percent of those suffering from this disorder do not receive treatment. This is due to financial reasons, fear of what others might say or think, and not knowing where to receive care. [3] There are professional methods for an individual to receive help for anxiety that include, emotional therapy, western medication, and alternative treatment. However, these methods are not widely used as those with a greater symptom burden. For example, the impoverished population, continue to have more difficulty finding and receiving treatment. [4]

 The interactive art workbook Break aims to use art and design to help reduce anxiety and distract the mind. This workbook helps the user to break formed habits that perpetuate anxiety. This can be done through user engagement and creative activities like drawing, coloring, and journaling. The activities in the workbook Break distill research on psychological behavior to help the reader understand the underlying causes of anxiety disorders, and demonstrate how art and color therapy are beneficial.

 Break is a visual interpretation of art therapy practices. The objective of the workbook is to help distract the user from patterns of anxiety and positively pivot emotion and mood. Using art therapy techniques, the user will identify strengths and weaknesses through the process of guided creation. Using these creative methods, one can better understand what changes need to be made to live with less anxiety and achieve more peace in one’s life.

[1] “Facts & Statistics: Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA,” Facts & Statistics | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA, accessed September 23, 2021, https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics.

[2] Ibid.

[3] “Why 75 Percent of Anxiety Sufferers Fail to Get Proper Care,” Psychology Today (Sussex Publishers), accessed October 5, 2021, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psychiatry-the-people/201808/why-75-percent-anxiety-sufferers-fail-get-proper-care.

[4] Ibid.