Have you ever felt so anxious that it seemed impossible to put your feelings into words? Art is a reflection of our cultures, emotions, and experiences. It can take hundreds of forms, from sculptures and paintings to photography or digital art. Art can be anything the artist wants it to be. Art has always been the way I express myself. When I was younger, It was the only way I expressed myself. I was shy and could barely talk to anyone. Even some of my family felt alienated from me. But I love to draw, and sometimes I will use it to express myself. I believe art can help people cope with anxiety, express emotions, and connect with others.

Whenever I feel anxious or stressed, I draw. The act of putting pencil to paper calms me. It would help me focus. My anxiety almost seemed to dissipate once I could see it with lines and colors on a piece of paper. I’m often seen scribbling and doodling random things if I'm stressed. However, My most prominent memory of using art as a coping mechanism is when I started feeling irrationally anxious about death. Fear of death is common, and a few months ago my anxiety about it came out of nowhere. Suddenly, I couldn’t sleep as the thoughts of death plagued my mind and kept me up at night. I dealt with this new anxiety the only thing I knew how to do: draw. I decided to draw a piece depicting my thoughts and fears on mortality. It was one of the first drawings I had finished in months, and I had put so much effort into it. My sudden anxiety over death seemed to subside, much to my relief. 

 About a week later, my school had an art showcase event at the Museum of Fine Arts. All the art students had been doing the entire year would be on display for the public to see. Even though I wasn’t in art class all year, I was asked to present some of my artwork. I decided to choose my drawing about death and another drawing I had done. Seeing my drawings in a professional setting and seeing people acknowledging and admiring my art was surreal. People would look at my death drawing and share their interpretations of what it meant. They would ask me my motivations, and what made me draw what I did. When I answered their questions enthusiastically, I realized I had found a way to connect with people through my art.  

This experience taught me that art can help people cope with anxiety, express emotions, and connect with others. It allowed me to finally open up to people. What began as a personal coping mechanism to deal with my anxiety transformed into a way to connect with others.