ption ▁of ▁information ▁after ▁assess ing ▁elements ▁of ▁their ▁art work . ▁ ▁General ▁ill ness ▁ ▁Art - making ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁activity ▁used ▁by ▁many ▁people ▁to ▁co pe ▁with ▁ill ness . ▁Art ▁and ▁the ▁cre ative ▁process ▁can ▁alle vi ate ▁many ▁ill ness es ▁( can cer , ▁heart ▁disease , ▁influen za , ▁etc .). ▁This ▁form ▁of ▁ther apy ▁helps ▁benefit ▁those ▁who ▁suffer ▁from ▁mental ▁ill ness es ▁as ▁well ▁( chron ic ▁de pression , ▁anx iety ▁dis orders , ▁b ip olar ▁dis orders , ▁etc .). ▁People ▁can ▁escape ▁the ▁emot ional ▁effects ▁of ▁ill ness ▁through ▁art ▁making ▁and ▁many ▁cre ative ▁methods . ▁Sometimes ▁people ▁cannot ▁express ▁the ▁way ▁they ▁feel , ▁as ▁it ▁can ▁be ▁difficult ▁to ▁put ▁into ▁words , ▁and ▁art ▁can ▁help ▁people ▁express ▁their ▁experiences . ▁" D uring ▁art ▁ther apy , ▁people ▁can ▁explore ▁past , ▁present ▁and ▁future ▁experiences ▁using ▁art ▁as ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁cop ing ". ▁Art ▁can ▁be ▁a ▁refuge ▁for ▁the ▁inten se ▁emot ions ▁associated ▁with ▁ill ness ; ▁there ▁are ▁no ▁limits ▁to ▁the ▁imagination ▁in ▁finding ▁cre ative ▁ways ▁to ▁express ▁emot ions . ▁ ▁H osp it als ▁have ▁started ▁studying ▁the ▁influence ▁of ▁arts ▁on ▁patient ▁care ▁and ▁found ▁that ▁participants ▁in ▁art ▁programs ▁have ▁better ▁vit als ▁and ▁fewer ▁comp lications ▁sleep ing . ▁Art istic ▁influence ▁doesn ' t ▁need ▁to ▁be ▁participation ▁in ▁a ▁program , ▁but ▁studies ▁have ▁found