▁it ▁was ▁found ▁that : ▁Eng aging ▁in ▁different ▁types ▁of ▁visual ▁art ▁( text iles , ▁card ▁making , ▁coll age , ▁pot tery , ▁water color , ▁ac ry lic s ) ▁helped ▁these ▁women ▁in ▁ 4 ▁major ▁ways . ▁First , ▁it ▁helped ▁them ▁focus ▁on ▁positive ▁life ▁experiences , ▁rel ieving ▁their ▁on going ▁pre occupation ▁with ▁cancer . ▁Second , ▁it ▁en hanced ▁their ▁self - worth ▁and ▁identity ▁by ▁providing ▁them ▁with ▁opportun ities ▁to ▁demonstrate ▁continu ity , ▁challenge , ▁and ▁achiev ement . ▁Third , ▁it ▁enabled ▁them ▁to ▁maintain ▁a ▁social ▁identity ▁that ▁resist ed ▁being ▁defined ▁by ▁cancer . ▁Finally , ▁it ▁allowed ▁them ▁to ▁express ▁their ▁feelings ▁in ▁a ▁symbol ic ▁manner , ▁especially ▁during ▁chem other apy . An other ▁study ▁showed ▁those ▁who ▁participated ▁in ▁these ▁types ▁of ▁activities ▁were ▁dis charg ed ▁earlier ▁than ▁those ▁who ▁did ▁not ▁particip ate . ▁ ▁Studies ▁have ▁also ▁shown ▁how ▁the ▁emot ional ▁dist ress ▁of ▁cancer ▁patients ▁has ▁been ▁reduced ▁when ▁util izing ▁the ▁cre ative ▁process . ▁The ▁women ▁made ▁draw ings ▁of ▁themselves ▁throughout ▁the ▁treatment ▁process ▁while ▁also ▁doing ▁y oga ▁and ▁med it ating ; ▁these ▁actions ▁combined ▁helped ▁to ▁alle vi ate ▁some ▁sympt oms . ▁ ▁Another ▁study ▁looked ▁at ▁the ▁effic acy ▁of ▁mind ful ness - based ▁art ▁ther apy , ▁combining ▁med itation ▁with ▁art , ▁on ▁a ▁large ▁study ▁with ▁ 1 1 1 ▁participants . ▁The ▁study ▁used ▁measurements