5 ways in which ceramics can improve your mental health

Within the last few years interest in ceramics has increased massively, particularly during the pandemic. There are many reasons for this; the affordability of air dry clay, the community around arts and crafts, as well as having something to do during lockdown. And also, something that’s especially true to ceramics, the feeling that participating in arts and crafts can actually help improve your mental health. Here are five ways how.

It can reduce stress and release tension

According to the BBC Arts Great British Creativity Test, over 75% of respondents said that creativity can help with stress and anxiety, with 25% listing some form of craft. With ceramics being such a hands on craft, it’s no wonder that it can reduce stress and release tension, as you can get all of your frustrations and annoyance out in handling the clay.

In an increasingly digital and non-physical world, having something tactile can be incredibly comforting and grounding 

Our lives are becoming more digital as time goes on. This was especially true during lockdown, when people were having to connect and interact with others online and had either limited or no in person interaction with people. We all know how harmful this limited interaction can be, so having a craft as tactile and palpable as ceramics can help you feel more connected and present to what is actually in front of you.

Ceramics can be a great way to express yourself, especially when you can’t articulate how you’re feeling 

Art can be a great way to express yourself when you are struggling to articulate your feelings. Having a creative outlet, especially one as versatile as clay can act as a vessel to get your thoughts and emotions across in a productive way. A study conducted by a Hong-Kong art psychotherapist found that in depressed patients, those who were taking clay art therapy (CAT) had lower levels of depression as well as having improved emotional regulation and holistic well being. Therefore, ceramics can be a great tool to express yourself. 

When dealing with feelings of loneliness and isolation, finding community in a form of art can be powerful

In recent years more people have been finding solace and community in areas they may have not done previously. Crafts as a whole had a massive increase in popularity on social media from 2020 onward, with many people trying it for the first time. There are so many ways for people to connect with others with similar interests ranging from blog posts to in person pottery workshops and social media. Having a shared hobby can be an amazing way to start and grow friendships which can help beat feelings of isolation.

Engaging with arts and culture can help improve your overall well being 

There is extensive research that shows that engagement with art and culture (such as going to galleries and museums) can improve your mental health as well as your general well-being. For example, a study carried out by a Singaporian Professor showed that engagement with arts and culture improved multiple aspects of people’s mental health, such as an increase in life satisfaction and lower mental distress. Additionally, ceramics in particular is a great way to interact with both contemporary and past cultures (such as ancient Roman, ancient Greek, Chinese and Korean) due to the number of different styles of ceramics.

Article by Mikah Muir

Header image: Installation view of Takuro Kuwata, at Strange Clay: Ceramics in Contemporary Art at Hayward Gallery. Photo by Mark Blower. Courtesy Hayward Gallery

Notes on the studies referenced in this piece

Fancourt D, Garnett C, Spiro N, West R, Müllensiefen D (2019) How do artistic creative activities regulate our emotions? Validation of the Emotion Regulation Strategies for Artistic Creative Activities Scale (ERS-ACA). PLoS ONE 14(2): e0211362

Nan, K.M J, T.H. R, (2017) Effects of clay art therapy on adult outpatients with major depressive disorder: A randomised controlled trial (217) 237-245

Wang, S., Mak, H. and Fancourt, D., 2020. Arts, mental distress, mental health functioning & life satisfaction: fixed-effects analyses of a nationally-representative panel study. BMC Public Health, [online] 20(1). https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-019-8109-y