Drama Therapy as a more effective approach to mental health.

How is drama therapy a more effective form of treatment compared to other rehabilitation processes for students with anxiety/depression related conditions?

The purpose of this essay is to compare and contrast leading treatments for mental health problems compared to drama therapy as a better form of treatment. Rates of depression and anxiety among teenagers have increased by 70% in the past 25 years, as the new generation it is our job to ensure students suffering with these metal health conditions are receiving the right care they need. In this paper I will cover the pros and cons of leading treatments. This paper will describe in detail why drama therapy is our best option. After researching into the world of the NHS leading treatments and interviewing 6 participants that have diagnosed mental health conditions relating to anxiety, depression and related implications. It is clear that something needs to change and our world of mental health sufferers need a more reliable helping hand. Overall drama therapy and performing arts methods have proven to be a success and people are drawn to the idea of delving into the world of expressing and healing creatively.

Introduction

In this paper I am going to critically asses the different types of rehabilitation processes for people and students who suffer from Anxiety/depression related implications. I think this is an important topic because this document will be used to argue that drama therapy is a less harmful and more effective form of treatment for students to overcome their mental health which is also more obtainable and cheaper. I am hopeful this document will raise awareness of limitations found other therapies and advertise drama therapy to those who are unaware it exists. I will subtract the information obtained and apply this to students directly and compare the use of these rehabilitation processes to drama therapy, which I believe to be more appropriate and have faster and better results. I am going to asses the pros and cons of treatments such as; Medication, counselling, group therapy and of course drama therapy. “Drama therapy is the intentional use of drama and/or theatre processes to achieve therapeutic goals. Drama therapy is active and experiential. This approach can provide the context for participants to tell their stories, set goals and solve problems, express feelings, or achieve catharsis.”

As a breakdown I am going to split this up into sections on the pros and cons of each rehabilitation process based on primary and secondary opinions and facts then concluded how effective they are and on a scale how appropriate they are as a treatment, I will then collect all my data together and compare to drama therapy. I will keep all research reliable and no-bias to create a fair argument and open for further research.

Methodology

Academic Framework

I will identify previous research by finding a literature review similar to mine, annotating and subtracting relevant information that I feel are important to my paper. I will be using reception theory which will identify a range of reactions and interpretations to an event or in this case a type of therapy also taking into account everyone has different circumstances i.e different types of mental health implications. I will also be using critical analysis of writers options by breaking down and studying the parts.

Research methods

The research methods I will be applying to this paper are, qualitative points to ensure I have relevant information for my research, I will also be using systematic data and original data from my primary and secondary research to subtract all my information accordingly. I will be using the internet, books, reviews, primary research and research from magazines. These research methods will give me the platform to deduct and review a variety of opinions based around drama therapy and its effectiveness against other forms of therapy. I will be critically assessing all information and supplying it with evidence.

Ethical approach

For my ethical approach I have considered that this is a sensitive topic and there could be many people that would not feel comfortable talking about mental health implications, so to avoid putting people in harms way by asking them directly I advertised my project on social media explaining the information I needed to obtain to attract students that would be interested and willing to discuss personal information with me based on their mental health and treatment. In order to protect these students I will give every participant the opportunity to be involved in my data under a false name if they would prefer this over their real name, this is to ensure my participants feel comfortable and have the option to their identity hidden if they would rather keep their information anonymous. In addition to protecting participants data I will also avoid rephrasing opinions to ensure all my data is correct and reliable. I will also ensure that I ask questions that won’t be harmful to participants mental health and I will disclose with participants before hand what information I am looking for so they understand what I will be asking from them before I ask. Participants will also have the opportunity to decide wether they want their opinions shared within my project and used as data.

Quality assurance.

Throughout this project I have used primary and secondary research to aid my data, this is important to have a range of varied opinions to ensure that I have a vast amount of data to collect relevant and important information from. I will be using reviews based on different therapy options from the internet and asking people directly. The reviews I will be looking into will be based over the past 5 years to the present date to have information about past therapy options compared to now to ensure my information is relevant to current society. I will also be considering how different participants involved in my research may have had different pathways in therapy, to allow for this I will also conduct primary and secondary research on participants that would are keen to experiment with different therapy options and why that specific therapy interests them. The people I will be using for primary research will be students that have suffered with anxiety and/or depression. I will be asking how effective their treatment was and their personal interest in drama therapy if they have received it or not and would they like to. For those who I use for primary research have no knowledge in drama therapy I will brief them on the meaning and how drama therapy works. I will be basing my secondary research on the pros and cons of each relevant mental health treatment including drama therapy itself.

Data analysis

In total I will have interviewed 6 people. With my primary and secondary research, I will be critically reviewing different opinions, supplying them with evidence, analysing points and comparing primary data with secondary data and my own experiences.

Limitations

The limitations of my research would be that I have been unable to contact drama therapists directly due to timing. I would have liked to have opinions from professionals directly so I will have to source this through secondary research.

I would have liked to have attended a few different types of therapy sessions to broaden my own personal knowledge of a variety of different types of therapy but this would have taken too long and would have been out of budget. To allow for these limitations I will use primary and secondary research for the relevant information by using secondary research for informations from professionals who have access to data surrounding therapy and I will use primary and secondary research to discover information surrounding varied types of therapy. Most people I have spoken to briefly have not heard of drama therapy and therefore cannot review it for me but have understood its meaning after it being explained.

Literature review

"With cancer there is treatment, support, counselling – basically whatever you need. With mental health there's next to nothing.” For my first secondary source I have chosen The Guardian. This quote really stood out to me as it is a harsh truth on todays medical treatments for mental health, there is simply not enough knowledge for sufferers of mental health, most people that suffer with mental health implications are put on medication without any other option to treat their condition differently, the guardian also states there is “

an over-reliance on drugs, and, frequently, an abject lack of compassion” which suggests patients are not given a vast amount of options to choose the right treatment for themselves. more than 600 people have answered a Guardian request for their stories and they describe a system that is “profoundly broken.” Many people are disheartened by what they see as an over-reliance on antidepressants and other medication. Peter, from Glasgow, was given drugs after being diagnosed with depression. ”Despite various pleas to my GP that the pills were not helping, all he would suggest is that I kept trying with them," Finally he was given eight weeks of CBT, but just as it seemed to be working he was told it was over. "I now feel more hopeless than before, like I've exhausted my options via the NHS.” This is an example based on the NHS prescribing medication over forms of physical treatment, where as this individual found a better form of treatment in CBT, an over-reliance on drugs make people dependant and less able to beat or treat their mental health conditions in a natural healthy way.

My second main source for my secondary research is mind.Org, “The most common type of treatment available is psychiatric medication. These drugs don’t cure mental health problems, but they can ease many symptoms. Which type of drug you are offered will depend on your diagnosis” this quote states that medication does not sure Mental health but simply numbs the symptoms, so this makes me question why this would be considered a sustainable long term treatment? If medication is only masking the problem we are only prolonging treatable illnesses, I am aware in many no-treatable instances this is a preferred option but considering the percentage of people that are handed prescription drugs straight away is alarming, for example from my own experience I was instantly prescribed prescription drugs (that were highly addictive) after a short 5 minute discussion of my symptoms with a GP doctor. The website also states that “you're likely to be offered a type of talking treatment called cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)” which is the second most common form of Mental health treatment for depression and anxiety related conditions but it is also said that

“Evidence suggests that CBT can be an effective treatment for a range of mental health problems. However, although many people can benefit from CBT, not everyone finds it helpful. You might find that it just doesn't suit you, or doesn't meet your needs.” As a second suggestion treatment this has been described as unhelpful. On the other hand for those that have found CBT effective have stated that “Talking things through with a counsellor or therapist really helps me to see things more rationally and make connections between reality and inside my head.” Which is a good thing that CBT can be effective, there should be more beneficial treatment offers if CBT is not effective.

Drama therapy is suitable for anyone and is compatible with many types of mental health conditions such as; Depression, anxiety, autism, learning difficulties, dementia and even for people who feel they are at the end of life. “Drama therapy explores unhealthy personal patterns of behaviour, encourages self-awareness, reflection and exploration. It provides opportunities to learn new skills. It allows clients to experiment with new ways of thinking and behaving. Its a non-verbal method of working and makes use of all the senses.” Most people find some sort of benefit from drama therapy even if it is a new skill or to learn more about themselves so I believe this should be a go to therapy treatment. On the other hand Based on one review I have read on this website is that one young lady found it hard to attend sessions due to her agoraphobia.

Pros and cons of group therapy, group therapy can be used alongside CBT,

-“Human beings are social by nature. We thrive when surrounded by other people. This provides an opportunity for accountability. Accountability happens in group therapy sessions when a group of recovering alcoholics provides encouragement for a member who is struggling with the desire to drink. Small groups are often broken up further into pairs where each person is responsible for holding the other person accountable for his or her actions. When a person is aware that he or she will have to admit to their behaviour the next time the group meets, this tends to be a strong behaviour deterrent for many individuals.” This helps with mental health conditions surrounding addiction which can be linked to depression and anxiety related conditions however this type of session isn’t as effective for people who are suffering without addiction, where as drama therapy can also be conducted in groups, allowing the individuals to be social as well, so this would work in replacement of group therapy.

Drama therapy can be equally as effective as most treatments stated and from my secondary research it seems as though a draw back from drama therapy is its lack of advertisement and lack of access for patients. Drama has been used for thousands of years as a healing ritual but has only come into play as drama therapy recognisably within the last 25 years, which makes it one of the most unknown forms of therapy compared to other forms of treatment so this could mean it will grow in the future.

Analysis

From Interviewing 6 participants it is apparent to me that the most common treatment received from the NHS is medication, followed by CBT. However the people I have interviewed have had mixed opinions on these types of treatment, for example; Natalie Brassington after a phonemail interview where I took notes stated that the found CBT helpful because it was nicer not to talk to family-However she felt like she could predict what the therapist would say to her, so overall she found this treatment moderately effective for a short period. I asked her about her treatment on medication, which she is still currently taking. She uses the medication because it can control her mood but is aware of side effects, which makes her not want to take them. She also believes that medication is given out too easily and there should be other forms of treatment available. Natalie Brassington likes the idea of drama therapy and is also drawn to the benefits of expressive dance but due to her current medical status she feels this would be difficult for her to attend.

Secondly, I interviewed Charlie Blay. I asked him how effective he believes past and current treatment has been and would he consider drama therapy as an option based on his circumstances Charlie said to me; “Personally I found that CBT and medication were not helpful - with medication the side effects were more than the intended affects and with CBT I found that for me it wasn't effective as it didn't suit the kind of care I needed.” He then went on to say “I would love to try drama therapy and I'd say it could be a lot more helpful to people in circumstances where you can't address the causes of your feelings and it could help people to deal with negative feelings without having to relive or repeat painful experiences, or even in some cases help you explain to others how my feelings negatively impact my life.” Charlie has not had the chance to experience drama therapy but would like to give it a chance, he agrees that it could be beneficial for participants who are unable to address underling personal issues and tackle them in an expressive environment.

I also interviewed Leigh Weeks a former performing arts student. I asked her the same questions I had asked Charlie Blay and she stated that; “I did CBT therapy which is cognitive behavioural therapy. And because of when I was doing it I was doing performing Arts at HRC, my therapist said to link it with acting and dancing to express the sort of feelings, so I guess it did help very well, however when I wasn’t acting or dancing it brought me back in the same place as I was.” This statement is important for my research as I can see that blending performing arts into CBT can be helpful, by setting goals, however this is different from drama therapy directly. Drama therapy teaches people to express themselves in a safe environment (Which isn’t marked and graded), it gives them skills that they can practice at home rather than doing it as a course and going home afterwards not taking any skills to apply to life outside of the stage. I believe if Leigh had access to direct drama therapy she would have had a better experience. But from this interview I have noticed the improvement CBT has benefited from interpreting some form of drama.

When I interviewed Stacey Gregory in person, she suffers with severe anxiety and regularly has panic attacks. When speaking to her we discussed her history on medication, she believes it hasn’t been helpful and would like to not be connected with highly addictive medication. She has received CBT and found this to be helpful slightly but felt like she is still searching for the right therapy that suits her. I asked her how she would feel about drama therapy and she stated “I would but I would not have the confidence to attend the sessions and escape my own comfort zone.” This statement is important for people delving into the profession of drama therapy to ensure that we make this treatment accessible to all types of mental health and to focus on creating a safe environment for severe types of anxiety that could potentially put an individual against the use of drama therapy.

After interviewing in total 6 participants it has become clear to me that not many people are familiar to the use of drama therapy but once explained each participant had a positive reaction to what drama therapy aims to achieve. Those that have had some experience within the drama world have seen a link between their mental health and creatively expressing themsleves, for example; Natalie Osman says “Even though drama therapy was never something I come across through professional help, I did find a lot of confidence and development of self esteem when studying Performing Arts and becoming a whole new person through a character.”

Conclusion

Throughout my research I have come to the realisation that the concept of Drama therapy is mostly unheard of but from those that have had some connection to drama when healing within their mental health have had very positive experiences. For those that haven’t had the chance to explore in drama therapy 90% showed a clear interest and were happy to look further into its benefits. Medication is the most common form of battling mental health but has proven to be the least effective. The medical industry need to listen to patients reviews and edit how they supply support. In most cased I have read or interviewed it is apparent that many if not most people are disappointed with the medical support they have had access too. This can only be altered with the support of a more natural and beneficial way of expressing ourselves in a safe and calming environment, that is what drama therapy achieves.

Bibliography

Julianne Mullen-Williams. (2015). Benefits of drama therapy . Available: http://www.dramatherapypractitioner.com/benefits-of-dramatherapy. Last accessed 2018.

Badth. (-). Drama therapy. Available: http://badth.org.uk/dtherapy. Last accessed 2018.

http://pacfa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/expressiveartsreviewnov20131.pdf

Unknown. (2014). Weighing The Pros And Cons Of Group Therapy. Available: https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/weighing-pros-cons-group-therapy/. Last accessed 2018.

unknown. (-). Psychological Musings. Available: http://psychological-musings.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/strenths-and-limitations-of.html. Last accessed 2018.

Shelley Carter. (2017). What are the advantages and disadvantages of individual counselling?. Available: https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-individual-counselling. Last accessed 2018.

Gerald Bedall. (2016). Teenage mental health crisis. Available: https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/teenage-mental-health-crisis-rates-of-depression-have-soared-in-the-past-25-years-a6894676.html. Last accessed 2018.

Alexandra Topping. (2014). NHS Mental health care. Available: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/oct/08/nhs-mental-health-care-readers-stories. Last accessed 2018.

Unknown. (2017). Treatment options. Available: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/mental-health-problems-introduction/treatment-options/#.WqbfHWacbVp. Last accessed 2018.

Primary Research

Natalie,B. Interviewed by: Russell, M. (11th March 2018)

Natalie,O. Interviewed by: Russell,M. (5th March 2018)

Leigh,W. Interviewed by: Russell,M.(11th March 2018)

Charlie,B. Interviewed by: Russell,M. (11th March 2018)

Kat,M. Interviewed by: Russell,M. (11th March 2018)

Stacey,G. Interviewed by: Russell,M. (4th March 2018)