Art Therapy That Can Increase Body Immunity

JAKARTA - During the corona virus pandemic or COVID-19, stress can be experienced by anyone. Not only experienced by positive COVID-19 patients, stress can also be experienced by the general public who have lived at home for the past two months.

So, art therapy is considered to be a way to reduce stress and this is also used by one of the COVID-19 patients Maria Darmaningsih. This woman is the second patient when this virus first spread in Indonesia.

When said that she had contracted COVID-19 by a doctor at RSPI Sulianti Saroso, Jakarta, Maria admitted that she was stressed. Because, at that time the knowledge about this disease was not like now. He could not believe he was suffering from the corona virus.

"I have a friend Mbak Ina Suryadewi then suggested, 'sis, try a picture'. Then I was sent a drawing tool and then I drew it as it had an expression, whatever I wanted," said Maria in an online discussion broadcast on the BNPB account, Sunday, May 17.

Usually when he paints, he is listening to the song and the tunes he expresses into strokes of color with various shapes. "I didn't think about it at that time (when drawing). It just flowed," he said.

Maria said that when she drew and listened to music, she had forgotten that she was being treated for COVID-19. He felt a positive energy in him, not only when drawing but when dancing to the rhythm of the song he was listening to.

"For a moment, forget. Later remember again but really entertaining because I feel there can be energy out and that's very positive," he explained.

"Besides that, I often joke around or make something up to laugh. Because we are happy, our immunity will definitely increase and that's very important," added Maria.

Psychologist Ina M. Surya Dewi said that art, including drawing, can be a means of expression and expressing one's feelings. Ina is Maria's best friend and the one who suggests her to draw.

"I think expression through pictures, in this case through watercolor, drawing paper, is also a means of self-expression," said Ina in the discussion.

Apart from drawing, other art activities such as dancing or singing can also express what is hidden in the heart. It's just that, all this time, many people don't have the courage to do it even though it's easy.

"You don't need to judge yourself. 'Ah, my picture is not good, my dance is not good.' It's not that, but the important thing is how to express myself through the art medium," he said.

He also assessed that this art activity could not only be carried out by COVID-19 patients but also people who were active at home. Moreover, continuing at home with the same routine will be very boring, of course.

So that alternative activities such as drawing, dancing, singing, or making other crafts will provide a feeling of relaxation as long as they are done cheerfully, freely, and wholeheartedly.

"The important thing is the process, express freely, don't judge. Just do it," he concluded.