Self-portraits and Substance Abuse.

The core definition of addiction is engaging in a particular behavior or taking a particular substance to relieve pain. Every individual that turns to substances has some form of depression that is caused by a certain memory or event.We all know that chemically dependent people are the last to accept any sign of addiction upon themselves, but why? People put themselves in denial without even realizing it, this is an act to disavow the disease of addiction. It acts as a defense mechanism to avoid facing painful realizations.

Often in art therapy, the individual is asked to draw themselves. The self-image that the client creates reflects the will that they have to change their habits. Clients that were in an acute inpatient psychiatric hospital, began their sobriety by taking a tour of the art studio first. The studio, as described, displayed a sink, long tables, and drawers of different materials. A Non-Directive approach is used to employ in the sense that patients will use a more open-minded approach to the idea. The large variety of media is used for the individual to easily express them selves in the process.

The "scribble technique" is used for patients who are often stubborn and defiant of the idea of drawing themselves. Bob, a patient that stayed in a psychiatric hospital, was an alcoholic father who still lived with his mom. Hospitalized by a recent depressive episode and recent alcohol binge, Bob has seen previous treatment for his alcohol addiction. He explained his mom as a very controlling and domineering woman. He stayed for 5 short days in the physc. ward and experienced two group art therapy sessions. During the first session bob was periphery of the group, keeping his boundaries he expressed negative emotion toward the idea of art therapy. He was hesitant to engage with the art media, and sat silently through the entire session.

Michael Hanes introduced the "scribble technique" to Bob in order to decrease the self-doubt that Bob had shown. This increased the amount of spontaneous imagery, rather than having Bob focus on his inhibitions, which defeats the point of creating the self-portraits. Hanes, started filling the page with scribbles, he'd turn the page while using different types of media. He would have Bob fill in the shapes, and piece them together. "He felt encouraged to view the shapes and forms brought about by the intersecting lines with the expectation of discovering some approximation of an image."

Bob mentions that he saw the relevance of a face. Hanes then had Bob add and remove lines to create his own self-portrait. "That looks like one hell of a drunk", Bob had said (meaning himself).  Hanes felt accomplished as the self-portrait that bob had created stuck out and created a perfect resemblance to himself. "That's what I look like when I'm dunk -- I don't like what I see", bob revealed. This exercise helped Bob step out of his comfort zone, and come to a realization of his addictive nature without even realizing that he had done so.

Bob was then asked to turn the page in order to try and find a semblance. Bob had managed to turn his image upside down, and explained how he saw a man with a blindfold. "The man is wearing a blind fold and he is frowning". The blind fold may have acted as a cape or mask in order to hide the true identity of Bobs chemical dependency. This is also another sign of denial, the blindfold that Bob wore on a daily basis prevented him to see the world as it truly was. "I don't want to see my problem--I am a hostage to my addiction". The images that Bob created gave the vibe of helpfulness and anguish. Even though Bob only attended two art therapy sessions, he completed the first step in any therapeutic approach, facing painful realities. After Bob's hospitalization ended he enrolled him self into Alcoholics Anonymous as well as out patient services.

Cozolino, Louis J. The Neuroscience of Human Relationships: Attachment and the Developing Social Brain. New York: Norton, 2006. Print.This book was really helpful on researching about the brain itself. I maintained a lot information on therapy as well as learning about disorders in the brain. Very helpful and was surprisingly fun to read
Hanes, Michael J. "'Face-to-Face' with Addiction: The Spontaneous Production of Self-Portraits in Art   Therapy." Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association (2007). Fine Arts and Music Collection. Web. 28 July 2013. This article showed the usage of substances and how art therapy was used in the cure of becoming clean. It displayed a couple examples of how drawing a self portrait and looking at different angles can result in therapy.
Horay, Brian J. "Moving Towards Gray: Art Therapy and Ambivalence in Substance Abuse Treatment." Journal of the American Art . This article looked as therapy as art, and created a different approach to art therapy with substance abused clientele.