According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 6 US youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year. 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14. Statistics show that suicide was the second leading cause of death in 2020 among individuals 10-14, and is the third leading cause of death for individuals ages 15 to 24.
The arts trigger the release of neurochemicals, hormones and endorphins that offers you an emotional release. When you experience virtual reality, read poetry or fiction, see a film or listen to a piece of music, or move your body to dance, to name a few of the many arts, you are biologically changed. There is a neurochemical exchange that can lead to what Aristotle called catharsis, or a release of emotion that leaves you feeling more connected to yourself and others afterward.” Your Brain on Art by Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross
