Art Therapy and Clinical Neuroscience - Richard Carr and Noah Hass Cohen"In the art therapist's presence, the artwork is an expression of how the self organizes internally as well as in relationship with others. It is a visual reiteration of the interplay between the person and their environment."
This book explores the idea of art being a therapeutic coping mechanism for mental and physical illnesses. It expands on the outcomes of art therapy, in some examples it is positive on their mentality and others it may actually cause more harm.
For example:
"Initially, the strain of a novel demand, such as art-making, can be experienced as SNS excitement and emotionally anticipated. However, if the task is not mastered and the client's sense of control is challenged, the SNS stress response might increase. Mary, a 60-year-old client struggling with leukemia and loneliness, reported that she was initially excited about the fine art class recommended by her church counsellor. She hoped to gain some support as well as express some of what she was going through. Mary reported that she was discouraged by her lack of art skills, and she left the course after a couple of classes. She did not feel safe in the judgemental fine arts environment"
Sometimes art can be a judgemental and competitive environment and if you're a sensitive person then instead of being a soothing or therapeutic hobby then it can make you feel as if you're comparing yourself to others around you. If you're suffering from confidence issues already then sometimes you can compare yourself and doubt your skill set when it comes to art. However, depending on your mindset and the person, it can be very encouraging and soothing if you're doing it for yourself.