BY ARIANA FIDELIA
MIRI: Society should leverage art as a therapeutic tool to address the rising mental health issues, said former Director-General of Health, Tan Sri Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah.
He stated that art is not just a hobby but holds great potential in calming the mind and reducing anxiety and worries.
“We need to use art as a tool for mental health therapy, even though we have governance managing mental health.
“Preferably, we should adapt new tools and methods, especially in the arts, which can calm the mind and take time to manage individuals facing mental health issues,” he said.
Dr. Noor Hisham alluded this at a press conference after conducting a lecture titled “The Role of Art in Mental Health” in conjunction with the Miri Arts Festival (MAF) here today.
He also emphasised the importance of balance between science and technology, and the arts.
“We focus more on science and technology, which I am not saying is not good, and it is important, but we should not leave out the arts because art can calm the mind or relieve mental burdens.
“Actually, mental therapy through art can also be used as a therapeutic tool at all levels, including in schools and the community.
He said mental therapy through art aims to further develop the arts skill within our society and simultaneously become an important tool for mental health management.
At the same time, he also praised the organisers’ efforts in providing mind therapy through art exhibitions using new technology.
“If we look at MAF, painting alone is not enough, but we can see the paintings come to life when we scan the barcodes or QR codes displayed on the artworks.
“The use of the latest technology, such as QR codes on each painting, provides a more immersive experience for the audience or visitors,” he added.
