Coloring is not just an activity for kids anymore! Adults have discovered the therapeutic benefits of coloring, too. It's a calming pastime that can help reduce anxiety and stress levels. Give it a try and experience the relaxing effects for yourself!
Benefits of Coloring for Mental Health
Coloring provides a variety of mental health benefits, such as:
Helps relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety
Coloring can help distract from harmful thoughts. While coloring you can feel a sense of calmness and contentment.
Coloring can also help reduce feelings of anxiety and improve mood as the activity produces a calming effect and meditative therapy.
Coloring can motivate you to create something beautiful, and creative increase self-confidence, and provide positive feelings.
Read more: Physical Characteristics Of Experiencing Anxiety Disorders
Provide a positive distraction
Coloring helps you focus on the task at hand. This helps to lessen worry or anxiety about situations beyond your control, such as work or personal life.
Coloring allows you to relax and unwind while also stretching your brain.
Improve the ability to meditate
Coloring requires a high concentration level and might help you achieve a meditative state. Coloring requires you to concentrate on colors, details, and hand movements, which can help relieve tension and increase your focus on the current moment.
Meditation provides numerous benefits for physical and psychological health, such as:
- Build stress management skills
- Increases self-awareness
- Reduces negative emotions
- Enhances imagination and creativity
- Increases patience and tolerance
- Lowers resting heart rate
- Lowers resting blood pressure
- Improves sleep quality
- Helps process emotions
Read more: In Addition To Relaxing Stress, Also Know Other Benefits Of Meditation
Coloring is a relaxing activity that helps you process and express your feelings through colors. It allows you to take a break from your problems and focus on a simple task.
Coloring is not a mental treatment
Coloring may help you calm down and manage your anxiety, but it should be emphasized that coloring is just a therapy and does not replace medication and talk therapy. You still need to get yourself checked and consulted if you experience the following signs of depression:
- Frequent sadness, disappointment, and sudden crying
- Feeling restless and irritable
- Feeling guilty
- Worthless and self-deprecating
- Numbness and feeling empty
- Difficulty relating to others
- Not finding pleasure in life or enjoying the little things as fun
- No self-confidence
- Hopelessness
- Having thoughts of ending life, self-harm, or suicide
You should consult a doctor if you experience any of the above symptoms, are experiencing complex conflicts, have difficulty finding strategies for the problem, or are constantly feeling stressed and anxious.
If you need medical advice or consultation, you can visit a doctor or use the consultation features available in the Ai Care application.
Looking for more information about other diseases? Click here!
- dr. Yuliana Inosensia
Shainna Ali, Ph.D, LMHC, NCC (2018). Are Adult Coloring Books Actually Helpful?. Available from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/modern-mentality/201803/are-adult-coloring-books-actually-helpful
Adrienne Santos-Longhurst (2022). Can Coloring Really Help You Relax? 9 Reasons to Try Adult Coloring. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/benefits-of-adult-coloring
Mind.org. Depression. Available from: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/depression/symptoms/
Kendra Cherry (2022). Color Psychology: Does It Affect How You Feel?. Available from: https://www.verywellmind.com/color-psychology-2795824
Mayo Clinic (2022). Meditation: A simple, fast way to reduce stress. Available from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/meditation/in-depth/meditation/art-20045858
