Coloring is a common activity among kids. Most adults will keep their kids busy with coloring books in order to proceed with their daily life and eliminate any distractions.
Grownups who are devoting their time on coloring will be viewed as foolish or simpleton. Nonetheless, recent findings tell otherwise.
Psychologists and different researchers have discovered that coloring is actually beneficial among adults. In this article, we will discuss the therapeutic benefits of coloring books for adults.
10 Therapeutic Benefits of Coloring Books for Adults
Therapists and psychologists have been prescribing coloring books to their patients. If you are looking for ways to relieve your stress and shift your focus, you will realize that coloring is a very effective solution.
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Relieving Anxiety and Stress
During the early part of 20th century, a psychologist named Carl Jung proposed the idea that coloring can help people relieve some stress.
The idea was established from coloring Mandalas. These are geometric designs of spiritual origin that are commonly found in Buddhism and Hinduism to depict the universe.
Aside from him, another psychologist named Gloria Ayala believed that coloring has the power to reduce the activity in our amygdala. This is the branch of our brain that manages our emotions when we are in a heightened level of stress.
Anxiety and stress are type of mental condition that are related with each other. Therefore, de-stressing can help you reduce your anxiety. Based on a 2005 study, the participant’s level of anxiety has decreased after coloring some geometrical patterns.
While coloring books for adults are being used during therapy, more and more adults are realizing the benefits that it offers. There are also several mobile applications that utilize this concept to help individuals relieve some stress.
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Stimulate Your Cerebral Hemisphere
Aside from reducing your anxiety and stress, coloring can also trigger the right and left cerebral hemisphere. According to Gloria Ayala, coloring has the power to stimulate the different region of our right and left hemisphere.
Coloring can stimulate different parts of our brain since this is both based on artistry and logic. Forming colors require logic and mixing and matching the color depends on creativity.
Apart from that, coloring will also trigger the cerebral cortex that is primarily involved in our fine-motor skill and vision.
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An Excellent Way to Meditate
According to the experts, coloring can invoke the brain activity and response similar to the traditional type of meditation.
It has already been proven that meditation has powerful benefits psychologically. Nonetheless, individuals will only be able to realize those benefits after reaching a state of zen which requires years of practice.
When meditating most people will find it hard to clear their mind and avoid thinking. However, when you are coloring, you will find it simple to focus on your coloring alone.
Neuropsychologist Stan Rodski believes that art therapy has the capacity to induce our mind into a relaxing state.
Coloring, like meditating, also offers physical benefits. Considerable changes have been observed on the heartrate and brainwaves especially if you can give an undivided attention on the patterns and designs.
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Improves Creativity and Focus
The pressure that we receive from work and the stress that we will encounter daily can have an adverse effect on our creativity and focus.
Coloring those complex patterns while considering the best combination of colors will not only empower our creativity but will also enhance our concentration. Students at the Lesley University have been using coloring books in order to improve their focus.
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It Encourages Us to Think Positively
When our brain is fully engaged on coloring activities, it will not delve on the negative thoughts. We will merely focus on the patterns, choosing the appropriate mix of colors, and filling the interesting shapes with it.
A scientist at the University of South Wales named Joel Pearson claimed that when the mind concentrates on the coloring task, it will eliminate the negative thought by replacing it with the positive ones.
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Therapy for the Mental and Neurological Disorder
While coloring may appear to be an unconventional treatment for the mental and neurological condition, most psychologists will be using this to alleviate the condition of the patient suffering from anger management, drug addiction, panic attack, eating disorder, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and Obsessive-Compulsive disorder.
The coloring books that are intended for the adult that features complex and intricate designs can stimulate the person’s attention. Furthermore, it removes your mind from your negative behavior, habits, and issues.
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Forge a Special Social Bonding
Due to the therapeutic benefits of coloring, it is quickly gaining popularity among the adults in different communities all over the world.
This type of activity is being used in different events, clubs, and social gathering. This allows you to associate yourself with people who have the same interest.
Coloring has encouraged the parents to reconnect with the kids. This is an opportunity for the parents to spend quality time with their children.
The bond can get stronger once the children noticed that their parents are engaged in the coloring activity that they usually love.
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It Helps People Rediscover Themselves
The adults will usually find themselves trapped in a stressful and laborious household chores and jobs. Coloring activities is a chance for them to escape this rigorous and redundant task.
This will make them feel comfortable and more relaxed once they retire at day’s end. This will also help you stay in harmony with your thoughts. Most adults have successfully rediscovered themselves through this calming activity.
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It Can Be Used as A Therapy to Various Diseases
Coloring books has been proven beneficial among those people who have an epileptic condition. For instance, there was the case of Cari Schofield who is suffering from epilepsy and is experiencing several physical limitations.
When she started with her coloring activity, she realized that it is easier for her to calm down. Therefore, it helps reduce the episodes of epileptic attack.
Her epilepsy also caused irregular hand movements that makes it difficult for her to have a firm grasp on the pen. With the help of coloring books intended for adults, she was able to enjoy coloring activity once more.
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It Evokes Your Inner Child
Another renowned therapy related with coloring is the inner child therapy. This treatment is designed to help adults who are disturbed and tend to be stricter or harsher on themselves.
Adults are aware that there are certain areas of our life that requires improvement. Issues related with our life are often connected with our experiences in the past.
Once you reconnect with your inner child that is filled with love and innocence, you can enhance the quality of your life. This will encourage you to love yourself more and unconditionally.
Studies that Supports the Healing Power of Coloring
A lot of people have already shared their pleasant experience regarding the coloring books for adults. Nonetheless, you are still probably wondering if there are scientific evidence behind the healing power of adult coloring books. Here are some studies conducted to solidify this concept.
Kasser and Curry
In a previous study by Kasser and Curry wherein they forcefully introduced anxiety among the participants.
They were then given with Mandala, blank slate, and plaid print and asked them to color the sheets for about 20 minutes. They discovered that the mandala is more effective when reducing the anxiety.
Serice and Van der Vennet
The aforementioned study was replicated by Serice and Van der Vennet. They also realized that the mandala pattern also significantly reduced the stress of the participants.
Giannou and Mantzios
A more recent study by Giannou and Mantzios is more focused on determining the difference on the effect between free drawing and coloring.
During the first experiment, there was no obvious difference between the two. However, on the second result, they noticed that the group assigned on coloring mandala has greatly decrease their anxiety.
The International Islamic University
A group of researchers at the International Islamic University at Islamabad has delved into the power of coloring to reduce anxiety. The result has astounded the experts.
They realized that coloring mandala has the power to reduce trait anxiety and state anxiety in as little as 30 minutes. The amount of reduction in state anxiety is twice as much as the trait anxiety.
University of Otago
Another study was performed at the University of Otago to determine the effect of coloring apart from reducing anxiety. Participants in the said study have been assigned to color logic puzzle.
After a week, the symptoms related with depression has reduced significantly. Furthermore, they also discovered that there is a noticeable improvement in the participants’ creativity, positivity, and self-efficacy.
A study conducted last 2012
A study conducted last 2012 showed that the participants in the painting and drawing group has improved their motivation and confidence by at least 80%. More studies have been performed to understand the role of coloring on self-representation and self-realization.
Conclusion
Coloring has the power to improve our mood, enhance our mindfulness, and reduce any mental stress that we are experiencing. The therapeutic benefits of coloring books for adults allow you to be more calm, focused, and relaxed.
Many thanks for taking the time to read this article !