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The Stress-Relieving Power of Adult Coloring

Coloring is a common childhood pastime. When a child is given a new colouring book, especially a new box of crayons, you can see sheer joy on their face. Have you ever noticed that a child's first reaction to her crayons is to smell them? Their scent is energising and enticing.

Applying colour to a colouring book's black and white pages is creative, enjoyable, and soothing, and you get to make something you can be proud of.


The Stress-Relieving Power of Adult Coloring
The Stress-Relieving Power of Adult Coloring




Unfortunately, as adults, we prefer to set aside our crayons for more mature pursuits. As we grow older, we put our artistic ambitions aside in favour of more useful pursuits.

1. Draw Coloring Pages

I must confess that I fell for this premise hook, line, and sinker. I used to paint with my two older girls when they were younger, and it was a lot of fun. I had no idea how peaceful it was for both the girls and me.

My oldest daughter continued to draw, focusing on mandalas and other geometrical patterns. Her efforts were very wonderful, and I was proud of her. 

Years passed, and any concept of colouring faded from my mind; nevertheless, after the birth of my third daughter, colouring reappeared. I resisted the pull of the crayons because I was still stuck somewhere between childhood and adulthood.


My daughter is autism and developmentally delayed, which is incredibly sad, but there are also many joys. She enjoys colouring and has a vast collection of different types of colouring books, even as a teenager. 

She adores crayons, especially the new scented crayons, which have a scent that lasts after you've coloured with them. They have some really nice scents, like roses and linen, but the majority of them make me feel awful. Dirty footwear, wet dog, and other strange aromas are among them.


I have to admit that I mocked her for her childlike desires; I wanted her to be normal. What I didn't realise was that her love of colouring and crayons is quite common. It's just not how most adolescent girls spend their time.

Finally, I saw the light and saw how quickly art had a calming and relaxing impact on her. It was a terrific event that changed my mood and reduced my rage. I finally stopped telling her she needed to grow up.

I joined her in colouring, taking advantage of the opportunity to focus on her rather than on myself. I discovered that I had forgotten how much I enjoyed colouring. It also had an effect on me. I relaxed and enjoyed myself while bonding with my child.


After that, I looked into the benefits of colouring for adults. I discovered that my children were correct. Coloring is a great way to relieve tension. It interrupts the circuit of our overworked brains, which are constantly bombarded with thoughts. Coloring, I discovered, calms your thoughts while you concentrate on your creation.


I also discovered that when it comes to colouring, there are no restrictions; colour beyond the lines is a surprising method of breaking the rules, and it feels great. There are no colouring cops who will arrest you for colouring outside the lines. You don't have to follow the directions or use the colours specified. This is a fantastic release.




2. Adult Coloring Books as a Form of Stress Reduction Therapy

Adult colouring books are beneficial to your mental wellness. Adult colouring books are an offshoot of art therapy, which is a mental health profession that entails "exploring feelings, reconciling emotional conflicts, foster self-awareness, managing behaviour and addictions, developing social skills, improving reality orientation, reducing anxiety, and increasing self-esteem" through the process of making and creating artwork (according to the American Art Therapy Association). 


So, in a nutshell, it's similar to traditional therapy. Art therapy is also a method of personal expression, as well as a means of healing one's mental health.



It's crucial to note, however, that colouring a book for adults is not the same as participating in an art therapy session. While art therapy was first used in the 1940s, the first studies on utilising adult colouring pages for therapy are said to have only begun in the mid-1990s.

Adult Coloring Books Have a Lot of Health Advantages


Despite the fact that colouring has a number of psychological advantages, it is not the same as counselling. According to industry experts, colouring sheets have significant therapeutic potential for reducing anxiety, increasing focus, and increasing mindfulness. 

Anxiety levels were shown to decrease when respondents drew complicated colouring sheets for adults or mandalas, according to landmark research published in 2005.


Coloring, like guided meditation, allows us to disconnect from other thoughts and problems and focus just on the present moment, reducing tension and anxiety. 

It's especially useful for persons who aren't at ease with more creatively expressive kinds of art, such as painting or writing. Coloring images brings a lot of peace to the more reserved individuals. It makes kids feel safer and gives them a sense of control over the colouring process.


3. Adult Coloring's Power: How It Can Help You Relax

I'm sure you, like me, can remember the pure and uncomplicated emotions you felt while occupying yourself and your time with those activities as you take a trip down memory lane, notably reliving your favourite childhood pastimes.

What if I told you that some of those same childhood pleasures could be the key to reducing adult stress, reducing anxiety, and making you feel happier?

Some may consider this to be insane talk. Many more, on the other hand, may have already grasped this.



Adult Coloring Is Getting More Popular:


Adult colouring has become a sudden and rapidly developing passion, according to trends. Coloring is one of our finest and simplest activities. Adult colouring sheets, books, and supplies are becoming more popular as a result of increased demand. Adult Coloring Books account for five of the top twenty best-selling books on Amazon.

Stress and Anxiety Can Be Relieved by Coloring:

Instead of being a trend, the rise in popularity of adult colouring is more of a recognition of how healthy and fun this hobby can be for adults of all ages. 

Researchers have known for years about the benefits of art-related businesses in terms of therapy for troubled and nervous people. Similarly, and more relevant to today's stressed and overworked individual, colouring a complex artwork or an encouraging message can be a relaxing and therapeutic pastime for the person participating.


The simple act of colouring in a page creatively acts as a reprieve from the difficulties and problems that people endure on a daily basis. When you're colouring, you have the opportunity to forget about everything else and focus all of your energy and attention on the image or design in front of you. 


Furthermore, those who have problems focusing generally have this problem as a result of an overly worried mind and cognitive habit. Individuals who take time to colour can improve their mental clarity and focus.

Are you ready to get started?

Keep in mind that therapy will be more effective than colouring alone if you're dealing with serious mental or emotional issues. However, for those who simply need a hobby to help them relax and unwind, these colouring books may be the answer.

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