What kinds of coloring books did you like most when you were a kid?
Flowers?
Animals? Superheroes?
Well, in the past year, you must've noticed a sudden surge of coloring books lining store
shelves and appearing on online catalogues.
But these coloring books aren't for kids, they're made for adults - maybe you've
even gotten a couple for yourself.
But the important question is- why is this phenomenon happening all of a sudden, and
why now?
Our fast-paced and increasingly complicated modern society has brought with it new levels
of stress that all human beings are having a hard time dealing with, no matter their
age, status, or occupation.
Competitive environments, punitive work cultures and the constant need to keep up with the
breakneck pace of the 21st-century lifestyle are just some of the few stresses that all
of us have to face every single day.
For years now, people have looked for the ultimate panacea against all stressful factors.
Now, people are starting to think that it can be found through art.
It's true- the very act of painting and drawing is seen to have therapeutic effects
on the human body.
And this is not without reason - since the dawn of humankind, art has always been an
instrument for self-expression and symbolism, a means of group interaction, conflict resolution,
and diagnosis.
Further on, ancient cultures used art to develop stronger relationships with their deities,
believing that being in good graces with their gods would keep them away from all kinds of
harm and disease.
Eventually, art itself became a critical part of the healing process - Navaho medicine men
used sand paintings to cure disease, for example.
In Traditional Chinese painting there was no place for war, violence, or death, as it
was thought to cultivate one's character and nurture the soul.
Art was never for the sake of painting alone - the objects or scenes must be brought to
life and contain a sort of energy and beauty.
Painting and calligraphy was thought to have immense power- with the ability to rejuvenate
an artist by bringing him or her closer to a higher moral standard or the complete opposite.
Art used solely for therapy, of course, is a much more modern concept.
In 1942, British artist Adrian Hill originated the term art therapy.
While he was recovering from tuberculosis, he discovered the benefits of coloring and
painting as therapeutic processes.
At its very core, it's the active process of creation that provides pleasure and relaxation,
not the finished product itself.
According to the American Art Therapy Association, art therapy is the use of art as a
form of psychotherapy for people who are experiencing trauma or illness, seeking personal development,
or struggling to deal with the day-to-day act of living.
People develop and improve their cognitive abilities through creating art, and experiencing
the pleasure and relaxation that the process provides them.
It helps them cope with and manage the things they experience in their lives that threaten
or pressure them.
Since the mid-20th century, hospitals and mental health facilities have begun including
art therapy programs to promote emotional, developmental, and cognitive growth.
Even today, it is still an important tool for assessment, communication, and treatment
for children and adults especially after a research was done in 2005 that proved that
the subjects' anxiety levels dropped when they started coloring.
It was discovered that just like meditation, coloring also helps one to focus solely on
the task at hand while not really thinking of anything.
The tranquility that people search for is found in this process when they contain themselves
in their bubble of safety as they color.
While coloring was recognized as a form of therapy, it was found that what happens in
the brain during this process is the normalization of a very active amygdala; a part of the brain
in the limbic system that is responsible for the control fear and anxiety, and the fight-or-flight
response to a threatening stimulus.
As the amygdala is expected to react discordantly to stress, colouring and the calm approach
of doing an activity like this can dismiss that reaction or response so the brain can
have its well-deserved rest..
On the other hand, while the limbic system benefits from art therapy, the frontal lobe
does as well.
The frontal lobe is associated with reward, attention, short-term memory tasks, planning,
and motivation, or the "central executive" of the brain
Thinking of ways to combine and balance complex colour schemes to achieve an aesthetically
pleasing result is a way to enhance our focus, concentration, and organizational skills.
Nielsen bookscan estimates that some 12 million were sold in 2015 - a dramatic increase from
the 1 million sold the year before.
Perhaps it also provides a bit of nostalgia, reminding people of their childhood, and simpler
times.
And even if it just feels like they are just the latest trend or fad, they can indeed be
fun and therapeutic for people, regardless of age, and it doesn't require a lot of
money or effort to enjoy.
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