ADULTS NOW TAKE TO BOOK COLORING TO RELIEVE STRESS WITH GREAT RESULT

ADULT COLORING BOOK

The new vogue catching on now is one which aims to relieve stress by doing a little coloring and so people are into it so much that coloring books for adults have attained great popularity in the USA this year after initially gaining wide patronage in Europe. The coloring books often feature complex floral or geometric designs are among Amazon’s top 20 books list to show the high demand for them. Many bookshops stock them and give them prime display to feed the unquenchable demand for the books.

ADULT COLORING BOOK

The creative director of Blue Star Coloring, publisher of an especially popular line of coloring books, with titles such as Stress Relieving Patterns, Stress Relieving Animal Designs and Stress Relieving Paisley Patterns says he is proud to be the first coloring book outfit to tout the benefit of stress relief. He says he and others in the PCG Publishing Group took to the production of coloring books as a business venture after one partner's wife, a doctor, reported that she and her hospital colleagues usually relaxed by coloring during their breaks.

ADULT COLORING BOOK

However, as a guide a few studies carried out on the psychological effects of coloring seem to show that coloring the plaid or mandala patterns reduces anxiety, while coloring a blank page does not. A follow up study by other researchers found the same effect for mandalas but not for plaid patterns.

An art therapist in Washington, D.C., Lacy Mucklow says she sees the coloring craze as a healthy way for stressed-out multitaskers to tune out the larger world. She says "it's good for us to be quiet and still and focused on just one thing for once. She, however, says "coloring is not going to help somebody that has been traumatized but it's great for people who want to come home from a stressful day at work and unwind."

The American Art Therapy Association has also expressed its support for the use of coloring books for "pleasure and self care" but advises people not to take to coloring in place of therapy for those who could benefit.

Authorities of an adult coloring magazine, the Art Therapy concedes that "coloring is not clinically proven to relieve stress," but just low-key fun which is a whole lot easier than knitting, quilting or other "crafty" pastimes enjoying new popularity. Even among the adult coloring enthusiasts not all are in it for stress relief. Many just see it primarily as a social activity that brings people together through the formation of coloring clubs, some of which attract an average of 20 members each month. Many of such clubs exist around America with successful achievement.

The clubs help to facilitate conversation and connection among the member. Interaction shows one person’s relaxing coloring maybe another’s headache. However, one enthusiast has noted that many prefer to color teacups or movie characters, as they are of the opinion that the really complex books are anything but relaxing.

Hmm! Let’s try to visualize one coloring one of the drawings above to get our nerves relaxed. Felling better?