Holistic Healing for Addiction

Adult Coloring

            Before you throw this book on the floor (or push your screen over), give adult coloring your ear to explore the empirical benefits of zoning out while activating the creative parts of your brain. Art therapy is commonly employed in rehabilitation as a means to help recoverees explore alternative means of expressing themselves, without the crutch of their drug of choice. Coloring establishes at least one healthy habit to continue in the years of sobriety to come. Many have latent art talents yet untapped, and begin discovery in art therapy. Adult coloring books have become almost ridiculously popular, and after taking a look at the benefits of the hobby has to offer, I couldn't help placing an order for one myself.

What if you are not artistically gifted, or what if you are, but find creating from scratch entirely too much of a time commitment? Adult coloring can achieve both ends, and lends itself to original creation when one escapes the barriers of the lines. Aside from simple calming, coloring can help improve concentration, and serves as an escape from nagging thoughts. When looking for alternative means to deal with bouts of cravings, breaking out the colored pencils is one way to address psychologically stressful emotions. Coloring gives us an outlet to disengage with our conscious thoughts and focus on the task at hand.

Therapists are not too fond of adult coloring being touted in the realm of art therapy, nor are they thrilled the hobby is being considered meditatively inductive; despite the lack of evidence of the therapeutic benefits to coloring, those who participate in the activity report significant reductions in stress levels and diminished rates of anxiety. Heather Schwedel quotes Drena Fagen, an art therapist of New York University's Stenhardt School, weighs in,

"Any creative endeavor that can in some way help somebody discover something about themselves or find a space that makes them feel safe and comfortable or allows them an opportunity to be with their own thoughts, I do not see how we can criticize that. It seems like it is only bringing good things to the world.",

Art therapy coupled with cognitive behavioral therapy has proven to lessen instances of panic attacks. Mariam Adawiah Dzulkifli and Muhammad Faiz Mustafar found color plays a prominent role in the retention and improvement of working memory, and may be utilized to help people suffering with dwindling memory. With addiction and recovery considered in this context, cognition games with vivid warm colors (reds, oranges, and yellows) can help improve working memory, and thus help speed recovery and prevent instances of relapse by solidifying one's intent to recover- implementing coping strategies learned in rehabilitation.

One might be able to wield the psychology of color to help them stave off relapse travesties by coloring in conjunction with: declaring affirmative statements and charging crystals on the image right after, to imprint the vibrational energy of intent while coloring. Adult coloring does not have to remain in the realm of convention- it may be married to any holistic teaching in this book. Use coloring as a precursor to an oracle or tea reading with different hues of a specific color to heighten the affinity of your query. Working through your chakra meditations? Choose colors associated with each chakra to activate the subtle bodies while eliminating the anxiety of performing a holistic art. Often we hold ourselves back when we think "we are not doing it right." Coloring will help transport our thoughts from anxiety to stillness, and prepare our mind, body, and spirit to open up to the impressions of the energies around us.

For instance, you may choose to couple healing your heart chakra by choosing imagery with a heart, and filling in the image with hues of greens and pinks. While doing so, place a rose quartz on the corner of the page, or even tuck it where the stone may reside on your skin. As you focus on healing the heart chakra, through actively sensing the energy center and pouring your feelings out onto the page, you are engaging in three different types of healing: chakra, crystal, and coloring. Although many disavow coloring of being worthy to couple with therapy, the task serves to encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and to experience new things.