Alternative therapies are being pushed as having the potential to supplement treatments that have been explored scientifically for the purpose of improving both physical and mental health.The use of colours to influence a person's mental or physical condition is the basis of colour therapy, which is one of the alternatives that is being promoted as a means of assisting individuals in their healing process.
When attempting to identify the therapies that are most likely to assist a person in achieving recovery from mental health illnesses, including addiction, it is essential to take into consideration the research and data that supports each therapy. For this reason, it is possible for a person to decide whether or not colour therapy is a treatment that is relevant or useful for mental health and mood difficulties by investigating the science and knowledge that lies behind colour theory and colour therapy.
Understanding Color Theory
Color theory is the idea that the colors a person is surrounded with can have an effect on the person’s health – whether physical or mental. Color psychology is based on the idea that the colors a sighted person is exposed to can have an effect on that person’s emotions and even on the individual’s health.
In color theory, every color – from white to black and everything in between – has an effect on how a person thinks, acts, and responds to various stimuli in their world.
Benefits of Color Therapy in Healthcare
Color theory is used in a variety of industries to influence the way individuals behave and think in those environments. In healthcare, color theory is used to create environments that feel safe, healing, and inspiring. As discussed by Healthcare Design Magazine, color theory is commonly used in hospital design to encourage:
- Patient healing and motivation
- Facility efficiency and efficacy
- Healthcare staff motivation and efficiency
As an example, hospital settings are often decorated in soothing, cool colors, such as pale blue and green. This is thought to foster a relaxing environment that enables rest, encouraging faster healing.
Color Psychology as Therapy
According to the Art Therapy Blog, the use of color to help people heal goes back to the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and Chinese, all of whom used color to try to affect the mental states of people through the colors used to decorate rooms, the incorporation of natural colors to induce a calm state, and the use of light to balance mental states. In fact, for at least one condition – seasonal affective disorder, or SAD – research has shown that light therapy can help to mitigate the depression and anxiety caused by the disorder, as referenced by Mayo Clinic.
Similarly, it is believed that different colors can induce specific emotional or mental states that can change mood, the level of anxiety, or the individual’s perception of a situation.
History of Color Therapy
According to an article in Scientific American, the "colour cure" was initially implemented at Wards Island, a mental institution, with the aim of treating patients with conditions such as depression, melancholy, insanity, violent behaviour, and mania by contrasting their environments with brighter colours.
Although the exact effects of these colour treatments are unknown, anecdotal evidence suggests that red can assist a depressed person feel more engaged with their surroundings, while shades of pastel blue or green might soothe an anxious person. Colour therapy, also known as chromotherapy, has its roots in this historical context.
Color Therapy Controversy
- While color therapy is still used in a variety of applications, there is a lot of evidence from research that it doesn’t have the effects attributed to it. For example, according to the Center for Healthcare Design, the effects of color can be subjective based on cultural history and understanding. This can influence the effect that a particular color has on a particular individual, throwing a question on the idea that specific colors have an intrinsic psychological response.
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Nevertheless, color may affect individuals within the cultural context, making the idea of color therapy valid while still requiring it to be based on the individual’s cultural background. More research is required before the validity of color therapy is acknowledged. That said, if an individual feels motivated or encouraged by the use of color therapy, the value of individual impact should not be ignored.
Research-Based Color Therapy Treatments
Regardless of whether or not colour therapy is a viable paradigm, it has the potential to be an effective component of a treatment plan for those who have a strong emotional connection to certain colours. When designing a treatment programme that is centred on research, the preferences and elements that motivate the persons who are participating are taken into account in order to develop a personalised therapy plan for each individual recipient. The first step on the route that is most likely to lead to recovery from the person's mental health illnesses is to locate the appropriate treatment programme for the individual. This will ultimately result in a more productive and optimistic future for the individual.