How Paint By Number Kits Help Me With My Mental Health

It has been well documented that those who experience mental health issues often find it difficult to find joy in the things that they once loved. This is particularly true for those suffering from depression. This inability to enjoy anything actually has a name and is called Anhedonia. Although it is common in those with depression, other mental health disorders have also been linked to Anhedonia. 

Mental health can make us uninterested in the things we once loved. Some people believe that the sense of enjoyment hasn’t completely left a person, but instead, it has just been dulled. Along with remedies such as talk therapy, antidepressants and lifestyle changes, it’s possible for people to recover their sense of enjoyment and learn to love their life once more.

Creative hobbies are great for those suffering from depression and anxiety.

Trying new hobbies, or focusing on hobbies that previously bought you pleasure is a great way to break free from the grasps of Anhedonia. Typically, hobbies that lead to producing or creating something are considered beneficially hobbies to focus on when treating anxiety and depression. Hobbies such as cooking, photography, writing, painting, and colouring have all been linked to improved depression and anxiety and fighting anhedonia. 

Colouring and painting can induce the same mental state as meditation, thus proving to be extremely beneficial for a person’s mental health.

The popularity of adult colouring, in particular, has skyrocketed in recent years. The science behind this is incredible, and once you understand what happens to your brain when you colour, you’ll understand why! 

Amazingly, adult colouring has the ability to relax the fear centre of your brain, the amygdala. Colouring and painting induce the same mental state as meditating does, thus allowing those partaking in the activity to practise mindfulness and calm a restless mind.  

Paint By Numbers is my go-to creative activity when it comes to calming down and relaxing.

These days, Paint By Numbers Kits have come on leaps and bounds. We’ve come a long way from the simple kits that we used to get in the supermarkets when we were younger. Instead,  the pieces of art that can be created are absolutely stunning and you can even get custom paint by number kits. 

It’s easy to see why, when looking closely at the precision details put into carefully created kits, they are so beneficial for those experiencing depression and anxiety. 

Paint by number kits help people to relax after long days.

Paint by Number kits can help you to relax after a particularly stressful day. When painting, you find yourself concentrating on the task at hand. You must choose the correct coloured paint, the correct number, and then carefully apply the paint, being sure to stay neatly within the designated area. Focusing your energy on painting helps those racing thoughts to fade away, thus helping to relieve symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Paint by number kits provide people suffering from mental health issues a way to experience success.

When I was in therapy, I learnt that many of us are not used to experiencing success. This has nothing to do with our skillset, but more about the lifestyle choices we choose to make and the hobbies that we partake in. Oftentimes, we expect too much of ourselves and we lose interest midway through activities, thus continuing the cycle of failure that we have found ourselves used to.

However, when you are presented with a paint by number kit, you are presented with a chance to experience success and pride. Being able to focus on completing a task, such as finishing the painting, leads to an immense feeling of satisfaction and pride. This experience of success is vital for our development and is especially beneficial for those who experience low self-esteem.

You are creating art! 

Creating art is, without a doubt, one of the best ways to improve your mental wellbeing. Quite simply, creating something from nothing is good for the soul. Creating art stimulates the brain, improving your sense of concentration and focus, as well as allowing a person to escape from reality for a little while.

*Collaborative post.