Increased Anxiety/ Sensory Overload At Adult Coloring Books?

[Sideways]

@erigby - none of this is easy, but you're doing all the right things to get yourself through to the other side. Hope the meds change gives you the space you've been hoping for sooner rather than later:)

 

[Tkitty]

I have 4 adult coloring books given to me over birthdays and holidays from the past few years. The on...

I think you should keep trying. I try to do one a week to start. so far I' ve stuck with it. I like to hang mine up, it makes me feel like the house is cheery. The reason you struggle to color because it makes you feel. Kids like adults when they go through trauma of some type, will color to get the feeling out. It the same for adults even if they are much older.
I think its good to get the feelings out.

 

[Deborah93ba]

Yes, all those minute shapes and intricate designs you get in adult mindfulness colouring books leave...

Oh my god this 100% how I feel. I even thought of starting my own adult coloring books because I can't find enough books in the kids section. They're all full of activities and no coloring!

I googled this because I thought I was alone but obviously, thanks to the internet, I know I'm not. I will start my own coloring books! These mandala things give me serious anxiety with the intricateness and all decision making. I rather just color princesses because I know what color they're supposed to be, or Disney characters, etc.

 

[Froglover]

I have 4 adult coloring books given to me over birthdays and holidays from the past few years. The on...

Yes!!! I am on hospital bed rest for the next few months and I just got out one of my adult coloring books. I blankly stared at the page for an hour and over that hour i could feel the stress building. Where do I start? What colors do I use? If I use red here then I cannot use red there. What if I start and then realize that the rest of the spaces won't look right because I can't possibly put the same colors next to each other? And the list of what if's went on and on until my back hurt, and my head was spinning because of the stress of having to make decisions on the colors I would use and where on all those tiny spaces I would use them. Now I am sitting here trying to destress, and have put away the coloring book and markers, with having colored not one single thing. My anxiety is off the charts right now because of my attempt to color. These books seem to have the opposite effect on me, as I thought they were supposed to destress those with anxiety. I started out with 90% less stress than when I ended with the blank page! So yes, I definitely agree!!!!!!

 

[Calm]

I just wanted to thank you. I thought I was the only one that worried about coloring books. Your story made me feel better.

 

[EveHarrington]

My ex gave me a few and I just donated them to a thrift store. Well, 1) because he gave them to me and 2) because they were too intricate.

I have a few more around here somewhere. I used to like them a bit more, but now, not so much.