Coloring to relieve stress a growing trend in adults

A Jacksonville mother who endured seven hours of waiting while her 6-month-old daughter underwent open heart surgery said one specific activity helped her through it.

Tiffany Pellot's daughter Sandra had open heart surgery to correct a heart defect in March.

Her mother was surrounded by friends and family but she said she found the most comfort in coloring.

“You just smell the crayons to the paper, it takes you right back,” said Pellot.

Adult coloring books aren't quite like the ones we used as children.

“It's so many details in the coloring, it makes you focus on that,” said Pellot. “The actual coloring inside the lines.”

David Chesire, a psychologist with UF Health, said adult coloring is a growing trend.

People are going back to their childhood to get through real adult issues.

“It lets us reconnect with the activity we did as a child,” said Chesire. “(It) gets us back to a less stressful time in our lives.”

He said the intricate designs force adults to focus on something other than their anxiety.

“You're using coloring and visualizing things that way and it can be an instant gratification,” Chesire said. “I think coloring books are not designed to get rid of all the stress, it's more of an escape, a temporary escape.”

Adult coloring books are sold at most drug stores. There are coloring groups in town for people to get involved.

As for Sandra's mom, she said she will make a scrapbook of all the pictures she colored to one day explain how they helped her through the toughest moments of her daughter's young life.

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