The trendy "adult coloring" of yesteryear (as in, the 2010s), while marketed as a stress-relieving hobby, is actually anxiety-inducing for some. Opening up a blank coloring book to see a huge, intricate mandala with the finest lines a printer can handle is stressful. My mind is instantly overwhelmed: Where do I start coloring? Will I finish before it's time for bed? Look at all these opportunities to mess the whole thing up! I hated adult coloring for years, but I've recently been experiencing physical symptoms of stress and anxiety , so finding a relaxing outlet was a must.
I tried meditation (not for me), morning yoga (I now know that I'm not a morning person), and even quitting coffee (another no). One day, I opened Tiktok and saw a livestream of someone using alcohol markers to slowly color in a wonderfully uncomplicated drawing of a jellyfish. Watching the markers slowly move back and forth, perfectly filling in the bold picture with brilliant shades of pink and orange ink, I instantly felt at ease.
Maybe adult coloring is OK. I bought a set of Ohuhu Alcohol Art Markers ($80) shortly after closing the stream. I'm now convinced that the key to actually relaxing adult coloring is alcohol markers.
Let's dive in to learn more about what alcohol markers are, why using them is stress-relieving, and how you can get started. Marcus Smith , MA LCPC-S, is a licensed clinical professional counselor and the executive director at Alpas Wellness. Halle Thomas , LPC, is a therapist spe.