Colors That Help With Depression

Every color of the rainbow can affect our mental health, whether consciously or subconsciously. Color affects our body, mind and spirit in both positive and negative ways. This can be demonstrated in a simple experiment of changing into a special outfit in a favorite color as opposed to a drab palette for the same occasion.

Colors Correlate with Emotions
Colors often are correlated with different emotions. Pastels of blue and green are associated with relaxing and thoughts of tranquility, as in nature's settings of blue skies and forests. Yellow, being a more vibrant color, often is used to lift one's spirits as a sunny day does. Purple is used to show wisdom and majestic powers, as in a king's robe. White expresses cleansing and purifying thoughts. While these colors often reveal these moods, other elements can change the emotional impact. Using this general knowledge of colors you can plan the best environment for good mental health--whether it be in a home setting, school, hospital or place of retreat.

Same Colors in Different Settings
Choosing colors for a beach cottage can be a reflection of nature. Hues of blue can help you recall the emotions of blue skies and a day on the lake. Perhaps a splash of yellow can brighten a room, as the sun shines on the water. These same colors used in a hospital setting can bring a calmness to patients who are suffering from depression. Pale blue walls with a picture of that same retreat setting can bring peaceful feelings to mind. Add a fresh plant with bright yellow flowers, and the hospital room is transformed into a place of healing.

Children's Hospitals
In contrast, brighter shades of blue and green in a children's hospital can enhance healing, relaxation and compassion. Even splashes of red bring strength and energy into this place of healing. Some hospital settings have playrooms transformed into a jungle, zoo or an undersea environment.

Colors Enhance Experiences
All experiences are enhanced by color, whether positively or negatively. Altering a person's environment with a different color can change their outlook on their circumstances dramatically. Moving from a gray, drab basement to a sunlit room painted in pastels can help transform a depressed mind to one filled with hope and possibilities.