Colouring books for adults - effective stress relief or just a fad?

I’m on the wrong side of my twenties but not ashamed to admit that I still enjoy colouring books.

Pay a visit to any major bookstore and you will likely find a section on colouring books for adults.

Yes, this is now an actual thing and you can check Amazon’s best-selling list if you don’t believe me.

The trend started back in 2013 when a colouring book titled Secret Garden by British illustrator, Johanna Basford became a hit in France. It’s been translated into 14 different languages. Nearly 6 million copies have been sold to-date.

So what’s the allure, you may wonder?

Well, for me, the joy of colouring helps take my mind off the drudgery and routine of daily life. It appeals to my desire to unplug from the digital realm, albeit just for an hour.

Colouring requires just enough attention that when I begin, my computer, smartphone and TV miraculously fade into the background. Before long, I find myself fully absorbed in the colours, hues and forms that seem to take a life of their own before my very eyes.

The fact that there is no right or wrong in the creative process is an added plus.

So no surprise then that this new creative outlet for jaded adults has made its way to the digital sphere in the form of mobile applications.

Ironically, these apps purport to offer users a similar experience to using a physical colouring book. To each his own, but if you ask me, using a app takes away most of the fun.

The whole point is to immerse oneself in an offline activity, taking us back to a time when such simple pleasures were enough to bring us joy.