Color Therapy for Depression

Overview of color therapy as an alternative treatment for depression and whether color therapy works in treating depression.

What is Color Therapy?

Some people believe that their mood is affected by the colors of rooms, clothes and other objects in the surroundings.

How does Color Therapy work?

It is not known how color might affect mood.

Is Color Therapy effective?

Some research has been carried out showing that the color of a room affects mood in normal people. However, there has been no research on how color affects people who are depressed.

Are there any disadvantages to Color Therapy?

Although it is possible to choose the colors in your home, it may be difficult to have any say in the color of your workplace.

Where do you get Color Therapy?

Books on the use of color for health and well-being are available in most bookshops and on the Internet. There are also color therapy workshops available, usually run by alternative health practitioners. It is probably best to try out rooms that other people have painted before deciding to re-paint your own.

Recommendation

Given the lack of evidence on color therapy for depression, it cannot be recommended.

Key references

Kwallek N, Lewis CM, Lin-Hsiao JWD, Woodson H. Effects of nine monochromatic office interior colors on clerical tasks and mood. Color Research and Application 1996; 21: 448-458.

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