“ "So that helped me get over the ruminations, the anxieties."

My name is Marie, I'm 28 years old, and I work as an early childhood assistant in a daycare (a job that can be quite stressful at times).

I discovered mystery coloring and art therapy during my first hospitalization in psychiatry for post-traumatic stress and chronic depression. I was 22 years old then, and I haven't stopped since.

It helped me overcome rumination, anxieties, and reliving trauma. This brings me more serenity and well-being every day, and with art therapy, a release of my emotions, which allows me to let off steam.

I've noticed that when I'm in a period of depression or dissociation, mystery coloring helps me re-center and concentrate more easily, whereas with this illness, you typically lose that ability to concentrate; I manage to regain it through mystery coloring.

I recommend this activity because it's not about seeking beauty or perfection; it's an activity designed to relax, sometimes to let off steam, and it's good for morale. Sometimes when words can't come out of your mouth, they express themselves through art. And I'll end with a quote I find beautiful: "Creative hobbies are the silent poetry of the hands."

https://www.instagram.com/fovellemarie_/