SAVE YOUR AMYGDALA: LEARN PYSANKY

Have a deployment coming up? In the middle of one? Or maybe you're just super stressed out like the other 96% of the world and need a way to decompress. Now is the perfect time to pick up a new hobby.

"But Erin!" you say. "I can't afford to do that! I don't have time!" Au contraire. Consider the possibility that you can't afford not to do that.

Research shows that adult coloring - such as those super cool mandalas or other coloring pages - serves as a healthy distraction from maladaptive negative thoughts, decreases stress levels, promotes positive thinking, and heightens self esteem and self-awareness (Healthy Years, 2015). And if you were wondering, yes, I did just cite a peer-reviewed source as if I were writing a research paper. I'm sorry, it's just ingrained. My friends are laughing at me now and saying I'm a ridiculous overachiever, but hey, I only used one to make my point and that's not super great from a research perspective even if it the article is written within the last 5 years! According to the same source, coloring is like meditation and soothes your brain's amygdala. This is important because your amygdala is the emotion center of the brain.

In an emergency, you don't have time to go through complex cognitive pros and cons of various response options. To save time, your brain bypasses the prefrontal cortex where your judgment, motivation, and most complicated thought processes occur. Instead, fight or flight kicks in and your amygdala lights up with intense emotion responses. Fear is essential to self-preservation, and so is the amygdala. However, there are times when it goes into overdrive and takes over when it would be more helpful for you to camp out in the prefrontal cortex, slow down, and think through things a bit better. For example, in post-traumatic stress, severe anxiety, or panic scenarios, your brain may have taught itself to live in a constant state of hyperawareness - that is, the sirens are blaring and danger lurks behind every corner. Can you imagine always being in that state? Exhausting, right?? Exactly. So now we know the basics of what the amygdala does from my elementary knowledge and interpretation. We also know that the amygdala is essential, but sometimes tries to work overtime and steal shifts from other parts of the brain. With all that overtime stored up, it should go on vacation! And artistic expression can help.

Adult coloring requires just the right amount of focus without overstimulating the brain and can be even more helpful than free-hand drawing, though different types of artistic expression have been shown as effective depending on the individual's needs (Healthy Years, 2015). I love drawing mandalas, and though I don't have any of my own, I am an Associate Mental Health Professional on staff at a child and adolescent psychiatric hospital, and there are a bunch there. Mandalas are great for the older kids (teenagers) who can experience the meditative and mindfulness benefits of coloring without feeling too childish. I stole an idea from one of my coworkers to clip mini-mandalas to my clipboard and work on them little by little throughout the shift, though it takes forever to finish when you're actually doing work so it generally takes a whole shift if I finish it at all. Painting, watercolors, and other forms of artistic expression are also excellent ways to take care of yourself. One my mom introduced me to that I love is making pysanky eggs.

This is one that I did, so be kind. I only really get to do pysanky eggs when I am in North Carolina visiting my parents since I don't actually have pysanky egg tools yet. My mom is crazy good and makes beautiful and intricate eggs, and there are several family members she gives eggs to every year for Christmas.

What on earth is all of that mess? You're in luck! I'm going to tell you. So basically, this is a Ukranian art form using wax and dye to decorate eggs. In the larger picture to the left, you see the egg I started with hollowed out - there is a small hole in the bottom. I penciled in the design I came up with and then used the kitska laying to the right of the egg. I put wax in the kitska, melted the wax using the candle, and then used the kitska to draw on the egg like a pen. I drew wax everywhere on the egg that I wanted to remain white throughout the entire process, because the wax protects the current color from being effected by the various dyes. Next, I put the egg in my first color, a light blue. Once I got the color I wanted, I used the kitska again to protect all areas I wanted to be blue. I did the same with a light green, a light purple, and a darker purple. Finally, I decided to make my background black to really make the colors pop. At the end, the most fun part of the process is taking all of the wax off and revealing your egg! Mom and I used to use candles for this step, melting the wax and wiping it away with a paper towel, which works well but occassionally causes smoke marks on the egg. Now we use an embossing heat tool for crafts, sort of like a hair dryer, to melt the wax quickly and without risking smoke stains.

Tadaaa! Here is the before and after of one side of my egg. I beg of you, if you are at all interested in doing this, google "pysanky eggs" or "Ukranian eggs" to really appreciate the masterful and articulate work that can be done on these. Mine are pretty sad in comparison! Regardless, they're awfully relaxing and fun to make, and they're unique and can be used for decoration.

So, are you stressed? Having a meltdown? Going through something super tough? Take some time and decorate an egg, or color a mandala, or paint. Light a candle, put on some music, and let out your inner Picasso...unless you depict people, in which case I strongly recommend using somebody like Michelangelo as a standard. Picasso left something to be desired - little things, like the other half of a person's face, or a visual experience that doesn't remind you of childhood nightmares. But hey, I'm no art expert. Anyways, next time you need a break, do your amygdala a favor and send it on vacation with all those unused days off it's stored up. Don't worry, your brain will still be scanning your surroundings for danger, but it'll take a backseat for a while. Pick up some coloring pencils instead of a movie, or, if you're feeling adventurous, some pysanky tools. Can you afford not to?

Reference

(2015). Color between the lines: Adult coloring books are a fun way to relieve stress and sharpen your mental skills. Healthy Years, 12(10), 4. Retrieved from General OneFile.

*Friends: "References" is not centered because ctrl+E apparently doesn't work on Wix and my text options are severely limited.

**Side note. I hate it when references don't have authors listed.

***I can't be a perfectionist! I didn't even go out of my way to find out how to make it look like it has a hanging indent! ****Okay, so maybe I see your point...

Thanks for reading!