Color me: A game based on art therapy for mental health

Abstract

Stress is a significant driver of one's wellbeing and an imbalance in daily stress can lead to severe mental health issues. Hence, timely management of stress is not only desirable but extremely crucial. In the realm of stress management, non-pharmacological methods are widely used. These methods generally consist of psychotherapy, behavior therapy and alternative therapies, to name a few of the major types of stress management interventions. Alternate therapies like yoga, meditation, art therapy etc. have shown to be effective and engaging in recent research. Playing games has also shown immense mental health benefits by effects such as dopamine release during game play, thus decreasing stress levels. In this paper, we look at the psychological stress relief technique of art therapy and the stress relief mechanisms and interactions in certain games. Taking inputs from the two, we discuss the conceptualization, design and initial findings of a stress relief game, Color Me.