Color therapy
Color therapy, also known as chromotherapy, is an alternative healing practice that explores the impact of color on human mood and well-being. Rooted in historical traditions, it has been studied since ancient times, with references in Egyptian and Hindu medical texts that suggest the use of colors to promote healing. Proponents of color therapy believe that different colors can stimulate or calm various bodily functions, influence endocrine secretions, and help balance the energies of the body, mind, and spirit. Each color is associated with specific emotional and physical benefits; for instance, blue is thought to reduce fever, while red may stimulate blood flow.
Modern approaches to color therapy often involve the use of colored light, fabric, or gemstones applied to designated energy centers known as chakras. Despite its historical and cultural significance, color therapy is often classified as pseudoscience due to the lack of scientific evidence supporting its efficacy in treating physical or mental disorders. Studies of color-related personality assessments, like the Lüscher test, have demonstrated inconsistent results. While some individuals report feeling uplifted by surrounding themselves with bright colors, these changes may largely stem from placebo effects rather than direct therapeutic benefits. Practitioners typically operate without standardized credentials in many regions, and while color therapy poses minimal risks when used alongside conventional treatments, it is not generally recommended as a standalone remedy.
Color therapy
Definition: An energy therapy based on the use of colored light, the choice of colors in one’s personal environment, or Ayurvedic chakra theory.
Principal proposed uses: Energy balance (physical or spiritual), relief of anxiety or depression, personality analysis
Other proposed uses: Treatment of asthma, stress-related disorders, insomnia, and disorders of the immune system
Overview
The effects of color on human mood have been examined for centuries. Prehistoric cave art dated to 90,000 b.c.e. reflects the use of color for this purpose. Colors have symbolic value in many human societies, although the specific associations vary from culture to culture.
Ancient Egyptian and Hindu medical texts mention the use of different colors on the walls of sickrooms to treat various illnesses. In the eleventh century, the Persian physician Avicenna maintained that disease symptoms are associated with different colors. For example, he thought that blue should be used to reduce fever, red to stimulate blood flow, and yellow to relieve muscular pain and inflammation.
In 1671, Sir Isaac Newton demonstrated that white light can be broken into the colors of the visible spectrum when that light is passed through a prism. In 1810, the German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe published a book on color theory that dealt with human perception of color, as distinct from its electromagnetic spectrum as analyzed by Newton. Goethe was followed in the twentieth century by researchers interested in the psychological effects of color on humans and the possibility of using color preferences to gain insight into personality structure. The best-known psychological color test is the Lüscher test, invented by the Swiss psychotherapist Max Lüscher. According to Lüscher, a preference for blue indicates contentment; green, self-respect; red, self-confidence; and yellow, an interest in self-development. A newer test, the Manchester Color Wheel, was developed by a group of British psychologists in 2010 as a way to predict responses to various psychotherapies and to detect mood disorders.
Mechanism of Action
Human perception of color results from the activity of photoreceptor cells known as cones in the retina of the eye. There are three different types of cone cells, which respond to blue (short), green (medium), and red-yellow (long) light waves, respectively. Practitioners of color therapy maintain that the differences in wavelength of the colors in the visible light spectrum (from 390 nanometers for blue-violet to 720 nanometers for red) can be utilized to stimulate or slow down various bodily functions, regulate the secretions of the endocrine glands, affect the brain and central nervous system, and diagnose and treat energy imbalances in a person’s body, mind, or spirit.
Those who follow the chakra theory of Ayurvedic medicine maintain that each of the seven chakras (energy centers) in the body is associated with a specific color, from red for the chakra at the base of the spine to violet for the crown chakra on the head. Application of light, cloths, crystals, gemstones, or water of the appropriate color to the affected chakra is thought to rebalance the energy centers. This type of color therapy is generally considered pseudoscience.
Uses and Applications
It is important to distinguish color therapy, particularly colored-light therapy, from the phototherapy used to treat seasonal affective disorder or such skin diseases as psoriasis or eczema. Mainstream phototherapy makes use of white full-spectrum light or light in the invisible (infrared or ultraviolet) range, whereas color therapy is based on a person’s perception of color and may involve cloth, tinted water, or other colored objects as well. As noted, alternative color therapy is used to rebalance energy, treat a range of disorders, and offer insight into one’s own personality.
Scientific Evidence
No scientific evidence exists that colored light or gemstone therapy is effective in treating physical or mental disorders. Although some studies indicate that persons with mood disorders benefit from wearing or surrounding themselves with bright or cheerful colors, such improvement often reflects a placebo effect.
With regard to color-related personality analysis, a number of double-blind studies of the Lüscher color test have been conducted since the 1980s; most concluded that the test has low test-retest reliability, among other shortcomings. With regard to the use of chromotherapy (which is another name for color therapy) in neurology, researchers in Russia and the Balkan countries have investigated the effects of colored light on the secretion of neurotransmitters in the brain; results remained inconclusive.
Critics have questioned the lack of consistent definitions of colors used by practitioners of color therapy. Some argued that using inconsistent wavelengths for different colors, as well as the use of LED-based lamps for inconsistent amounts of times, could potentially harm participants' retinas.
Choosing a Practitioner
The International Association of Colour (IAC), which became affiliated with the British Holistic Medical Association (BHMA) and the Institute for Complementary Medicine (ICM), has set standards for practitioners of color therapy. Most practitioners in the United States, however, were not credentialed by the IAC.
Safety Issues
There are no known negative effects of chromotherapy, provided it is used alongside conventional medicine rather than as a replacement for it.
Bibliography
Ashby, Nina. Simply Color Therapy. New York: Sterling, 2006. Print.
Carruthers, Helen R., et al. “The Manchester Color Wheel: Development of a Novel Way of Identifying Color Choice and Its Validation in Healthy, Anxious, and Depressed Individuals.” BMC Medical Research Methodology 10 (2010): 12–25. Print.
Chiazzari, Suzy. The Complete Book of Color. Boston: Element, 1999. Print.
“Color Therapy.” Therapy Color. TherapyColor.com, 1996–2005. Web. 27 Jan. 2016.
Greenfield, Brian. “Color Therapy.” HolisticOnline.com. ICBS, 1998–2007. Web. 27 Jan. 2016.
Ohwovoriole, Toketemu. "Color Therapy Types, Techniques, and Benefits." Verywell Mind, 28 Apr. 2023, www.verywellmind.com/color-therapy-definition-types-techniques-and-efficacy-5194910. Accessed 28 June 2023.
Point, Sébastien. "The Danger of Chromotherapy." Skeptical Inquirer, vol. 41, no. 4, 2017, pp. 50–53, skepdigest.awardspace.us/The‗Danger‗of‗Chromotherapy.pdf. Accessed 4 May. 2020.
"What Is Color Therapy, What Is It For, And Is It Right for Me?" Regain, 16 Nov. 2022, www.regain.us/advice/therapist/what-is-color-therapy-what-is-it-for-and-is-it-right-for-me/. Accessed 13 Dec. 2022.