Color Therapy for Psychiatric Disorders

Learn about color therapy in treating emotional and physical disturbances including treatment of aggression, ADHD, reading and learning disabilities, and seasonal affective disorder.

Before engaging in any complementary medical technique, you should be aware that many of these techniques have not been evaluated in scientific studies. Often, only limited information is available about their safety and effectiveness. Each state and each discipline has its own rules about whether practitioners are required to be professionally licensed. If you plan to visit a practitioner, it is recommended that you choose one who is licensed by a recognized national organization and who abides by the organization's standards. It is always best to speak with your primary health care provider before starting any new therapeutic technique.

• Background And Theory
• Evidence
• Unproven Uses
• Potential Dangers

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• Summary
• Resources

Background And Theory

Color therapy uses colors for their proposed healing abilities in treating emotional and physical disturbances. Changing the colors of clothes or home or office décor or visualizing different colors may be recommended. Color therapy is based on the premise that different colors evoke different responses in people. For example, some colors are considered to be stimulating, whereas others may be soothing. Some color therapists assert that they can read and alter the colors of people's auras. In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, different colors are associated with different chakras, or energy centers.

Color, light or phototherapy using single or mixed colors, sometimes from a laser, may be shined on the whole body or on particular chakras. The Luscher Color Test is said to indicate mood and personality. Silks colored with natural dyes, meditation and breathing exercises may be used. Solarized water, color cards or a light box or lamp with colored filters is sometimes included as a part of treatment. Ocular Light Therapy, in which light is projected through colored filters into the eyes, is sometimes used in people with psychological disorders. Colored light therapy, Colorpuncture and Chromopressure are emerging techniques.

Scientific evidence is lacking for color therapy. Color therapy is different from conventional ultraviolet light phototherapy, which is used to treat high bilirubin blood levels in infants and skin disorders such as acne or psoriasis. Light therapy is used to treat seasonal affective disorder.

Evidence

Scientists have studied color therapy for the following health problems:

Musculoskeletal pain
There is preliminary research suggesting that color therapy may be helpful in the relief of hand, elbow, or lower back pain. Further study is needed before a clear conclusion can be drawn.

Unproven Uses

Color therapy has been suggested for many uses, based on tradition or on scientific theories. However, these uses have not been thoroughly studied in humans, and there is limited scientific evidence about safety or effectiveness. Some of these suggested uses are for conditions that are potentially life-threatening. Consult with a health care provider before using color therapy for any use.