When most people think of coloring books, they imagine pictures of horses and trees scribbled in pink by preschoolers. Coloring books have been rising to the top of Amazon’s sales, making their way to the top 10 current best sellers. Though these coloring books aren’t aimed at those kids with crayons grasped in each hand, instead they are aimed at stress filled adults.

Most of these coloring books hold prints of complicated patterns and treetop landscapes instead of anthropomorphic cars. Adults can easily find peace among the floral print they must steadily fill in, as it gives them time to momentarily de-stress and refresh their mind from the stress of work and money.

“If I switch off the phone, computer and TV and concentrate solely on choosing the right shade of blue, avoiding going over the lines and slowly filling up my page with color, all my other concerns, I’ve discovered, fade to nothing,” said novelist Michael Cain.

More and more adults everyday are beginning to find Zen within the pages of coloring books, creating an even larger interest among others. “Adult coloring is absolutely a growing trend and consumers are really taking to the idea…Not only is it calming and good for your health, it’s just fun!” said Matthew Lore, a member of the Experiment publishing company.

Coloring among adults has only recently received popularity, though in the past it wasn’t uncommon to hear about similar exercises in therapy. The effects of drawing have been used in therapy for a while now, as it has been shown to help decrease anxiety and depression. Susanne Fischer, an art therapist, spoke on this method. “Neuroscientific research has shown that through the use of art therapy, the human brain can physically change, grow, and rejuvenate.”

Although coloring books may appear childish to some, those who struggle dealing with the stress should definitely consider it.