Clothes Can Impact An Individual’s Mental Health – Read to Know How?
God Made Man and Tailor Made Gentleman” is a famous proverb that highlights the importance of clothes and how people judge us by our physical appearance.
Many believe that they wear clothes according to their mood, implying that if they are in a happy mood, they wear bright colors, and if they are feeling blue, they choose to wear clothes that are dull or dark in color.
However, several research studies have found the reverse of this belief to be true. The researchers in these studies have found that the type of color we choose to wear largely impacts our mental health.
The role of music is well-known to impact an individual’s mood and behavior, but this is something that is hardly known to only a few.
As this new and unknown relationship between clothes and mood was revealed, many different terms were coined to describe the relationship.
One of them is “enclothed cognition.” Hajo Adam and Adam D. Galinsky first coined this term, and it now describes the overall influence that clothing has on the wearer’s psychological processes.
There is no doubt that clothes affect an individual’s mood both in positive and negative ways, irrespective of their age, class, or gender.
For instance, kids love to wear new clothes. This is why it has also become a common practice among parents to bribe their kids with new toys and clothes when they want them to complete certain tasks, such as homework, going to school, etc.
On the other hand, women love shopping for new clothes, but this doesn’t imply they just love to spend money or enjoy filling their wardrobe with unnecessary clothes.
It means that they are well aware of how their clothes can help them change their mood. For example, when feeling bored or depressed, they can wear a new cloth they like and feel better.
But it is also important to remember that clothes are not something that can change any individual’s mood. Different things impact every person differently.
If we talk specifically about gender, men generally state that they are not fond of new clothes, and changing what they are wearing does not impact their mood.
However, that is not completely true. Others argue that social obligations compel them to dress a certain way for the occasion.
But the truth is, they wear those clothes because they help them enjoy the occasion and feel like they are part of it. For instance, wearing formals to an office meeting or a conference makes you feel more professional and confident.
On the other hand, you can’t wear the same attire at a dance party.
Ways in Which Clothes Can Help Fight Against Mental Illness
Now the question is: how can your clothes help you fight against any form of mental illness while also helping you develop a positive outlook on life?
Colors and Clothes
As you now know, colors and clothes go hand-in-hand, but if you choose the right combination, it can work as an effective therapy to help you fight against mental illnesses like anxiety, stress, or depression.
Therefore, it is recommended to try and wear colors that are known as “happy colors,” as these might help you feel better and come out of sadness.
Astrology has also mentioned in detail the impact of wearing the right kind of color on a wearer’s health and wealth.
Go Shopping or Shop Online
Doing so can help you in many ways. For instance, it can work as a distraction from your current state of mind, and you also forget the worries of your life for that particular period of time.
Playing with your wardrobe
It is true that you cannot go shopping every time you feel like it. The reasons are many, such as finance, lack of transportation, etc.
In such a case, there is another way to uplift your mood: play with your existing wardrobe. You can try and match different tops with different bottoms, or you can wear the color that you feel is matching but haven’t tried yet.
This simply means, “Try to be your fashion guru.”
Seeking professional help for mental illness
If you or your loved one have been going through a mental illness for a long time and clothing therapy is only giving you positive results for a certain period of time, then it is better to consult some mental health experts.
In India, we have the best mental health facilities available. A few of the top mental hospitals are in Gurgaon, and one of them is Athena Behavioral Health. We are here to help you and your near and dear ones.
If you’d like to get a treatment facility consultation from a professional, please contact us via email at customercare@athenabhs.com or by phone at +91 9289086193. It is our privilege to take the pain out of yours!
Also Read:
Tips to Get Rid Of Television Addiction
Coping With Grief & Loss For Improved Mental Health
How Mindfulness can Help Overcome Alcohol Addiction?
Common Ways in Which Schizophrenia Can Impact One’s Daily Life
