There’s something to be said about the attempt at tricking your brain into being more upbeat. Dopamine dressing for me, represents that immensely. It’s no secret that for a long time I haven’t really felt like myself and it’s been hard to get excited about anything at all. But there’s something about surrounding myself in bright colours that gets my psyche engaged and makes me feel different; even if only fleetingly.
For those of you wondering what the hell dopamine dressing is, it’s best described as a ‘style of dressing that aims to improve your mood’ and make you feel happier by dressing in bright colours, patterns and shapes. Researchers have since referred to this as ‘enclothed cognition’ in which our clothes have a symbolic connection that affects our psyche, and in turn how we see ourselves and therefore feel.
For me it isn’t about the clothes per say but about feelings and emotions that I associate with certain colours or complex patterns. For the most part, they just make me smile and spark a joy that comes from deep within my soul. Given that I have been lacking in this department due to the volatility of events beyond my control for a while now, I’ll take any joy that I can get, in whatever form it comes in. Dopamine dressing can also be referred to as colour therapy which in the past has been used to provide psychosocial support for patients experiencing mental health issues. This particular strategy has been proven to reduce anxiety and help to divert attention away from a patient’s anxiety.
It’s become a fun distraction for me which has brought my playful side back and has helped to boost my confidence in a way I hadn’t expected. There’s also something about leaving your comfort zone and pushing yourself to wear things that you don’t usually, especially bright colours, which brings a special sense of joy. It’s a way to trick your mind into going somewhere else, being someone else and expressing yourself differently.
Surprisingly, my push towards dressing for happiness, which is how dopamine dressing has been described, also helped me to live life more fearlessly. It’s pushed me in ways to realise that I’m not here to live for other people’s approval. My life and the way I live it, or how I express myself, or dress does not need to fit into the confines of what others might expect of me. This has been incredibly freeing and it’s enabled me to lean into the things that I genuinely enjoy doing; and to question those that society simply tells me I should engage in. It’s forced me to look within, to question myself and who I am and to pursue a life that works for me.
So from here on out, expect nothing but bright colours and crazy patterns from me 🙂
I blog for Change. 