Crafting Your Way Through Anxiety and Depression
crafting alleviates anxiety and depression (here is the project pattern)
Covid has really been challenging for so many of us. Not being able to see those we love or freely do what we love without wearing a mask and fearing getting exposed to covid is very taxing to one one’s mental health. There are all kinds of things to do to take care of ourselves through it such as have a daily routine, choose when to watch the news and limit your time watching it, get outside and make time for meaningful social interaction even if via video or phone.
Through the pandemic, I returned to knitting. Perusing projects and finding the perfect yarn has been an inspiring task. Then actually doing the project keeps me busy and focused.
I started knitting about 15 years ago. I’m not sure what started me on that path. It could have been the amazing Boulder, Colorado women where I worked who all seemed to knit and knitted for good causes. Whatever started me down that path, I bought a DVD to teach myself, and off I went. I remember going into yarn stores and being able to see and touch all the beautiful yarns. I would be on a high, so excited about my purchase and anticipating the beautiful projects I would create. I always had a knitting project going. I would take them with me wherever I went, and whenever I had to wait, I would knit.
Then I moved away to a place where there are very few yarn stores. At the same time, smart phones became part of our lives where we are never without it. So instead of knitting when I had to wait, the phone gave me that same feeling of distraction and charge inside. Though I have knitted on and off over the past many years, I was reinspired by a post on Instagram that lead to a project that I got excited to knit. I’m now back to putting the phone down and picking up knitting which feels so good.
When I would find myself out in the world knitting, I would get comments from people such as “wow, what an old-fashioned hobby.“ I think those women back in the day knew what they were doing. Life is stressful and hectic. Studies have shown that knitting brings a calm to the mind just as meditation and yoga. It can lower your heart rate and blood pressure and reduce harmful blood levels of the stress hormone cortisol. It also sends a dopamine signal to the brain as you enjoy the pleasure of creating something.
The Association for Craft Industries (AFCI) study reports that 28.8 million people participated in knitting or crochet in 2016. It found that 71% of knitters and crocheters are female while 29% are male, all who are taking up the 1,800-year-old craft not out of necessity, but because they find it meditative, restorative, creative, or an avenue to connect with others.
Our bodies are in a constant state of stress because our brain can't tell the difference between an upcoming meeting with the boss and an upcoming bear attack. The repetitive motions of knitting activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which quiets that "fight or flight" response. Unlike meditation, craft activities result in tangible and often useful products that can also enhance self-esteem.
When you lose yourself in creating, whether that is with music, photography, drawing, painting or even cooking, we are focused on that task. Our nervous system is only capable of processing a certain amount of information at a time (we cannot listen and understand two people speak at once) so when we are creating, we get completely absorbed in the activity and nothing else seems to matter. It helps to regulate strong emotions and prevent irrational thoughts.
So this “old fashioned” craft is helping our brains, our bodies and we get something beautiful to wear! Find a craft or activity that you can focus on and let your brain and body reap the benefit especially during these challenging times of Covid.