Knitting makes you happy, sculpting calms you down, and painting puts you in a Zen state. You sometimes hear that crafts can be used as therapy, but how much of that is actually true?
There’s only one answer: it’s really true. Just like many other crafts, knitting and crocheting have a relaxing effect on the mind and help reduce stress. Of course, this is nothing new to anyone who has already discovered a passion for needles and yarn.
Knitting and Crocheting as Therapy
During the rhythmic motions of knitting and crocheting, it’s easy to clear your mind and lose yourself in the project you’re working on. Some compare this state of calm to a kind of mantra. Problems and negative emotions seem to slip away through the knitting or crochet hook. It’s not just the act of knitting one stitch and purling the next. It’s also the process of creating and watching a sweater, a hat, or a scarf take shape that brings forth feelings of individuality, pride, and success.
In the United States and England, doctors and psychologists have conducted serious research into the positive effects of knitting and crocheting on mental health and physical complaints. This research has led to patients turning to knitting and crocheting instead of antidepressants. Positive results have even been achieved in the area of pain management—provided, of course, that you don’t adopt poor posture.
Not only do you get your hands dirty while knitting, but it also engages your brain. You’re working on your manual coordination, problem-solving skills, and creativity, for example. So you can choose between solving a crossword puzzle or knitting a warm scarf or hat for the winter. We’d know which one to pick!
Soon you’ll be walking around happy, proud, and relaxed in your own creations, with your next project already in the works. Missed the train or does your car need to go to the shop again? None of that matters. You’re glad you’re knitting, because it keeps you calm!
More information about therapeutic knitting:
http://www.knitonthenet.com/issue4/features/therapeuticknitting/
http://www.painuk.org/knitting-for-pain-relief/
