Rachel 
Image by Euphoric Voyager from Pixabay
When I was in college, I majored in both biology and psychology because of my strong interest in both the body and mind. Other than my original interest, I also have depression and anxiety, so I like to look into how different things affect mental health. Whenever I learn about something useful, I try to spread information whenever people ask for help or advice so that I can potentially help someone cope with mental health issues they struggle from (I know that activities aren’t always a cure-all, and that some individuals need medication. I hope that this can demonstrate a possible coping mechanism, though.).
Stress and Symptom Reduction
When speaking to a crocheter, almost any of them would tell you that they find the activity relaxing. Some say that they find the repetitive motions and required focus to be meditative. Fortunately, this opinion is also supported by research. A doctor found that the relaxed state brought on by the repetitive motions led to decreased heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension, and rate of breathing. Further, when analyzing a Facebook group, members indicated that counting stitches and finishing projects kept their negative thoughts and feelings away from the forefront of their mind. Not only did crochet help someone feel the physical effects of relaxation, but it also helped reduce stress and the appearance of symptoms of their mental illness.
By creating a finished item, crocheters reduced their symptoms and stress by feeling productive. The act of crocheting also assisted individuals in expressing their feelings without having to speak about them, and some used their finished project as a holder for those emotions. One study found that pattern difficulty affected the impact felt by crocheters on their mood. Easy patterns were more repetitive and meditative whereas more difficult patterns distracted crocheters from negative thoughts and feelings.
Mental Stimulation
In a study that focused on how crocheting affected neural pathways, researchers found that the group that crocheted demonstrated an increase in attention after just one session. Based on this information, it indicates that there’s a higher level of communication between different brain areas. Researchers believed this came from the requirement for attention to shift between the pattern used and the physical aspect of crocheting. As a result of the study, the researchers also noticed that the specific pathways in the brain that were affected also helped the individuals react to and direct attention to specific events in the environment. From crocheting, participants in the study demonstrated that the activity encourages changes in the brain that could improve information transfer and mental preparedness.
Another aspect that can improve from crocheting is emotional knowledge within oneself. Because crocheters have to focus on their projects, it forces them to slow down. This gives the crocheter the ability to evaluate their thoughts and feelings about anything and everything. As a result, crocheters gain a stronger understanding of their own emotions and thought processes.
Social Interaction
There are multiple groups out there that individual crafters/crocheters can join. One study looked at a specific Facebook group that individuals had to request to join. This group was open to anyone that participated in any fiber arts, and the group had to fill out a form before they could join the group. Once within the group, the members could discuss projects they completed or worked on, they could speak to others about advice, and they could form a community of people with similar interests while either learning a new skill or continuing a hobby they’ve done for years.
As individuals bonded with others and communicated within the group, some members mentioned or spoke about their experiences with mental illness. Others provided advice and encouragement where they could, and both groups of members helped reduce some stigma surrounding mental illness by speaking so openly about it. It also helped others feel accomplished when they could help someone (either with their project or their mental illness). Speaking about mental illness allowed others to learn about first-hand experiences while also opening the floor for others to open up about issues that they were having without judgement. By forming these communities, crafters and crocheters can build a support system that encourages helpful methods of expressing internal struggles and other issues with mental illnesses.
Hopefully this hasn’t sounded too much like an essay as I’ve tried to describe the impact of crocheting on mental health. Please tell me how crochet has impacted your life and if it helps you relax! I’ve attached my sources at the bottom, and all of them are freely available. I used Google Scholar to find them.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.17.22283453v1.full-text
https://roam.macewan.ca:8443/server/api/core/bitstreams/fd7a7ff8-792c-49ed-9cde-a96a5cbb5fc3/content
https://scholar.stjohns.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1126&context=jovsa
https://makingfutures-journal.org.uk/index.php/mfj/article/view/302/402
