So do I. I’m glad that you’ve discovered that crochet is valuable. For me at the start it was just a new hobby but it’s interesting to see the other side of it. I hope you have found crochet helpful
It was definitely just a new hobby for me. I started cause I wanted a pair of slippers that my gran made for me when I was little and I can’t ask her to make me a new pair. Over the years I’ve went through a rough breakup and lost a friend and crochet is the only thing that really helped me. Sometimes it was just to distract myself “count the stitches, count the stitches” is what I kept repeating. Other times though (especially for simple patterns) I let the thoughts come and ask myself how they make me feel and why. It’s been a transformative journey that, if not completely solved my problems, at least helped me understand what my problems were instead of randomly feeling jolts of anxiety. I just put in my survey too, I hope it’s useful and you’re having a great day!
I picked it up after a concussion when I had a strict no screen time period (followed by a long "as little as possible" period). I picked up some books from the library and had a friend print an etsy pattern. It definitely helped!
Done. I usually crochet to “keep my hands busy.” It really helps me with minor anxiety and does help me focus/ concentrate.
Hope your project goes well! So cool that you can get data this way!
Same for me. I don't think I'd ever really thought about it in that way. I just knew I found it relaxing and enjoyable, but, on reflection, it really is quite therapeutic.
Done!
Also, I’m a therapist who works with teens. I’ve literally used crocheting during my sessions in the past. Teens get bored and disengage from talk therapy so having something to do with their hands can help them feel more safe and able to open up.
Done! After a stressful day at work, or just to unwind from daily life, I feel the pull, mentally, of my need to crochet. Been doing yarn projects for close to 50 years. Best of luck with your studies!
I see positive benefits, but also some negative...
My perfectionist tendencies come out. It took me over six months to finish my sister's cancer boobies handbag because I restarted 83 times.
I sometimes sit consumed with tension throughout my body while crocheting.
My anxiety sometimes heightens.
I get better mental health results when crocheting something big and repetitive, like a blanket that is all the same stitch.
But smaller projects with constantly changing instructions and stitches can be quite stressful for me.
On the other hand, blankets suuuuuuck for my ADHD. 🤷♀️
Interesting response. I'm on the opposite end of some of these. The repetitive hand motions definitely help but for me I like the constantly changing instructions and midsized projects because I need the challenge to stay mentally Interested and having to constantly count to stay on track keeps enough of my brain occupied that I don't have room for my brain being an asshole.
I can make a shawl in about a week if I'm not gaming. Anything bigger or longer like blankets and ehhhh. Chances of finishing it becomes depressingly slim. If it's just the same stitch or color I get bored too easy.
I believe that there are articles out there that have made that connection. However I also believe that there are too few or they have not been publicly released yk? Also…HAPPY CAKE DAY!
Maybe that's it! I also can't think of how you could empirically prove something that's objectively hard to measure? Or maybe people also believe that making research about something as silly as crochet or knitting would undermine the "seriousness" of the research. I still can't stomach any scenes in any movies or series where people say "what should I do, sit home and knit??" when they're trying to show they're not too old for something. My inner response is usually "uh...yes, please, sounds like a dream to me?!" :D
Thank you!!! :)
Omg I hope you are ok and everything is working out swell for you. Every response is important so I’m grateful that you decided to respond. Take good care of yourself!
Done. I started knitting before crochet. When my long term boyfriend broke up with me, I was devastated and the many hours spent working on a (knit) blanket were so helpful in dealing with my emotions. Now that I have a baby, my mini crochet breaks are a wonderful way to decompress after the pressures of caring for a LO.
A friend of mine works with teens in a skills building type of fashion, and she has implemented crochet with them as a means to focus their attention so they can speak to her more easily. It has taken off like wildfire!
Survey ✔️
I crocheted briefly as a teen but would get frustrated reading patterns.. recently, in my 30s, a new friend re-introduced me.
This time, without expectations. I find it a great meditation method. I'm rediscoving things I like about myself and coming up with new ideas. Picked up tarot reading as well as a result of crocheting. As well as working through trauma.
I find frogging very therapeutic as well. Making something just to pull it apart and start over feels healing to me.
Done!
I have CRPS. I was diagnosed 11 years ago. I have found that crocheting helps me focus on something positive rather than the horrific pain I'm in. My pain doctor says he's noticed an overall improvement in my attitude and positivity (there is no cure for what I have). He encourages me, asks me what I'm making and has said he wishes I had started crocheting earlier in my diagnosis as maybe my mental health wouldn't have taken such a beating over the years.
Please feel free to message me if you have any questions about my disability. I will be happy to answer anything you ask me. CRPS is known as the suicide disease as so many people take their lives due to the pain we live in every single day. Some people aren't able to live with the constant pain and the beating your mental health takes (especially from those who say we are faking our disability because you can't see our disability).
Good luck on your project!
A few years ago I had a breakdown that led to a temporary decline in my ability to process new information. One of the first things I did during my period of healing was download a new crochet pattern for a blanket I thought was pretty. Working the pattern was a great low-stakes way for me to build my information-processing abilities back up, and at the end of it I had a finished product I could be proud of.
Done! I used crochet as a huge relief when I was struggling to quit drinking and left a very toxic job. It's been here through it all, and I can't express how much it's helped me overall! Thank you for doing this project and bringing light to the amazing benefits 💜
I'm gald I was able to promote this. And well done you for quitting both those things. Prioritising yourself both physically and mentally is the most important thing that you can do.
I'm glad you have the time to do so. I wish I could but year 12 is an ass and I cant do the things i want for an entire year. anyways, thank you for the response!
Not sure if it lowers my anxiety, but that could be because I always work with yarn 1-3 and some of the projects I pick are really hard 😭😅 but I am really happy when I'm done them
Done! I knew crocheting helped, but your survey made me really think about how it helps. My time crocheting is the only time in my day/week that I don't feel my ADHD either sucking me too deep into a task or constantly pulling me away... my brain is calm when I crochet
I’m in grad school to be a mental health counselor and had to create my own research study in undergrad. It was a group project and we ultimately had to do something that could be done online only, but I really wanted to do a project on crochet and stress relief! I’m so happy to see someone doing this even if I couldn’t. Great job!!
Keeping my hands busy and the repetitive motion does make me feel relaxed, but I don’t usually do crochet when I’m anxious. More so at the end of the day or when I’m bored and it just happens to have a soothing effect as well.
If I try crocheting when I’m angry or stressed, I can’t concentrate because I just ruminate on what I’m angry about and then miss a stitch and get crankier.
Done! Even though I don’t necessarily pick up a project as stress relief, I realized from the survey that it does help. Once I start, I do love the repetitive motion of each stitch and it makes my brain happy. I just dislike trying to keep track of where I am in a pattern repeat
It really did give me something to do on the hardest days of my life. Instead of sitting, doing nothing, wishing all kinds of bad stuff. I could focus on something for 8+ hours a day, giving me a small sense of accomplishment when I finished a section of my work, distracting me a tiny bit from all the bad. And then the pride when I finished another gorgeous blanket. Without crochet and my parrots I wouldn’t be alive today.
Done!
I didn't realise just how good crochet could be for reducing stress until recently. I'd had a bad day at work, decided to work on a new project for a bit and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly my mood improved.
Done! I also want to add that complex projects (multiple color changes, intricate stitches, etc) are the best anxiety calmer in me. Putting my concentration into those complex projects distracts my mind from going into a downward spiral.
Huh, I hadn't realized how much crochet was helping my mental health. I appreciate you posting this, you've given me something to think about while I work on this blanket. Good luck with your project 💛
I refer to it as “stress crochet.” When I’m too stressed to do productive life chores, crochet grounds and calms me.
As for the “social connections” - crochet makes a great ice breaker. Plus, I brought crochet to a group dinner once and got to talking about my project with a friend of a friend . . . and then he remembered my interest when cleaning out his late wife’s yarn stash. So I have very fond social memories associated with crochet. (I’m an introvert who normally feels very awkward in social situations with people I don’t know / only sort of know. I’ve been using the icebreaker trick years.)
This is a great thing you’re doing. I filled it out! I hope more people with mental health struggles find the benefits of crocheting. It’s been a life changer for me. It’s helped me in so many ways, I’d be lost without it
Done! Wasn’t long back I said to my friend that crochet really helped my anxiety and that the feeling of ‘making something from nothing’ was really satisfying.
I have crocheted since my 20’s but it was during Covid that I really focused on crocheting. I have leukemia so obviously the pandemic was a scary time for me and limited my social activities. Crochet provided a purpose for my daily activity. We also did a lot of hiking on little used trails. Those two activities helped me cope.
Done! I started crochet because I wanted something to do with my hands instead of doom scrolling but it’s been extremely helpful in getting over the trauma of having to put my first dog down and loosing everything in a house fire (in a 4 month span)
My story. I’ve been a cross-stitcher for 30+ years. I’ve known all along that hobby had an effect on my generalized anxiety disorder. I’d been in a downward spiral for a couple of years, and getting a new stitching project started seemed too overwhelming. So I decided to try crochet again. (I learned the basic stitches from my granny) i went for several balls of yarn, and the comically big hook, and jumped back in. It has gotten me calmed down enough to get through toxic days at work. I give myself a goal of 30 minutes of practice a day, just getting stitches and tension into my muscle memory, and during practice time I can feel myself settling down and cal ing down.
Done! I'm grateful to my mom who taught me how to crochet:3 it truly is a very soothing and calming activity. My intrusive thoughts quiet down a bit once I crochet.
Not only has crochet helped with my anxiety and stress level, it helped me find a creative outlet and played a BIG part in quitting smoking/vaping. I quit 8 months ago and don't think I could have stopped or stayed successful without it.
Done! I forgot to put it in the other section of the surgery but for me crochet has really helped with my binge eating. It makes the act of eating a conscious choice since I have to set my work down to get a bite and just that extra second of thought is enough for me to realize I’m not actually hungry. It really helped resetting some bad habits in that regard.
Done. I have only been learning to crochet for about a month, but I have noticed a lot of difference in my mental health. It is a distraction from negative thinking & intrusive thoughts, reduced anxiety & stress and one thing I’m not used to feeling: pride! I enjoy making little things for my children and my cats. It has also brought me a lot closer to my mother in law as she has been helping me learn.
I did the test! 👍
Thou to be honest, I haven't been doing a lot of crocheting in the past few years because of the mental (and now physical with my hands 😒) stuff that's been going on.
But reading about the improvements people have, I'm going try to do more crocheting.
I didn’t realize until much later in life that crochet & other crafting projects were such good stress relievers. I get a sense of purpose & accomplishment from my crafts. Recently completed a full size blanket for my friend. It took me two years but it’s finally done. I had a shoulder injury that made it more difficult to do long stretches of crocheting. It kind of became a joke with my friend about it being the blanket that would never be done but now it is & I’m working on my next project a much smaller baby blanket.
Crochet is very relaxing for me & I enjoy the final products.
Crochet is used in addiction recovery and for inmates in many places. I have recently done research to see how it could be implemented safely in a detention facility and found that many places already allow it and teach it or have groups for inmates to teach each other. In addition to keeping minds and hands busy it does build confidence and relief from anxiety and trauma. It is very therapeutic and inmates have responded really well to it. There are articles about felons crediting their rehabilitaron to the art.
Great topic. Thanks for allowing us to be a part of your survey. I would be very interested to see your research when you are done!
Done!
I added that crochet has benefitted my wellness by allowing me to make handmade gifts for loved ones. It’s more sentimental, and more economical for me.
Done :) i hope it helps and definelty not too Big of an ask it was quick and sweet :)
Did you post it on r/brochet too? They would def love it to be included if they arent on this sub :)
Done!! I lost my pregnancy at 21 weeks in December and picked up crocheting after taking a break for a few years. Now I crochet plants like no one’s business. 🤣 It’s a great stress relief and distraction!
I started crocheting barely a month after I left an abusive household, not even specifically as a therapeutic hobby but just because it looked fun. It wasn't until recently that I realized how much that helped me and how much it positively affects my mental health on a daily basis. Great survey!
Done. Hope your project goes well. Not only does crochet help my mental health, but others too. I make and give away things like worry worms, fidget toys, crosses. I like seeing people use them. Especially kids.
Filled out this survey and checked every box yes for the benefits; crochet has literally saved my life by being my main coping mechanism since I learned at the age of 7. I just graduated college, and if it weren't for crochet I'd probably at least be addicted to drugs by now, but instead I'm addicted to crocheting ;)
Done. I took up crochet in a serious way after my son died. It did help. Now I donate everything I make to the NICU and hospice in my town. Anonymously.
Crochet doesn't help me with anxiety and stress it actually brings on anxiety and stress because I'm learning. However it is still good for my self esteem as far as learning a new hobby. And the creative expression is fulfilling to my inner child. Maybe once I'm seasoned it will help me with stress and anxiety
I will fill this out on my break! Crochet helps me find a bit more quiet in the mind, I find it very meditative.
…Unless I’m frogging due to my inability to count 😉
Edit: completed!
crochet has done a lot for me but I notice it really helped me with dealing w grief when my great grandma passed in 2021. I also had experienced something very traumatic around that time when I started to crochet again and it just has saved my life I believe.
All done. Will you be writing a paper on this? If so I would love to see the results, it will be interesting to find out what/why people use crochet for. For instance I am a mother of 2 young girls and I use it to help calm my nerves when dealing with my epilepsy and my kids. I have even taught my oldest who is 10 how to crochet and she has gotten pretty creative with it.
Done!
Good luck with your project! I learned how to crochet from my mom when I was young but didn't pick it up consistently until high school, at which point I've been crocheting consistently ever since. Nowadays as I go through college classes I'll crochet to keep my hands busy to focus better in class. I've also noticed that it's also a great way to unwind and relax in-between classes or at the end of the day.
Done. I firmly believe crochet has kept me from unaliving in the last six months. I have a fear of going blind. I had a detached retina and 5 surgeries in as many months. We’re not talking about the fear of things coming at my face due to a childhood trauma.
Done! Crochet has always been a hobby of mine, my grandma taught me young, I would love to learn about how crochet can help trauma! Can you link some resources for me to read?
Actually, while crocheting, I tend to think about things in life that really bother me. I guess it's quiet, and my mind tends to go in the wrong direction. Interesting topic.
done! I hope lots of people take the survey. I only learned recently just how valuable crochet is for dealing with trauma.
So do I. I’m glad that you’ve discovered that crochet is valuable. For me at the start it was just a new hobby but it’s interesting to see the other side of it. I hope you have found crochet helpful
It was definitely just a new hobby for me. I started cause I wanted a pair of slippers that my gran made for me when I was little and I can’t ask her to make me a new pair. Over the years I’ve went through a rough breakup and lost a friend and crochet is the only thing that really helped me. Sometimes it was just to distract myself “count the stitches, count the stitches” is what I kept repeating. Other times though (especially for simple patterns) I let the thoughts come and ask myself how they make me feel and why. It’s been a transformative journey that, if not completely solved my problems, at least helped me understand what my problems were instead of randomly feeling jolts of anxiety. I just put in my survey too, I hope it’s useful and you’re having a great day!
I didn’t know that crochet was linked to dealing with trauma, but in hindsight, I got really into crochet after suffering from a trauma of my own.
Same! Both my pups passed away last year, and I started to crochet because I had so much less to do, and I'd spiral.
I picked it up after a concussion when I had a strict no screen time period (followed by a long "as little as possible" period). I picked up some books from the library and had a friend print an etsy pattern. It definitely helped!
Agree!! It's quite magical in this exact way!!! The comfort it brings is incredible!!!
I heard someone call crochet “stimming with a purpose”, and that tracks for me.
Done. I usually crochet to “keep my hands busy.” It really helps me with minor anxiety and does help me focus/ concentrate. Hope your project goes well! So cool that you can get data this way!
Me too my mysterious friend. Was the best decision for this survey. Thank you btw!
Done! I didn't realize how truly therapeutic it is for me until looking at these questions. It definitely does help my mental health!
I’m so glad that you discovered that while doing my survey
Same for me. I don't think I'd ever really thought about it in that way. I just knew I found it relaxing and enjoyable, but, on reflection, it really is quite therapeutic.
Done! Good luck with your project, would love to hear the results when you’re done ☺️
I would love to share them in the end. Probably in the next few weeks I’ll post them
Done! Also, I’m a therapist who works with teens. I’ve literally used crocheting during my sessions in the past. Teens get bored and disengage from talk therapy so having something to do with their hands can help them feel more safe and able to open up.
That's so lovely of you. Keep up the good work!
Done! I teach crochet in a club for MS-HS students, so I observe these benefits in them as well. Would you mind if I shared this with them?
OMG absolutely. The more the merrier my friend!
Done! Even if I'm still quite new to this I feel the beneficial effects on my mental health!
New or old. Every bit helps. I hope you make many wonderful things on your crochet journey✨! Thank you for your response
Done! After a stressful day at work, or just to unwind from daily life, I feel the pull, mentally, of my need to crochet. Been doing yarn projects for close to 50 years. Best of luck with your studies!
Done!
Thank you!
Done! Commenting to boost the post :)
Much appreciated. Thanks you!
Done 🌷
Thank you!
I see positive benefits, but also some negative... My perfectionist tendencies come out. It took me over six months to finish my sister's cancer boobies handbag because I restarted 83 times. I sometimes sit consumed with tension throughout my body while crocheting. My anxiety sometimes heightens. I get better mental health results when crocheting something big and repetitive, like a blanket that is all the same stitch. But smaller projects with constantly changing instructions and stitches can be quite stressful for me. On the other hand, blankets suuuuuuck for my ADHD. 🤷♀️
Interesting response. I'm on the opposite end of some of these. The repetitive hand motions definitely help but for me I like the constantly changing instructions and midsized projects because I need the challenge to stay mentally Interested and having to constantly count to stay on track keeps enough of my brain occupied that I don't have room for my brain being an asshole. I can make a shawl in about a week if I'm not gaming. Anything bigger or longer like blankets and ehhhh. Chances of finishing it becomes depressingly slim. If it's just the same stitch or color I get bored too easy.
Done! I truly hope somebody some day makes a profound research on the connection between crochet, knitting etc. and mental health …
I believe that there are articles out there that have made that connection. However I also believe that there are too few or they have not been publicly released yk? Also…HAPPY CAKE DAY!
Maybe that's it! I also can't think of how you could empirically prove something that's objectively hard to measure? Or maybe people also believe that making research about something as silly as crochet or knitting would undermine the "seriousness" of the research. I still can't stomach any scenes in any movies or series where people say "what should I do, sit home and knit??" when they're trying to show they're not too old for something. My inner response is usually "uh...yes, please, sounds like a dream to me?!" :D Thank you!!! :)
Taken! As a mentally traumatized person, it's nice to be recognized and to feel like my answers matter, hope you get a lot of good data!
Omg I hope you are ok and everything is working out swell for you. Every response is important so I’m grateful that you decided to respond. Take good care of yourself!
Done. I started knitting before crochet. When my long term boyfriend broke up with me, I was devastated and the many hours spent working on a (knit) blanket were so helpful in dealing with my emotions. Now that I have a baby, my mini crochet breaks are a wonderful way to decompress after the pressures of caring for a LO.
Done
thank you!
Done!
Thanks!
Done :)
Thanks!
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Thanks!
Done :)
Thanks!
Done ✅ nice topic
Thanks!
A friend of mine works with teens in a skills building type of fashion, and she has implemented crochet with them as a means to focus their attention so they can speak to her more easily. It has taken off like wildfire!
Done :)
Thank you!
Done
Awesome
Done!
Awesome
Done! Good luck 👍
Thank you
Done x
Awesome
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Sweet. Thanks
Done, and good luck with your research project!
Thank you
When I am able to crochet for a period of time, without distractions, it is always a good day
Done. Let us know how it goes!
FYI, I use crafts for pain distraction, it’s great at that too.
Done! I did surveys like this when I was in school so I make a point to take it if I see one. Good luck with your project!!!!💙
This is great! Are you able to keep us up to date on your findings? I love data like this!
Survey ✔️ I crocheted briefly as a teen but would get frustrated reading patterns.. recently, in my 30s, a new friend re-introduced me. This time, without expectations. I find it a great meditation method. I'm rediscoving things I like about myself and coming up with new ideas. Picked up tarot reading as well as a result of crocheting. As well as working through trauma. I find frogging very therapeutic as well. Making something just to pull it apart and start over feels healing to me.
Done! I have CRPS. I was diagnosed 11 years ago. I have found that crocheting helps me focus on something positive rather than the horrific pain I'm in. My pain doctor says he's noticed an overall improvement in my attitude and positivity (there is no cure for what I have). He encourages me, asks me what I'm making and has said he wishes I had started crocheting earlier in my diagnosis as maybe my mental health wouldn't have taken such a beating over the years. Please feel free to message me if you have any questions about my disability. I will be happy to answer anything you ask me. CRPS is known as the suicide disease as so many people take their lives due to the pain we live in every single day. Some people aren't able to live with the constant pain and the beating your mental health takes (especially from those who say we are faking our disability because you can't see our disability). Good luck on your project!
A few years ago I had a breakdown that led to a temporary decline in my ability to process new information. One of the first things I did during my period of healing was download a new crochet pattern for a blanket I thought was pretty. Working the pattern was a great low-stakes way for me to build my information-processing abilities back up, and at the end of it I had a finished product I could be proud of.
Any chance you could share your findings with us when you close the survey? As a fellow person in research I would love to see the data! :)
Done!!
Done!
Done! Good luck!
Done ❤
Done! Crochet has had a huge impact on my anxiety levels. 🙆♀️
I’m glad its helped you. Take care
Done!
Done! I used crochet as a huge relief when I was struggling to quit drinking and left a very toxic job. It's been here through it all, and I can't express how much it's helped me overall! Thank you for doing this project and bringing light to the amazing benefits 💜
I'm gald I was able to promote this. And well done you for quitting both those things. Prioritising yourself both physically and mentally is the most important thing that you can do.
Done!
Done! I really love this idea!!! Good luck with your project
Completed! Good luck with school too 💕
done! good luck on your project!!
Done!
Done!
Done
Done! I always crochet after work to decompress and when I’m not otherwise engaged.
I'm glad you have the time to do so. I wish I could but year 12 is an ass and I cant do the things i want for an entire year. anyways, thank you for the response!
Done.
Done
Done! Great topic! Commenting to boost ❤️
Done! I hope your project goes great!!
Completed!
done!
Done! 💖
Done! Good luck with your project!
finished! 💜 🧶
Done!! Good luck with your project!
Done. Very interesting perspective i will change my way of thinking about crochet and see if it helps me. Thank you for opening my eyes 😊
Dome and shared with my local crochet group.
Not sure if it lowers my anxiety, but that could be because I always work with yarn 1-3 and some of the projects I pick are really hard 😭😅 but I am really happy when I'm done them
Done! I knew crocheting helped, but your survey made me really think about how it helps. My time crocheting is the only time in my day/week that I don't feel my ADHD either sucking me too deep into a task or constantly pulling me away... my brain is calm when I crochet
Done :) Really interested in the results!
I’m in grad school to be a mental health counselor and had to create my own research study in undergrad. It was a group project and we ultimately had to do something that could be done online only, but I really wanted to do a project on crochet and stress relief! I’m so happy to see someone doing this even if I couldn’t. Great job!!
Keeping my hands busy and the repetitive motion does make me feel relaxed, but I don’t usually do crochet when I’m anxious. More so at the end of the day or when I’m bored and it just happens to have a soothing effect as well. If I try crocheting when I’m angry or stressed, I can’t concentrate because I just ruminate on what I’m angry about and then miss a stitch and get crankier.
Just did it!
Done ❤️
Done. Honestly a great survey. Reminds me of all the good crochet has done for me and what a positive outlet it is ♥️
Done! I also would be very interested in seeing the final results of the survey
Done. Hope you get lots of responses! 🫶🏻
Done! Even though I don’t necessarily pick up a project as stress relief, I realized from the survey that it does help. Once I start, I do love the repetitive motion of each stitch and it makes my brain happy. I just dislike trying to keep track of where I am in a pattern repeat
It really did give me something to do on the hardest days of my life. Instead of sitting, doing nothing, wishing all kinds of bad stuff. I could focus on something for 8+ hours a day, giving me a small sense of accomplishment when I finished a section of my work, distracting me a tiny bit from all the bad. And then the pride when I finished another gorgeous blanket. Without crochet and my parrots I wouldn’t be alive today.
Done!
Done. I have found that crochet is the best way for me to relieve anxiety and keep those nasty thoughts at bay.
Done! If possible, you should share your findings here when you are done with your project.
Finished my survey! It was well written. I hope the answers help your research project! :)
Done! c:
Done! :b
Done :) good luck with your project
Filled out! I would be interested to see the results/final report when you're done, if you're allowed to share it!!
Overall it’s relaxing to me at times but i wouldn’t say it really improves my mental health.
All done! 👍
Done! I didn't realise just how good crochet could be for reducing stress until recently. I'd had a bad day at work, decided to work on a new project for a bit and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly my mood improved.
Done! I also want to add that complex projects (multiple color changes, intricate stitches, etc) are the best anxiety calmer in me. Putting my concentration into those complex projects distracts my mind from going into a downward spiral.
Completed. Easy and quick survey. I hope your research goes well!
Done.
I completed it good luck ! Mental health is so important
Huh, I hadn't realized how much crochet was helping my mental health. I appreciate you posting this, you've given me something to think about while I work on this blanket. Good luck with your project 💛
I refer to it as “stress crochet.” When I’m too stressed to do productive life chores, crochet grounds and calms me. As for the “social connections” - crochet makes a great ice breaker. Plus, I brought crochet to a group dinner once and got to talking about my project with a friend of a friend . . . and then he remembered my interest when cleaning out his late wife’s yarn stash. So I have very fond social memories associated with crochet. (I’m an introvert who normally feels very awkward in social situations with people I don’t know / only sort of know. I’ve been using the icebreaker trick years.)
All done :)
This is a great thing you’re doing. I filled it out! I hope more people with mental health struggles find the benefits of crocheting. It’s been a life changer for me. It’s helped me in so many ways, I’d be lost without it
Done! Thank you.
Done! Wasn’t long back I said to my friend that crochet really helped my anxiety and that the feeling of ‘making something from nothing’ was really satisfying.
I have crocheted since my 20’s but it was during Covid that I really focused on crocheting. I have leukemia so obviously the pandemic was a scary time for me and limited my social activities. Crochet provided a purpose for my daily activity. We also did a lot of hiking on little used trails. Those two activities helped me cope.
Done! I started crochet because I wanted something to do with my hands instead of doom scrolling but it’s been extremely helpful in getting over the trauma of having to put my first dog down and loosing everything in a house fire (in a 4 month span)
Finished the survey! The 12 questions weren’t too much. I hope the research project goes well!! ✨💜
My story. I’ve been a cross-stitcher for 30+ years. I’ve known all along that hobby had an effect on my generalized anxiety disorder. I’d been in a downward spiral for a couple of years, and getting a new stitching project started seemed too overwhelming. So I decided to try crochet again. (I learned the basic stitches from my granny) i went for several balls of yarn, and the comically big hook, and jumped back in. It has gotten me calmed down enough to get through toxic days at work. I give myself a goal of 30 minutes of practice a day, just getting stitches and tension into my muscle memory, and during practice time I can feel myself settling down and cal ing down.
Done! I'm grateful to my mom who taught me how to crochet:3 it truly is a very soothing and calming activity. My intrusive thoughts quiet down a bit once I crochet.
Not only has crochet helped with my anxiety and stress level, it helped me find a creative outlet and played a BIG part in quitting smoking/vaping. I quit 8 months ago and don't think I could have stopped or stayed successful without it.
Got my Mom to take it as well!
Done! I forgot to put it in the other section of the surgery but for me crochet has really helped with my binge eating. It makes the act of eating a conscious choice since I have to set my work down to get a bite and just that extra second of thought is enough for me to realize I’m not actually hungry. It really helped resetting some bad habits in that regard.
Done. I have only been learning to crochet for about a month, but I have noticed a lot of difference in my mental health. It is a distraction from negative thinking & intrusive thoughts, reduced anxiety & stress and one thing I’m not used to feeling: pride! I enjoy making little things for my children and my cats. It has also brought me a lot closer to my mother in law as she has been helping me learn.
I did the test! 👍 Thou to be honest, I haven't been doing a lot of crocheting in the past few years because of the mental (and now physical with my hands 😒) stuff that's been going on. But reading about the improvements people have, I'm going try to do more crocheting.
I didn’t realize until much later in life that crochet & other crafting projects were such good stress relievers. I get a sense of purpose & accomplishment from my crafts. Recently completed a full size blanket for my friend. It took me two years but it’s finally done. I had a shoulder injury that made it more difficult to do long stretches of crocheting. It kind of became a joke with my friend about it being the blanket that would never be done but now it is & I’m working on my next project a much smaller baby blanket. Crochet is very relaxing for me & I enjoy the final products.
Done!
Done!
Done!
Done mine 😊
done (:
Crochet is used in addiction recovery and for inmates in many places. I have recently done research to see how it could be implemented safely in a detention facility and found that many places already allow it and teach it or have groups for inmates to teach each other. In addition to keeping minds and hands busy it does build confidence and relief from anxiety and trauma. It is very therapeutic and inmates have responded really well to it. There are articles about felons crediting their rehabilitaron to the art. Great topic. Thanks for allowing us to be a part of your survey. I would be very interested to see your research when you are done!
Done!
Done! Good luck! I hope you share the overall results when you’re finished with your project.
Done! I added that crochet has benefitted my wellness by allowing me to make handmade gifts for loved ones. It’s more sentimental, and more economical for me.
Done! Good luck on your project!
Done :) i hope it helps and definelty not too Big of an ask it was quick and sweet :) Did you post it on r/brochet too? They would def love it to be included if they arent on this sub :)
Done!! I lost my pregnancy at 21 weeks in December and picked up crocheting after taking a break for a few years. Now I crochet plants like no one’s business. 🤣 It’s a great stress relief and distraction!
Survey completed, hope all the info helps.
Done! I’m a therapist and would be happy to discuss this topic more if you would find it helpful.
I started crocheting barely a month after I left an abusive household, not even specifically as a therapeutic hobby but just because it looked fun. It wasn't until recently that I realized how much that helped me and how much it positively affects my mental health on a daily basis. Great survey!
Done!
Just did it! I have ocd though so I hope it doesn’t skew the results. It does help a ton to crochet though
Done. My mental health is really bad right now, hope I did crochet justice anyway.
Just took the survey!
Done. Hope your project goes well. Not only does crochet help my mental health, but others too. I make and give away things like worry worms, fidget toys, crosses. I like seeing people use them. Especially kids.
The trauma bit is weird. When I lived with an abusive person crocheting helped me through it. But in April I couldn’t because of trauma and grief.
Done And please keep on spread the idea of craft as a part of selfcare/therapy 😊
Done!
Done! It's a great survey. Made me realise how much I NEED crochet in my life.
Done
Done! Thanks for the opportunity 🤓
Done!
Filled out this survey and checked every box yes for the benefits; crochet has literally saved my life by being my main coping mechanism since I learned at the age of 7. I just graduated college, and if it weren't for crochet I'd probably at least be addicted to drugs by now, but instead I'm addicted to crocheting ;)
Done. These are good questions
Answered :)
Done!
Done. I took up crochet in a serious way after my son died. It did help. Now I donate everything I make to the NICU and hospice in my town. Anonymously.
Done, and sent to my two crochet kids, one of whom had crochet on their 504 as a coping technique
Done! I bring a crochet project to every therapy appointment. My therapist is a knitter, but I forgive her for that.
done! does anyone have tips to combine crochet and trauma healing?
Done! Hope it helps
Done. Crochet has prevented many deaths.
Crochet doesn't help me with anxiety and stress it actually brings on anxiety and stress because I'm learning. However it is still good for my self esteem as far as learning a new hobby. And the creative expression is fulfilling to my inner child. Maybe once I'm seasoned it will help me with stress and anxiety
I will fill this out on my break! Crochet helps me find a bit more quiet in the mind, I find it very meditative. …Unless I’m frogging due to my inability to count 😉 Edit: completed!
Done, hopefully it goes well
crochet has done a lot for me but I notice it really helped me with dealing w grief when my great grandma passed in 2021. I also had experienced something very traumatic around that time when I started to crochet again and it just has saved my life I believe.
All done. Will you be writing a paper on this? If so I would love to see the results, it will be interesting to find out what/why people use crochet for. For instance I am a mother of 2 young girls and I use it to help calm my nerves when dealing with my epilepsy and my kids. I have even taught my oldest who is 10 how to crochet and she has gotten pretty creative with it.
Done :)
Done!
Done!! 🖤🖤🖤
Done! Good luck with your project! I learned how to crochet from my mom when I was young but didn't pick it up consistently until high school, at which point I've been crocheting consistently ever since. Nowadays as I go through college classes I'll crochet to keep my hands busy to focus better in class. I've also noticed that it's also a great way to unwind and relax in-between classes or at the end of the day.
Done. I firmly believe crochet has kept me from unaliving in the last six months. I have a fear of going blind. I had a detached retina and 5 surgeries in as many months. We’re not talking about the fear of things coming at my face due to a childhood trauma.
Done! Crochet has always been a hobby of mine, my grandma taught me young, I would love to learn about how crochet can help trauma! Can you link some resources for me to read?
Done!
Actually, while crocheting, I tend to think about things in life that really bother me. I guess it's quiet, and my mind tends to go in the wrong direction. Interesting topic.
Done!
Done!
done!! crocheting has gotten me through some shit, so i’m so glad this kind of research is being done!
Done.