Crochet? Touché!
What do these two images have in common?!
If you answered that they’re both images of things that can reduce your depression, you would be correct.
(Disclaimer: I am not telling you to replace your pills with yarn. And I’m certainly not making a statement about medication either!)
Creating The Crochet Club brings me so much joy because I had been aspiring to join a similar group for a while. The team and I (including Avril!) had discussed it months prior, so I knew it would be the first interest group I led, even with my questionable skillset. One of the really lovely things about the craft is: even the least experienced crocheter in the world can reap the benefits–unless you simply don’t know how or are still in the stage where the knots are frustrating. If so, don’t worry! I’m here to help you get to a point where making chains and coasters is a breeze so we can all loop-di-loop to Serotonin City together. Avril Heals will even provide supplies for members who don’t have access to their own.
Let’s get into more of the benefits of crocheting!
It seems unlikely that something as simple as yarn and a metal hook could act as an antidepressant, but it’s true. Alleviating symptoms of depression was the most reported benefit to crocheting (and knitting, but I don’t know how to do that yet) in this study about crochet therapy done in 2014.
“The repetitive nature of the craft has been shown to release serotonin, a natural antidepressant.“
Name a worse pair than depression and anxiety? I’ll wait…
Okay, okay, there definitely are worse pairs. You can comment below if you want to share an example. But I bring anxiety up to mention that crocheting has also been widely reported to reduce anxiety. Many people claimed that crocheting helped get them through episodes of grief and mourning. How? When we learn new skills and movements, new neuropathways are created which makes the process more routine. When crocheting, we are training our minds with repetitive movements, teaching it to slow down to a pace that brings calming mindfulness. Crocheters may also enjoy the vibrant colors, and the sensation of the yarn in their hands. Sensory stimulation is important to many neurodivergent folks (like myself.) Being able to choose the color and look of a creation or project is a form of expression as well.
Reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression also means less cortisol production, which is the stress hormone. High cortisol levels can lead to a range of physical problems like stomach problems, headaches, heart disease, high blood pressure, irritability, sleep regularities, problems with memory and concentration, low labido, and irregular menstrual cycles. Pretty wild that it can affect that much, huh? Knowing that, it shouldn’t surprise you that researcher Yonas Geda, MD, a neuropsychiatrist at the Mayo Clinic, completed a study that showed knitting is neuroprotective and may reduce dementia by as much as 50%. I thought this fact was particularly interesting because growing up, I always learned that using chopsticks reduced the chances of Alzheimer’s or delayed the symptoms.
(Looking online for crochet memes, I found so many of these puns that I found distasteful… but this one was cute, and we ARE pro-hooker (both kinds) here!)
Finally, the best thing about this calming craft is that you can experience even more benefits if you continue expanding your skills with it. The incessant benefits never really run out. Yarn is inexpensive, and so are crochet needles. Learning how to use new techniques and make new creations often brings a sense of productivity. Adding new colors, constructing gifts, or making accessories can also give a sense of accomplishment. Personally, I know new skills make me feel useful. (Especially because if the world ever ends like we thought it was going to in 2020, I would like to have some skills to barter for food. Maybe I will make a group that teaches how to weave grass baskets for that purpose as well. I’m joking, sort of.)
Just one of the many memes I found ironically funny. Maybe crocheting could reduce gun violence. (Although this level of corniness in a meme might increase it, I’m not sure.)
All jokes aside, feelings of productivity and accomplishment lead to improved self-esteem. Never underestimate the power of feeling good about yourself.
Add the benefits of having a community that values your joy and healing, and that’s a whole new blog post! (So stay tuned!)
If you are interested in joining The Crochet Club, please click here! We are starting October 19th and will be meeting Wednesday 6pm PST - 7pm PST!
