Those With Anxiety, Depression Turning to Knitting
The calming hobby gives life structure to people living with stress and mental health problems, according to recent research.
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Knitting has become trendy and in 2022, a knitted garment was considered the Christmas present of the year.
The study, published in the Journal of Occupational Science, explores what people with mental health problems say about what knitting means for their health.
Researchers analyzed 600 posts collected from an arts forum, Ravelry, where knitters discuss their hobby amongst themselves.
The study found that knitting enables people to unwind, it offers an identity as a knitter and is considered a good low social context.
Knitting can also bring structure to people’s lives, which improves their mental health.
A knitter from the study said: “The nurses were wanting to give me an anti-anxiety medication until I told them that I preferred knitting for the anxiety.
"She stopped, looked at me, and said, ‘That’s much healthier than drugs.’ ”
Subjects of the study found that knitting was a highly appreciated occupation that improved their short and long-term health.
Another knitter added: “While my hands are busy doing something, my mind slows to a crawl, and I am actually able to think about one thing at a time rather than having 20-30 threads all going at once.”
Some of the knitters also noticed a change in their mental processes, saying that when they were knitting, their thinking became clearer and easier to manage.
Originally published by Talker News