Knit Your Way to Better Mental Health – Benefits of Knitting and Crocheting
In our Information Technology era, where much of our work revolves around intangible digital products, there’s a growing appreciation for crafts like knitting and crochet.
Many people in my circle have taken up these hobbies, and their perspective is enlightening.
They often express how creating something tangible brings a unique satisfaction that digital work simply can’t match. There’s a profound joy in being able to touch, feel, and wear something you’ve made with your own hands. This tactile experience provides a refreshing contrast to the virtual nature of our daily tasks.
Below I provide an actual story (original: By Nadya Bobkova, CEO of a marketing agency).
Journey from Self-Harm to Self-Care
Backstory: I’ve struggled with mild forms of self-harm since childhood. While most people outgrow habits like nail-biting in their teens, mine persisted until I was 23.
Then, I started regularly getting gel manicures, but my habit shifted to picking at my cuticles. I always felt a mix of shame and hope during my visits to the nail salon, worrying that the nail technicians would scold me for the scabbed blood on almost every finger.
My self-harm didn’t stop there; I also peeled dry skin from my lips, chewed the inner surface of my cheeks, and compulsively picked at healing pimples, prolonging their healing time by weeks.
Almost anything could trigger this behavior: waiting at a bus stop, standing in line, sitting in a clinic corridor, watching a thriller, or even during work conference calls.
If I didn’t keep my hands occupied, they would inevitably harm other parts of my body.
The Knitting Journey
About a year ago, I stumbled upon an online course for basic sweater knitting. Initially attracted by the idea of creating minimalist clothing as an alternative to “fast fashion,” I quickly discovered that knitting served a much greater purpose.
It kept my hands busy during long Zoom calls, car rides, public transport trips, and even while watching TV series.
In just two weeks, I completed my first sweater.
Over the course of a year, with help from a friend and YouTube tutorials, I expanded my skills to knit almost anything—from socks to shawls, clutches to cardigans.
I familiarized myself with various types of yarn and needles.
The Transformation
The most significant change was that I almost completely stopped picking at my cuticles and wounds.
The tactile interaction with wool, cotton, silk, and wooden tools had a profoundly calming effect. As a bonus, I create handmade gifts for loved ones or wear myself.
Unexpected Benefits
Audiobook Discovery: Surprisingly, knitting led me to discover a love for audiobooks. The mechanical action of knitting allows my brain to focus on auditory input. In just six months, I listened to an impressive array of literature. On average, I completed a book per week, besides my regular podcast and Netflix consumption.
Cognitive Benefits: Knitting is more than just a craft; it’s a complex activity that engages multiple cognitive functions. It involves not only the mechanical process of knitting stitches but also product design and material selection based on specific properties. This leads to spatial thinking and even high school trigonometry—skills that I, as a humanities student, never thought I’d need. Engaging in such a multifaceted activity creates new neural connections and may help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s, conditions unfortunately present in my family history.
Community Connection: The knitting community is diverse, filled with people who have similar stories to mine. It includes emigrants and individuals with mild mental disorders who have found support and sometimes even income through this hobby. Unexpectedly, knitting has made it easier for me to cope with bureaucratic stress. During challenging times, I am compulsively knitting socks in waiting rooms.
Recently, I moved from Barcelona to Munich. To establish social connections in my new city, I visited a small handicraft shop. The experience filled me with warmth.
Even in the metro, people often strike up conversations with me as they watch me knit, providing a simple way to connect with others in my new environment.
– END OF STORY –
General Mental Health Benefits of Knitting and Crochet
Knitting has been life-changing for me, but don’t forget crochet and other crafts can do wonders for your mental health too.
Stress Reduction: The repetitive motions involved in crafting can induce a state similar to meditation, helping to lower stress levels and promote relaxation.
Weight Management: Engaging in a hobby keeps you busy, reducing the likelihood of snacking out of boredom. This can contribute to better weight control.
Improved Focus and Concentration: Engaging in detailed craftwork can enhance attention span and concentration skills, which can be beneficial in other areas of life.
Boost in Self-Esteem: Completing a project provides a sense of accomplishment, boosting self-esteem and confidence.
Anxiety Management: The rhythmic nature of crafting can help manage anxiety symptoms by providing a calming, predictable activity to focus on.
Social Connection: Joining crafting groups or online communities can combat feelings of isolation and provide valuable social support.
Mindfulness Practice: Crafting encourages living in the present moment, a key aspect of mindfulness that can improve overall mental well-being.
Cognitive Function: Learning new patterns and techniques stimulates brain activity, potentially delaying cognitive decline in older adults.
Emotional Regulation: Crafting can serve as a healthy outlet for processing and expressing emotions.
Pain Management: The focus required for crafting can distract from chronic pain, potentially reducing the need for pain medication.
Productive Screen-Time Alternative: Crafting offers a tangible, offline activity that can help reduce excessive screen time and its associated negative effects.
Conclusion
In a world where we’re constantly tapping screens and typing on keyboards, the act of manipulating yarn and needles to produce a physical item becomes not just a hobby, but a grounding experience.
It reminds us of the satisfaction that comes from engaging with the physical world, creating a balance in our tech-saturated lives.
What started as a simple hobby has transformed into a therapeutic practice, a cognitive exercise, and a gateway to a supportive community.
These benefits, combined with the personal satisfaction of creating something with your own hands, make crafting a valuable tool for maintaining and improving mental health long-term.
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