Whether you’re into painting, crocheting, sewing, making soap, or taking a community cooking or pottery class, crafting can be the perfect self-care activity. The benefits of this creative activity are vast: crafting stimulates the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of pleasure and satisfaction, and it can help reduce depression, stress, anxiety, and chronic pain. It can also be an excellent way to develop and refine skills, and it can be used as a vehicle for finding meaning.

Crafting can be done solitary or in a group, and it’s a highly customizable activity. If you’re new to a craft, try it out first in small increments, and be sure to treat crafting as a self-care ritual by carving out dedicated time each day or each week. The more you practice, the more your brain will respond positively to it.

Research has shown that creating art or engaging in crafty activities increases happiness and lowers depression, and it improves cognition, mental health, and visual perception. It can also be a great social activity, and it’s been proven to alleviate loneliness. Plus, the more you create, the more your confidence will increase.

Moreover, it helps with pain management through distraction. Getting engrossed in a project causes your brain to shift focus from the pain, so you experience less or no discomfort. This is a wonderful alternative to using opioids or other prescription painkillers for chronic pain and can be especially beneficial for people who suffer from chronic conditions like fibromyalgia, arthritis, or PTSD.

It’s an effective way to deal with grief. Grief is a tough and lingering process that can make you feel lost and disconnected from the world. Crochet and knitting have been found to be particularly comforting for people in this situation because they help them regain a sense of control and provide a form of meditation through the up/down motion of stitch upon stitch. Embroidery was even used in WWI hospitals to help soldiers suffering from PTSD, and it’s still an accessible and therapeutic activity today.

In a society that seems to be always on the go, it’s important to find ways to slow down and take care of yourself. DIY crafting is an easy and inexpensive way to do just that. If you haven’t tried it yet, we highly recommend you do! Pick a craft that you’re passionate about and commit to doing it regularly. Whether it’s a few minutes each day or a few hours each week, you won’t regret it! Eventually, you’ll be able to see the difference that it makes in your life. And who knows, maybe one day you’ll be able to help someone else with your crafting! If you do, please let us know.