Crochet as therapy isn't a marketing strategy by yarn companies to get you to buy yarn; it's a lifestyle coping mechanism whose repetitive nature provides emotional benefits. A real thing... not some hokey who has something to say.
As a child, when I understood something was wrong, I turned to my mother to learn to crochet, not just because it looked fun, but because it gave me a tangible item to work on while I watched TV. Putting TV time to good use instead of sitting there watching program after program.
As mentioned in a previous article, it was a coping mechanism to turn down the volume of my suicidal thoughts to give me goals to aspire to.
In This Project
Crocheting Around My Wife
My former wife didn't like the idea that I could crochet. She wasn't interested in it, but wasn't forceful with her opinion that I shouldn't. As I got out of high school, I continued to crochet on and off depending on how busy I was.
If I had an idea to crochet, I would just grab some yarn and go for it, with the goal of making a blanket. It was always a blanket for me. The stitching journey was longer, and I had ideas on what I would do with the project after I was done. The end goal was the most important goal of them all.
Months or years could go by without me crocheting anything, but then I hit the end of my marriage, and the crochet hook came out in full force. Why? Because I had a lot of free time, a dinner for one person meant I stayed home, and I had a lot of alone time. I hooked my way through my quiet time, just to pass the time. To this day, my divorce blanket pattern I did is still online.
Once I found my footing in life again, the crochet went away as I was busy yet again.
Life Hit the Skids Hard
I pulled out my crochet hook during the really troubled years of a long-term gay relationship that was really unstable. While sitting and crocheting, I realized that I only crochet when I am mentally troubled. I had never thought of it from that perspective.
In looking back to my childhood of using it as a non-suicidal goal to stitch my way through high school… then using it at certain parts where life was tough, such as crocheting for Christmas gifts, as I couldn't afford to buy gifts.
I wondered if crocheting and forcing myself to do it more often and more consistently in my life would keep me more mentally balanced.
The Foundation of The Crochet Crowd
While some people find crochet a creative expression, others, like me, find it a coping mechanism.
With the development of The Crochet Crowd, I could stay immersed in crochet 100% of the time. It helped stabilize me and gave me goals to work towards. Yes, I turned it into a business, but that was part of the goal: figuring out how to pay for the yarn.
While I Still Have Struggles
Some issues I still struggle with, but I have managed to keep myself more evenly balanced than I used to. It may have come with lifelong lessons or just stopping to let the smaller issues get to me as easily. It's hard to say.
I detest the saying that crochet helps me from killing people, as I see it as crochet saves me from myself.
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