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Drug usage can be triggered by stress and opioids can be seen as an escape from life’s struggles. Crochet can reduce stress and offers a healthier method of releasing dopamine, a hormone created during pleasurable experiences.
Crocheting is proven to relieve stress and can provide a time to focus on the present moment to acknowledge one’s emotions. According to the article “How Crochet and Knitting Help the Brain” by the Anxiety Resource Center, “More serotonin is released with repetitive movement, which improves mood and sense of calmness. After you’ve learned knitting or crochet, it can also reduce blood levels of cortisol-the stress hormone.”
Crocheting provides an easy distraction from any difficulties and allows people to look at the obstacles they are facing with a calm mind. Additionally, the dissertation by Sarah Couture, “Crochet as Art Therapy to Reduce Stress in College Students” concluded that all participants reported feeling less stressed and more relaxed during the study she conducted of participants crocheting throughout the course of five weeks.
I have experience with crocheting and it is a very fun activity that has many different patterns to make a lot of things, such as blankets and stuffed animals. I have made many stuffed animals for myself and friends and counting stitches keeps me busy enough to distract from my problems for a while.
Making something soft to keep me company is a great way to make me feel better when I feel pressured from my academics.
Stress is a common factor that may increase the likelihood of drug use for a temporary sense of control. The Mayo Clinic’s article “Drug addiction (substance use disorder)” states that “Using drugs can become a way of coping with painful feelings, such as anxiety, depression and loneliness, and can make these problems even worse.”
Over time, dependency on drugs for a temporary relief can often create a cycle of worsening mental health. Finding alternative methods for decompressing and learning to manage emotions in a healthy way is an important step toward recovering from drug addiction.
Crochet is one of the many options for coping methods that can help those dealing with stress or struggling with opioid addiction. It can reduce the triggers that might entice people to turn to harmful methods for relief.
I always feel a little bit happier seeing my project slowly come to life and in the end I get a nice friend to remind me of what I am capable of.
This article was written as part of a program to educate youth and others about Alameda County’s opioid crisis, prevention and treatment options. The program is funded by the Alameda County Behavioral Health Department and the grant is administered by Three Valleys Community Foundation.
