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Why crocheting has help me manage my chronic illness
Hello! My name is Emily, I’m 23 years old and I live in the North of England. At 20 years old, I was diagnosed with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, it’s hard to spell and say, which is probably why it’s more commonly known just as Lupus. It’s an auto-immune disease, my immune system attacks my healthy organs and tissue. It causes joint pain, muscle pain and aches, chronic fatigue, rashes and many more unpleasant symptoms.
Chronic illness is isolating and some days I end up feeling lonely. I spend the majority of my time alone. Due to my debilitating symptoms and living in a rural area, it’s hard to get out and go to places. I do most of my socialising online on websites such as Twitter, I have found a great chronic illness community and it’s nice to talk to people who understand how I feel both physically and mentally.
I realised that my anxiety was becoming more heightened because I had too much alone time to sit, overthink and analyse things. I needed to find something that occupied my mind and hands, something that had a calming effect on me. I decided to learn how to crochet, it was a big task to set myself as I’m not naturally crafty. But, I am naturally stubborn and when I set my mind to something, I always try to complete it. And so, for 3 days, I sat with a hook and a small ball of yarn and watched the same YouTube video over and over until I learnt the rhythm of crochet. Once I had learnt the basics, I spent a few weeks getting to know the right tension and learning how to make the edges neat.
I set myself a project to make a throw blanket for my bed. I researched the measurements for a double blanket, bought some self-patterning yarn that matched my room and I made a start. It’s still a project I’m working on…I didn’t quite realise how long it would take, especially for a beginner. I don’t mind that it’s taking longer than expected because crochet has helped to calm my mind, on the days I feel anxious, the constant repetition of the stitches soothes me. When I’m crocheting, my mind is solely concentrating on getting the stitches right so there isn’t enough room in my mind to overthink certain situations.
Not only has it helped my anxiety but it’s helped combat the isolation and loneliness I often feel due to being chronically sick. I often find it a comfort when I’m in pain, I get as comfortable as I can on the sofa with a warm drink and start to crochet. It’s unfortunately not a hobby I can do daily because my elbows, wrists and hands are often affected by joint pain. But, for the days I can do it, I love it. It’s such a simple task but it has been more than therapeutic to me. I can’t wait to learn new patterns and work on other projects (probably more blankets, I love them!).
Do you have a hobby that has been therapeutic for a mental or physical health issue?
If you’d like to know more about my journey with Lupus, I run a blog which you can find here: www.memyselfandlupus.wordpress.com
Thanks for reading!
Comments
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Lovely project.! I too learnt Crochet last year, only Granny Squares, and I can't read patterns! But I made loads of squares and persevered.
I'm on my third blanket now, just one continuous Granny Square in differing colours.
I started it too to try and relax me as pre illness I was a really busy Mum, Wife, volunteer and caring for my elderly Dad on a weekly basis, and suddenly over night that all had to stop, and since February 2017, I have had to learn the hard way to listen to my body, dontd over exhaust myself and ask others for help!
Almost to reinvent myself, but depression and anxiety crept in, so having weekly counselling now. Second time self referral via local mental health charity Think Action, who are amazing!
Interesting re Lupus, I am being tested for Auto immune and Lupus currently, on top of treatment for Menieres Disease / Balance and vestibular issues/ Vertigo/ progressive hearing losses/ constant exhaustion / treated for Anxiety and Depression but I have hearing aids now with Tinnitus maskers which help lots.
Crochet is my winter project and I love it, even though ImI basic and cannot follow patterns at all!
ImI about to venture into dot art Mandalas, and paint as a medium on rocks and canvas as part of my counselling " Be kind to myself treat"
Lovely thread.
Thanks
P XPoliteness costs nothing, but goes a long way in life.
Always look out for each other. Be kind.
Hugs and smiles mean the world. XX -
Excuse auto correct and typos! ImI on my phone! P xPoliteness costs nothing, but goes a long way in life.
Always look out for each other. Be kind.
Hugs and smiles mean the world. XX -
Lovely stories and yes I would love to learn to crochet. My mum was a knitter and often couldn't do it due to her health issues and it bothered her a lot. A change in meds got her back on track and off she went again. Loved her baby knits. All I can do is caste on lol
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As a left handed I find Crochet much easier than knitting, and my Gran and Mum gave up trying to teach me knitting when little ascI kept doing everything back to front. XxPoliteness costs nothing, but goes a long way in life.
Always look out for each other. Be kind.
Hugs and smiles mean the world. XX -
Crochet keeps me sane! It takes my mind off of the pain and my many other problems. I just get such a buzz out of creating something for a loved one or friend.
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That looks really beautiful. I agree that pain can be managed better, by doing a hobby. As you say, you are solely concentrating on the task in hand, and that takes the edge of the pain. I would love to start something like this. Maybe this will be my new hobby?
Thanks for the post!
Take care x -
I crochet every day too. I have cerebral palsy, fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis and IBS. Crochet helps me to forget the massive amounts of pain that fills my life.
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Thank you all for the lovely comments! X
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Hi I am new here. I suffer from Sub Acute Denegration of the Spinal cord due to B12 Defincey for life. I am housebound . I also suffer from depression and Ibs and Asthma too. I love doing Cross stitching.
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Can anyone give me any sites I could try too do this please I think this would help me
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Jeanette64 said:Can anyone give me any sites I could try too do this please I think this would help me
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Hi @Jeanette64, when I started crocheting I first learnt how to do a granny square using this website. The diagrams are really good and explain it clearly. When it refers to certain stitches I would youtube them and then carry on with this website- hope this helps!
https://rensfibreart.wordpress.com/2patterns-2/the-humble-granny-square/
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Hi, over the past few years I’ve found writing jokes is a good hobby. When I started I bought a couple of ebooks about it and one particularly good one written by one of Bob Hopes ex head writers. It’s time consuming and it stretches your imagination as you think through links and associations in your mind, or you can cheat a little by using an online thesaurus etc. It’s good exercise for your mind and keeps it active and often when you think of funny things to say it cheers you up a lot, especially after an hours workout.
I’ve never sold a joke or amusing phrase though I haven’t seriously tried but the fun is in the writing and someone else may find they’re really good at it. Comedy writing can be sketch writing as well so if you get good at it who knows where it can lead. Don’t worry about doing it, there are some easy techniques to help, I’d recommend a work book by gene perret to start with.
Heres an example and this is a format which could win the Edinburgh fringe joke competition based on the last couple of years winners.
my mate recently got a new job working for dyno rod, I said “how are you finding it?” He said “draining.”
The fun in this joke is coming up with a joke about a new job. So we make a list of jobs people do and see if anything clicks, often a word has a double meaning makes us laugh because we can be tricked into thinking one way and then find a different mining is meant. So cleaning drains, dyno rod, draining is both tiring and a thing you do so there’s a potential joke there. Once you get used to it it gets easier and with practice you’ll soon have people telling you to ...”put a sock in it!”
(Apologies to dyno rodTM)“This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your philosophy is simple kindness.”
― Dalai Lama XIV -
Here’s another work based one. My cousin Gerald worked at the met office but he was sacked and left under a bit of a cloud.
there are other kinds of jokes of course like the old tried and tested ...did you hear about the ... eg did you hear about the flat tyre who felt completely let down?
excuse me, once I get going it’s hard to stop.“This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your philosophy is simple kindness.”
― Dalai Lama XIV -
I had not crocheted for decades when I took it up again when going through Chemo in 2012. Hubby laughed at how many times I ripped it out again...I would lose count -Chemo brain lol. But I was determined not to let it beat me! since then I have a lot of wee projects like pokemon guys for the grandpeople. Recently I watched a korean Youtube video of a String Bag crochet..boy was that fun. finaly mastered it & now I sit & make them in my kitchen by dim light with Radio 2 & my PC..and a crochet hook that lights up..I LOVE IT.
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Anyone wanting to learn crochet try YOUTUBE
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This is the Youtube video for the net bag. I changed the subtitles to English...OH MY it is hysterical..must be google translate on sounds like not literal..,NOTHIN makes sense. My 14 yr old ASD Grandson was even in fits! I worked it out for my self by watching. Loved the challenge refuse to be beaten by a string bag after everything else I've come through! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAW3y8TTVO4&t=581s
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LeeCal My son just passed his PCV test today & in now a Bus Driver in glasgow..come on give me ajoke for him please! lol
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