Introduction

Hello! I’m Debi or otherwise known as anoswaldoddity. I was forced to retire from working as a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner due to health problems. I really miss my work.
Anyway, fiber arts……. I, for one, call my crochet my “Xanax”.
So, I’d like to share funnies as it relates to mental health; discuss how crochet helps your symptoms; and mental health in general.
Really, anything you want it to be.
If some of you would feel better if this was a private space, we could do that too.
Join in and let me know what you’d like to see.

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I am Marilyn. I had a mini stroke years ago. It caused me to not remember numbers (still struggle with that a bit today). It caused me issues with connecting electronics to the tv. That kind of stuff. I used to help others, now I need help. :frowning: But, as bad as the symptoms were, I was able to figure out how to read a crochet pattern. And the healing has begun. It really has helped with healing. I am getting better. It’s been 10 years since the first crochet pattern. Whoop.

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Crochet is a great stimming tool! It’s stress relieving and helps me focus too.

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I’m Tiphani,
A combination of the lockdowns and a severe back/hip injury forced me into early retirement from hairstyling. I have been working with fiber arts most of my life and have taught others along the way. I always thought that " someday" I would have the time and space to devote to designing and teaching full time… I guess it’s Someday!
Right now I am only in the process of converting my small item notes into patterns that other people can read, but once I get through that library, then I’ll start on the sweaters and coats.
I have dyscalculia, so it is a huge challenge to translate, but I’m getting there.
However, I do find myself feeling a little disheartened over the lack of knitters here in the forums, it feels a little lonely.

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It’s difficult to need help isn’t it? It’s a grace that I am slowly learning to accept.
The brain is so complex, even a tiny insult to it can cause some kind of handicap. M
I find it difficult, maybe I should give it up, getting my family to understand what COVID 19 did to me. I crave understanding. How about you?
@HookedByMarilyn
Hey! I just realized you changed your user name!

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Yes!
Did you know everyone engages in stimming? Those on the autism spectrum, their stimming is more obvious. Whereas, a person who does not have ASD; engage in finger biting, hair twirling, foot tapping, jiggling their feet, etc.
As a child/teenager I was a nail biter, to the point where the tips of my fingers would swell. Then when I got married to my late husband, I stopped suddenly and have not returned to nail biting.
Looking back, I can see why I stopped. The first 20 years of my life was chaotic to say the least.
My husband was a good man, and I felt safe with him.
@Winternightmare

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We do have some knitters here. What I observed is that most of them hopped on the crochet forum to interact with others. I wasn’t here in the beginning of Ribblr, but I suspect that the crochet forum had the most activity.
@LDSVenus is a knitter and a great gal
@Lakeviewknitter is also a knitter she’s great too
@NoKittenAroundStudio also knits and probably some others I am overlooking.

Now that I am retired, life is more enjoyable. My doctor, whom I love and respect, said I needed to stop work and “slow your a@@ down”! My crochet skills have improved dramatically in the last year.

Looking back, I don’t know how I kept up the pace I did for 29 years.

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I’m chandra, from canon city, colorado, 23 years old a stay at home wife, with 3 dogs names are miley she is a jack russell, molly she is a toy poodle chihuahua mix, bayley is a chorkie, and we have 2 cats name angel and sassy.
I love crocheting helps me relieve stress, and makes me happy that i can create anything my heart desires.

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Yes, everyone does it! The reason it’s viewed as such a big thing for neurodivergent people and that we tend to distinguish it from neurotypical stimming is the type of action and frequency and such but indeed everyone needs to regulate :slight_smile:

I’m autistic and I have adhd. The reason I say crochet is a great stimming tool is the movement is repetitive and it almost “scratches the itch” in my brain if you know what I mean! Most of the time I rock, tap my chest and do quite a bit of vocal stimming. But with crochet, at least I don’t get in trouble if I do it in public :rofl:

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@Chandralove98
@anon5108995
@Winternightmare
@HookedByMarilyn

So proud of you for sharing!
proud GIF

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Im Donna and a Mental Health Nurse. I am currently a Community Psychiatric Nurse in our local prison. I work closely with Psychology colleagues now and have started to look at trauma informed care. Crochet and finding ribblr helped me take time for me.

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I think you’ll find about 75% of prisoners, maybe a little higher in females, have significant trauma in their history,

Thanks for joining us @Mentaldee !

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