Stasia's Place Of Grace

     

Monday, December 12, 2005

We Knew It All Along...
 

Today my psychiatrist* found me knitting as I waited for our appointment. He was quite happy to see me doing it. He told me that recent research indicates that doing fine handwork such as knitting is as beneficial as physical exercise in increasing seratonin levels in the brain. He thinks it is a shame that more people nowadays don't engage in such activities, but feels they will come to be recommended more and more for their therapeutic benefits.

    Note: Knitting does not, however, replace the benefits of aerobic and deep-muscle physical exercise, which should be a primary part of anyone's anit-depression regimen, in addition to talk therapy, medication, and other appropriate measures. If you are feeling down, overwhelmed, overtired, or cranky this holiday season, please contact your physician for assistance, as all are signs of depression which is common at this time of year. There is help available!

    Another Note: Whoever it was who had the "brilliant" idea to put blaring TVs in physicians' waiting rooms is mightly lucky they weren't near me while I held onto two very pointy sticks... can't anyone just be quiet? Maybe they do it to increase your blood pressure and stress levels so you'll keep bringing them business!

The doctor went on to tell me of his own thoughts about how, in the "old days", people relieved their stress and got a lot of self-worth from working with their hands [and probably from not being around blaring TVs in waiting rooms... ahem.] It is his opinion that as our society has grown more technology-based, it has become almost "too efficient", and we do not get such healthy benefits from our daily lives spent at, say, computer keyboards.

Another doctor with whom I discussed this subject some time ago also opined that computers, cell phones, and other technological devices have allowed us to take on more than we can mentally and emotionally handle - we are so productive that we get no necessary "down-time" to ease our souls. We become overwhelmed by all that we can now do, never thinking whether we should be trying to accomplish so much!

So if you've ever wondered why you are inclined to knit while stressed, or if you have noticed that you're becoming "addicted" to knitting, you are not alone: there is a real physical response to the activity that makes you crave it! Just like runners who get an endorphin "high" after a good workout, your body is producing "happy" chemicals every time you pick up those sticks or that spindle, and your body likes the chemical response!

I think needles and yarn should now be covered by insurance for therapy purposes, don't you?

Have a happy day - KNIT or SPIN!

* I choose to have a psyciatrist administer and monitor the antidepressant medications that are recommended by my rheumatologist as part of my fibromyalgia treatment program (the same seratonin that helps ease depression is thought to decrease the pain over-perception that is one of the symptoms of fibromyalgia.) It is my belief that chemicals that alter the brain's activity are best overseen by a doctor who specializes in that area, rather than a GP - your own mileage may vary.


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Stasia is a knitter, spinner, weaver, writer, reader, and musician from Wisconsin, USA.

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