One from the heart....

As the days grow longer and the sun shines more, my thoughts have turned to how much easier this winter has been for me. Mainly thanks to the crafting community and my No 4 Crochet hook.

I make no bones of the fact I have depression and I used to suffer terribly in the darker months. It's been my constant companion for most of my adult life and it is only with the discovery of my creative side that I have managed to cage that particular demon.  I am writing this post in the hopes that I may help someone else to help themselves too.

You see, back in my dark days, I would sit and do nothing but think and mope: then along came the crochet hook. Now, when I am feeling blue, I just pick up my hook and off I go. It doesn't matter what I'm hooking, even if its just a square. Its the smooth rhythmic repeating and the feel of the yarn in my hands that just makes me feel so darn good!

 I have googled it, and studies have been done. They have measured brainwaves and serotonin levels and all number of bibbidy bobs - but I don't need numbers to know that making something out of nothing makes you feel good! So, if you are feeling low - give it a go. It doesn't have to be crochet of course - that's just MY drug of choice.

As I mentioned earlier, there is the wonderful world of the crafting community too. If you have depression, I think one of the worst bits is the isolation it can cause. The great thing about crafty folk ( and I am sure it is true of other "communities" ) is the ability to share and be open and available. It doesn't matter if you are still in your PJ's and you haven't washed your hair in three days - when your are sat behind a laptop screen, literally the whole world is your oyster. There are forums, chat rooms, facebook sites and of course blogs.

I started my blog because of Self Stitched September and then I got ill. I couldn't complete SSS, but since then, my blog has grown and changed and developed into a window into my soul.  I blog like no one reads this, like my own personal diary. Some would say, blogging is "showing off" or ego boosting, and in many ways it is...but then it is also so much more. If it helps just one persons day be brighter, or give someone a great idea then it is certainly worth it in the end!

Crafting, especially crochet, or knitting, is also a tremendous icebreaker and conversation starter. Once you actually manage to wash your hair and get dressed ( or put a long coat on!) and need some real human contact...just trot on down to your local cafe/ coffee shop/ public place with your WIP and 9 times out of 10 someone will ask " whats that your making there?".  There's a prompt for some nice friendly chit chat with no pressure.

If, like me, you manage to control the "black dog" as Winston Churchill used to call it, then there is so much more out there for you....and when you stumble and fall again, lo and behold, you find it's not so far to fall when you have your crafty friends to catch you!!

A picture of 200 ducks...how can you not smile at that!