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Yesterday I called off sick at work. Stress had been building up, I hadn't been sleeping well, and I'm blessed enough that my boss understands the need for Mental Health Days. I slept in long enough to pay off some of my sleep debt, puttered around on the internet, and played some Lord of the Rings Online, but I still didn't feel much better. Later in the evening when I relinquished the laptop over to my husband to play the game, I picked up the camisole I've been knitting and sat back on the bed to knit while watching him play. It was then that things started feeling the way they were supposed to be.
What is it about knitting that is so soothing? I may never understand it, but I'm greatful. I suffer from moderate to severe clinical depression, and having something to knit has calmed the waters many a time on those bad days. It subtly brings about a special kind of focus and steers your subconscious to a more peaceful, if not a more positive, mindset.
It's not just the depression that is helped, either. I've mentioned before that I have ADD, and that makes it very difficult to focus. I take medication for it, but even that only goes so far. I find that when I have something to fidget with, my mind becomes more clear and I can better pay attention to other people. If I can knit during a staff meeting, I get so much more out of it than if I was just taking notes. I can't help but wonder how differently my school days would have gone if I'd been allowed to knit during class.
I plan on taking full advantage of this benefit. In fact, when I start recording my podcast next week, I plan on knitting while recording. So, if you hear me pause to count every once in a while, or mutter about having to rip a row out and re-do it, you'll know why ;)
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