Anxiety, stress, and other mental health conditions are talked about a lot more today than they were even just a decade ago. Today, these conditions are more commonly accepted, and science tells us that they aren’t the sufferer’s fault. As a pleasant side effect to our more accepting attitudes as a society towards mental health issues, the average person likely tends to feel more comfortable seeking help.

As it turns out, we can take care of our mental health in more ways than formal therapy and medication. Arts and crafts are a great way to express yourself, practice mindfulness, and meditate. The repetitive motions, the sense of accomplishment, the sense of purpose: all these things make crafty endeavors a great way to unwind.

Crafting has Mental Health Benefits

Arts and crafts, and especially ones that require repetitive actions like diamond painting, are a great way to help you enter a mindful state. Meditation doesn’t come easily to everyone. Sometimes, gaining that kind of focus can seem absolutely impossible. The repetitive movements combined with focusing on the canvas can help you find the right state of mind.

Which Mental Health Issues Can Diamond Painting Help?

Wondering if diamond painting can help you on your path to mental wellness? Chances are, it probably can. Even if you don’t have a mental health condition diagnosed by a doctor, painting with diamonds may help you find a better mental state. Here are some of the conditions this hobby may be able to help you manage.

Anxiety

There is a large body of research out there that shows that crafts, even when they’re not done in any special way, can help reduce anxiety. Engaging in arts and crafts can help your mind disengage from daily struggles and see the positive things in life. Whether you're dealing with an anxiety disorder or just battling something situational (perhaps a global pandemic), Diamond Painting is a satisfying way to quiet unpleasant and intrusive thoughts. 

Depression

There are several reasons why crafting, and diamond painting in particular, may be able to help people coping with depression. It provides purpose, a sense of accomplishment, and it opens the door to interaction with other people when you’re isolating. The activity provides a sense of connection, like sewing circles of yesteryear, making diamond artists feel like they’re a part of something bigger.

Substance Abuse, Eating Disorders

Art therapy is commonly used in substance abuse and eating disorder treatment to provide another way to communicate feelings. When people in treatment are having trouble conveying their thoughts and emotions, sometimes art can help. Even outside of a clinical setting, it can help people suffering from these problems to get in touch with their feelings. The meditative effect of diamond painting can help patients calm their minds, all while giving them something else to focus on.

Diamond Painting as Art Therapy

Art therapy is widely recognized in the mental health community to have mental health benefits, especially when paired with more traditional therapies like talk therapy. Diamond painting is a really easy way to practice art therapy for the following reasons:

• A diamond painting kit contains everything you need to complete the project. You don’t have to waste mental (or physical) energy gathering supplies or make an extra trip to the craft store when you realize you’ve forgotten something.
• The repetitive actions of diamond painting are a great way to sink into a deep meditation.
• You don’t need to be ‘good’ to create a great diamond painting. No artistic ability is necessary, and it’s a great activity even if you don’t have a very steady hand.
• Since nearly everyone can be a great diamond painter, it can allow you to focus more on the point of this therapy rather than the finished product.

Tips for Making Diamond Painting More Therapeutic

Here are some basic tips to help you get the most therapeutic benefits from your diamond painting projects:

• Protect your crafting time. Set aside time, even just a half an hour each day, and ensure everyone else in your house respects that you’ll spend that time alone.
• Don’t allow yourself to feel guilt that you’re not doing something productive; you are doing something productive. Self-care is infinitely productive. If you can’t pour from an empty cup, you’ve got to stop and fill up that cup at some point 😉
• Avoid distractions during your art therapy time. Avoid turning on the TV in the background or painting in a room where there is other activity going on. If you can’t handle quiet, try a soothing nature sounds album.
• Consider choosing a diamond painting with soothing themes. Mandalas, nature scenes, and animals are great choices. However, not every person will experience the same feelings from an image, so if superheroes are what floats your boat, don’t feel restricted by ideas that govern what’s ‘classically soothing.’

No doubt, diamond painting is a great form of entertainment, but it has the potential to be so much more. Do you use diamond painting to help you de-stress and improve your mental health? Have you recommended this delightful hobby to anyone who could use some assistance in those areas? Tell us all about it in the comments!!!