Are dolls therapeutic?

I find that my dolls give me goals to reach and it'd very rewarding when I meet those goals. They also are a nice distraction when I'm feeling down and want to focus on something else (typically I go clothes shopping for them haha).

I could see them being very therapeutic as they're something you can take a lot of pride in, something you can have control over, and just a plan old distraction from life.

 

I'm going to chime in with the depression set. In my case, my dolls are the only human-shaped things in my home besides me and it can be weirdly comforting to have people-shaped-things nearby to help me feel less alone and socially isolated. I also have pets so I have things in my life that provide companionship, but something that looks human and has human expressions and personality, to me is comforting rather than scary.

 

My day job is pretty stressful sometimes (though in a rewarding and good way). My dolls help me break my mind out of that as a creative yet non-demanding hobby. Planning for their wardrobes and eventual little homes is something exciting to do in the back of my mind, but there's no deadline or anything. I can just plan and work on things when I feel like it. Buying them things (as opposed to making them) is also a nice little treat.

I also work from home, so Jenna, the doll in my avatar, sits on my desk in my office sometimes. Her sweet expression always cheers me up.

 

I'm sorry you also have mental health struggles. But I'm pleased that your dolls provide a level of comfort. I know how hard that can be sometimes, so it's great to hear.

 

I'm not sure if it's the done thing on the boards to reply to each message individually, and i don't want to clog the thread with posts by me. But i just wanted to thank everyone who shared stories of how their dolls have helped them. Whilst i hate to hear of anyone facing mental health troubles, it's always great to hear someone has found something that helps, or at least offers some relief.

 

Thank you.

 

I think it's therapeutic for me as it allows me to project my feelings onto them, i dress them how I wish I could, I name them what names I love, i talk to them and tell them things I can't say to other people. My doll Alistair is being a great help. Though if I'm honest I wish they were better at listening and cuddles like dogs (but I can't have a dog atm)

 

My dolls are a hobby and my hobbies allow me to appreciate and enjoy other things in life other than my job, which already occupies a large portion of my week. When I come home, I want to think about anything other than my job. Designing concepts around my dolls, knitting/sewing for them or constructing dioramas helps me disconnect from daily life and exercise my creativity. Additionally there is something very calming about having my doll in the room with me while I use the computer or read. One of my goals when I move to a bigger house is to have a room that functions like a photography and craft studio where I can work on more ambitious projects with my dolls in a space dedicated to them, and that gives me something to work towards.

 

I have sensory issues, so school is always a struggle. But I’ve found that if I carry around my tiny, posing her, and just the feeling of resin is very soothing to me. And, to get home and see my two 1/4s and just holding them is therapeutic, too.

 

For me, yes very much so. I deal with a lot of stress on a daily basis, so having something to come home to and quietly enjoy really helps me. Dressing, posing and photographing my two tinies really settles me.

 

I refer to my dolls as to the key of imaginary world. Their presence create a miraculous atmosphere, the world I can escape to. When I craft something for them, all my worries go away and the time goes really, really fast. I am sure dolls are therapeutic, they can distract, help, calm.

 

I would say that working on dolls is therapeutic in the same way that painting is- it's a hands-on activity that takes your mind off your worries and lets you focus on creating something.

But if I'm really honest, for me (Depression, anxiety, insomnia) this hobby is a double edged sword. The customizing is great for my mental health in some ways, but in others it really leads to bad behaviors. I get lost in faceups/making eyes/wigs/clothes/etc for hours without realizing it and totally screw up my sleep cycle. I find myself buying way too many dolls because I'm getting addicted to the ~rush~ of getting a new doll. I know impulsive buying/collecting is not a rare thing with this hobby, and I do think that can be unhealthy!

But It really is just a person to person thing. Anything can be harmful if you overdo it.

 

Dolls are definitely therapeutic for me. Dressing them, posing them, arranging them in displays, photographing them takes me away from the daily grind. They're a stress reliever & a creative outlet. I often joke that I'm 60 going on 6 & the dolls are a big part of keeping me young at heart.

 

Having doll collecting/fashioning/etc. as a hobby has definitely been therapeutic for me. I am extremely unhappy with my workplace to the point where I was venting to my partner every day after work which affected our relationship negatively. Once I got into BJDs, I was just so happy being able to personalize and shell out characters. Getting new wigs/clothes/eyes/etc. are events I look forward to outside of work and I vent infrequently now.

 

I hope this helps me too. My job and my home life situation has been a huge stresser to me at the moment.

 

for me, yes ! they are my outlet and by playing with them I can forget about everything else .

 

I'm glad this thread still exists despite being a few years old, because it's super important. I'll try to keep this from getting too long because I could probably write a thesis about it.

As someone with severe mental (and physical) illnesses... yes. Definitely yes. "Real" clinical therapy does not work for me either (I have had 5+ therapists in the last ten years), so it's especially relevant. Community tires me out, so it's all about the dolls.

Dolls are the only thing I've really looked forward to since I was a kid. Part of my illnesses is lacking certain emotions, and I'm flat out missing excitement (it's not as bland as it sounds, promise). I actually squealed with joy when I got a shipping notice once. Possibly the first time in my whole life I've been that stoked about something.

I saw one of my favorite bands in concert and was like, meh, for comparison.

It's made it so I plan years into the future, which is something I didn't think was possible. It's fantastic. It's hard to "worst case scenario" getting a doll, too - like, what, it might not be perfect and I'll have to sell it? Okay.

Problem with it is that impulse control is not my strong suit (a consequence of emotional range limitations), but I haven't regretted anything I've bought. It's worth it for me. Long term it's actually teaching me to not rely on instant gratification.

 

Heck yes!!! The kind of work that I do which involves taking care of elderly dementia patients and their "sundown" syndrome I call "turning into vampires and werewolves" at 3pm when my shift starts. I get to come home and literally tell my dolls the kind of day I had when hubby just runs from me. I am not a scary person really, unless I don't get my 3 cups of coffee

 

It absolutely can be! A lot of this hobby is wrapped in with fantasy. I have seen it used to cope with injuries, with empty-nesting, to explore ways of expressing yourself that you might not be able to normally, and as a tool for exploring your own identity.

There are just... so many ways these dolls could be utilized in healing, healthy ways. It's really wonderful!

 

Hi

I was thinking recently if there is an illness that bjd can help, maybe healing or maybe making symptoms less intensive?

How do you think guys?
There is many doll's molds, types etc.

Maybe you have some stories to tell?