Are dolls therapeutic?

I have autism, and having my BJD with me at restaurants and things helps me cope with how busy they are! She also is really good to vent to!

 

You mean like you focus on doll and it makes you a bit calmer in busy places?

 

yeah, I also hold her hand too which helps a lot also, focusing on her means I am less aware of all the noise around me

 

Oh wow, it is great ❤️

 

Sometimes I can quiet down anxiety buzzing by sewing for my girls. Having something complicated to focus on can help keep me from dwelling on what-ifs and distressing things.

 

I like dolls becouse they dont speak, only by thiers look. And I can choos the look that is good for me.

So cool. I was thinking that dolls could help with many things, there is so many options I think.

 

As someone with severe anxiety: very much so. I can't speak for anyone else, though.

 

Wow, I am so happy. I knew there must be somethingmore, deeper than Just Beauty.
Is there some company that makes dolls with some disability? Some illness? I saw one dolls head with upper lip birth scare.

 

Can always have them customized to fit that; plenty of artists out there willing to work with darker themes.

 

I know I know, I was thinking more of something for young collectors with some problems (or problems with negative people) , I dont know - like one arm, or just 2 fingerst etc.
I Wonder if someone more will write something more...

 

yes!! I definitely think they are therapeutic, I have struggled with mental health issues for years but I find having my girl with me helps with social situations, and I find creating and developing their characters, wardrobes and backstories is really calming.

 

to me absolutely! i love taking time to spend with my doll and ‘care’ for her in a way, play dress up, take photos.. its all very relaxing to me.

 

Dolls are one hundred percent therapy for me. I adore my dolls and I know fully well that they are a coping mechanism for me. As a child my dad almost died repeatedly and was in and out of the hospital a lot. Other children at school did not like me and often tried to bully me so I was a very lonely child. One of the only things that did not hurt me and risk leaving me as a child were my dolls. I know I used them as a crutch and as a social outlet for a long time. My grandmother fostered and helped me with developing little stories and personalities for my dolls and even taught me how to sew so I could make things for them. I used to bring a doll to school with me when I was little and was bullied relentlessly for it. In the end it never actually happened pushed me away from the dolls. In fact if anything it made me love my dolls even more. The biggest impact this had on me was keeping my doll hobby very private and having a very hard sharing my dolls with anyone, even people I know who should support me. My dolls are very personal to me so I am very picky about who I will share them with. It was not until recently that I was pushed into even trying to comment on doa but I am trying to be more talkative in the community instead of reading things in the shadows. I find myself on doa quite a bit but have had a very time wanting to share my opinion because I often just like learning from others and their experiences.

 

It's kinda like retail therapy for me... Like, buying something and being exciting for it to arrive is part of the fun of getting dolls! And once you have them, knowing you can create your own little gal/fella/pal is just comforting.

So yeah, to me dolls are very therapeutic!

 

They've been therapeutic for me since the beggining.
When I got my first two dolls, my MSD couple, they really helped me cope with my long-distance relationship with my now husband. Seeing and posing them together reminded me of the times he and I were together and that those times were worth the waiting till we could see each other again.
I also used to take my Yo-SD in my bag to exams in university and she would minimize my anxiety and put a smile in my face even when I was sure I wasn't going to pass that particular test.

 

I'm about to get real deep but the reason I actually rediscovered this hobby is because I was at a really low point in my life and I pulled out my doll from 4-5 years ago and just hugged her for like 3 hours while crying on my bed

It made me realize how happy they made me and how much I'd love to bring that joy back into my life and I ended up ordering a doll about a month ago. When I hit really rough times in my depression I always think about how my new doll is coming and it gives me something to look forward to in life. I can also plan out her whole back story and personality to distract my self from my issues for at least a little while.

My dolls are therapy to me they bring me joy and contentment.

 

As previously stated, any hobby can by a coping mechanism, whether it's collecting stamps or doing sudoku puzzles. What I think makes the doll hobby unique is that dolls are more relatable because they (for the most part) mimic the human form. That triggers an automatic connection in people who are open to it.

Speaking for myself (who's the only person I can speak for, besides Chaeri of course), I find my doll's presence enormously comforting. Riri's not my only doll, but she's the one I have bonded with the most strongly, and she's the one I keep with me almost constantly. Even if I'm doing something else (like now, when I'm typing this response), she's sitting within arm's reach where I can see her and reach out and touch her if I want to. I love her as much as it's possible to love an inanimate, insensate object onto which I project a particular character, and I wouldn't trade her for the fanciest, most expensive ABJD out there.

 

I have always had dolls in my life. My dolls provide a sense of comfort to me. I am not sure if that makes them "therapeutic" or not but I do feel that they are "there for me." I talk to them from time to time (they don't answer, of course). During these very challenging times in the world, I am glad that I can surround myself with beautiful dolls.

 

I am a child abuse survivor, and my dolls embody for me the notion that “it’s never to late to have a wonderful childhood.” When I walk through my home, seeing my collection grouped into little vignettes throughout the house, I’m reminded of all I’ve accomplished insofar as healing is concerned. If I ever feel stress for any reason, I’ll focus on my dolls. They are great muses for “art therapy” and always pull me through. I even have a tiny Fairyland Realpuki who rides along in my purse whenever I have to go out to a potential stressful situation, like to the doctor’s office. All in all, they truly aid in keeping me healthy and happy.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one! I've been doing some inner child work with some of my dolls.