BJDs as therapy...

i have a few disorders that plague me and iv found the dolls really help. i get down very easly and just to hold my little girl puts a smile on my face. i keep her in my purse whenever i can. just having her near me helps me get through the day.

 

I prefer real therapy with all costs covered by my health insurance. I'd scratch the back of my head should the cost of a BJD be covered by health insurance and maybe consider immigration to a country where my tax euros are not spend on such weird alternative therapies.

It's great when people feel that their dolls help them. I prefer to keep my dolls fun and keep my "issues" unrelated to them.

 

Ditto this. You gotta take care of yourself, dolls are peripheral fun compared to the really vital life needs.

However...

I stopped by this thread to mention that I've just moved, and it's been tough adjusting to a new life, but I've found that I have one big benefit from the move- I don't have space to store my dolls away, so now all of them are around me on my dresser and on a bookshelf I have set up for them to sit on. Having them visible in my room is very cheering to me. I can admire them whenever I like now that they're "on display" and I love being surrounded by so much of my artistic effort and expression. It gives me much needed warm-fuzzy feelings.

 

I say what ever you found that's works for you, mind over matter. I've read somewhere long time ago that pets was a some good form of therapy, can't remember what was for but a still good therapy so why can doll.

 

Pets give unconditional love and warm bodies. This is why people find them good for depression, also because the animal need to be cared for and depends on you. Dolls are certainly different than animals.
I think they do provide a focus for the imagination and a certain human feeling.

 

WOW I can't believe I didn't find this thread sooner. I got into these kinds of dolls three years ago. I think they absolutely can be therapy. I know it will probably sound odd...and I haven't really told a lot people that I have Asperger's even the people that got me into BJD's. I am also a Clinical Social Worker and I think that BJD's and dolls, and lots of things can be therapeutic but shopping for a therapist is hard its like finding the right doll or shoe. I tend to be very inflexible, rigid in terms of schedules and get very anxious when anything deviates from that. I tend to be pretty high functioning but there are things that set me off. I work really hard every day to work on my issues and things. I went to therapy years ago when I was kid and that helped some. I don't think people should demand you seek therapy in order to be your friends though, just because they don't understand you...hence I love dolls I. I love BJD's because i don't have to read their social cues, they don't get angry with me....I don't know maybe I'm talking too much.


So I love this thread its made me realize that I'm not the only one who's found solace and comfort in dolls. They understand me in ways that sometimes people don't, because I don't always understand people. Or understand them in away that most people who don't have Asperger's do. As my old supervisor at my internship used to say. I have a unique perspective as a social worker. I don't normally shout about that I'm different. But I'm glad to find that others are just as brave out there and just as helped by having dolls in their lives. I'm glad I found this thread.

 

Oh my! I hope your little ones are okay ^^;
Both of my girls and their big bright eyes can certainly make me happy. And everyone knows the feeling of waiting for a doll. Even in gloomy times I think as long as you have something to look forward to it makes it worth it. ^^

 

Yup its hard...I hope that you your dollies are ok...I always freak out when I do bring them places and things like that happen. I actually have used dolls as a way in with clients before. Its away to connect...so I can compeltely see how you took your dolls with you. Yah Sorry about being a little off topic but I just got sooo excited that i found this thread.

Its hard u know when people don't understand and they're the ones that got u into the hobby. I have this one doll a DOT Elf Shall named Juilian that is my protector character doll. I use him when I am at my most nervous...it keeps me from tapping my fingers or my nose...which I do when I get really upset.... or don't know what I am supposed to do. So I either have to have a doll with me, a bracelet to play with or a teddy bear even when I am doing things with clients because it calms me right down or helps me to focus. I think they absolutely can be therapy or helpful in a therapeutic relationship. I hope you find all your dollies pieces they might not like that their things are going missing... Its nice to find a place to belong somehow...

 

I don't have a doll yet, but I have friends who have gotten over anxiety problems and such with the help of BJD's, and quite honestly, I can see how they would help.

I kind of see them as one of those favourite toys you had as a kid that you would always snuggle with when you were upset. Some people have favourite BJD's of there's that they do the same thing with. If I had a favourite, I would probably do the same thing. provided that I was in an area where I didn't have access to my favourite childhood toy ...

 

I think you should totally do that...make a doll in memory of her. I kinda did that with a character of mine that I have finally settled on getting a doll for. I also did a photoshoot of others at a funeral (though it was four years later but we all work through grief in our own ways). I think its a great idea to use it as a way to get through the grief. I'm sorry to hear about your friend, friends mean a great deal and hurts terribly when they are gone. I think BJD's are sooo wonderful because they can be whatever you need them to be in that moment.

 

I think that is wonderful therapy

 

I agree with what, in essence, others have said here: dolls are way of escaping from the pressures and pains of real life. In that sense, dolls are definitely a form of therapy.

I also must commend you all for your willingness to share such personal stories for the benefit of others. Thank you!

 

I ordered two dolls when I was feeling down recently. I have to admit retail therapy is something that helps me feel better. Having something beautiful and new to look forward to really makes it easier to get through bad days.

 

I suffer from severe Agoraphobia. I often can't venture outside, and if I do I don't go past our block coz I get really scared and I often break down and cry in the middle of the street. It's not so much scary as it is really embarrassing, but it goes without fail.

When this happens, I also get depressed which makes me sleep a lot. My doctors say it's an imbalance caused by the pressure I feel because of my agoraphobia.

When I sleep a lot, I sleep with my dollies. Sometimes they're the only reason I can stop crying. My wife often will grab me a doll from the shelf and offer it to me when she sees me getting upset.

When I was really sad about not going outside, my wife asked if I missed taking BJD photos in the garden area. I replied that I did miss outside photoshoots, and so she helped me build 2 dollhouses. We're almost done with our second house, and we have ALL of our yoSD sized stuff already so now she's looking into MSD-sized furniture for me.

It's really sweet. The last time I got this bad with my fears, I didn't leave the house for 7 years. If I didn't have any dolls at all, I don't think I would go outside. But every once and a while, I just "have" to force myself to go into the garden or the park near our complex, and do a photostory with my dolls. ^_^

Also, since I do have agoraophobia, I suffer from pretty acute social anxiety, because I don't want to talk to anyone when I'm outside. It's much easier to talk to someone about dolls, than about me.

I've gotten better recently, but sometimes it's hard -- like recently, a lot of high schoolers came into the area. I live near a high school, and a new semester just started. They're very mean to me because of my dolls. I've automatically gotten very defensive when it comes to talking to other people about the dolls. So now I'm doing a lot of inside doll-house stories again.

I really don't think I'd be happy at all if I didn't have BJDs. +1 major success story over here! BJDs are so very therapeutic for me!

 

absolutely-- I find that doing things related to BJD, such as maintaining my dolls, sourcing for clothing, etc, puts me into a zen like mood-- it's very relaxing, especially when I am going through stressful times.

 

What makes the individual happy is therapy for sure!