BJDs as therapy...

I have been going through some things recently and decided to finally splurge and order my first BJD (and all the trimmings) because of that. I had one particularly difficult morning approaching and agreed with my husband that afterwards we would order her. It gave me something positive, reassuring and comforting to look forward to in contrast to the difficult situation that was approaching.

I do believe that dolls, like pets, bring out a positive, nurturing side of people, are comforting and pleasing to be around and make us feel happy when we look at their cute faces due to the subconscious release of chemicals in our brain (biologically designed to make us feel happy and nurturing when looking at an infant or child).

I can also imagine airing your thoughts aloud to a doll as a way of gaining mental clarity and insight which could also be therapeutic.

So yes, I think there if there is any effect of a doll on someone's therapy, it is likely to be a positive one.




Edited to add a response to the post by muisje:

I found the tone of your post to be marginally dismissive and I don't think that's helpful or necessary, especially when dealing with such sensitive subject matter.

In direct response to the content of your post, I don't think most people are able to keep their "issues" as you put it separate from anything, though I think the term "thoughts" is actually more appropriate and as the former is weighted with judgement about which thoughts may or may not qualify as being "issues" and the negative connotation therein is fundamentally unproductive.

People who may benefit from therapy for whatever reason usually find themselves needing to admit that their concerns and thought processes do find their way into all other aspects of their life, which is why therapy is productive in the first place.

I completely disagree with the suggestion that gaining therapeutic benefits from owning a doll causes that doll to become less "fun." On the contrary I believe it is the enjoyment gained from the doll that can cause therapeutic benefits and usually the more therapeutic benefits a person receives, the more they are able to find enjoyment in every one and thing around them.

 

Playing with and looking at my bjds make me happy, but sometimes I can get frustrated if a face-up or clothing doesn't go right. Coloring and taking walks are actually more soothing for me, maybe because I've had more practice with them and can just go for it instinctively! With bjds there are some logistics and special care in handling them, so they are more for when I'm more interested in a little enjoyable problem solving.

 

My dolls are my small bundles of joy.. If I have a bad day, I'd pick them up and hold around them.. I've even made them hug around me in sad moments and when I've been alone

 

I can relate. I have anxiety and depression issues. Whenever they do act up, my dolls can brighten my day in just a second.

 

This is an interesting topic I've been bouncing around in my head for a while. After taking an interest in BJDs, I began to question -what- I liked about them so much. I guess I'm an overly analytical type of person, ha. My conclusion was this: I grew up in poverty, my parents were both drug addicts, and I've been the victim of countless traumatic experiences. To say the least, my childhood sucked. I've also always been obese my whole life (I dare say, morbidly obese), and even though I'm very comfortable in my own skin, I think on some levels it will always affect me.
When I first became interested in dolls, I realized it reminded me of a happier, innocent time in my life where it didn't feel like the world was on my shoulders. It also gave me a reason to express my creativity via sewing clothing for them- Clothing that I could, and probably never will, be able to wear. Its not self loathing or pity, it's just genuinely fun to be able to play dress up for a change.
All in all, I do think dolls can be therapeutic on a multitude of levels. C:

 

Lately I've figured that my dolls actually are some kind of therapy to me. Especially my SD boy and girl, he's kinda dating. Girl wants to have him, but cannot, because the man doesn't want a relationship. He dates others and leaves the girl with broken heart. I've experienced something like that, and It's funny how it shows in their stories, without that much planning.
And a boy, who has "black holes" in his past. Now that I think, why did I come up with that story? I do have these holes in my memories, but I don't think of them that much.
So I guess I'm somehow trying to "re-lcreate" these moments to get over. :/

But also, after a hard day, being with my dolls makes me happy and carefree. I can stay for hours just to watch their beautiful faces and hands and all... Some would say it's a waste of time, but if it makes me relaxed, I don't mind what people think. :3

 

tmi warning.

I definitely think BJDs can be therapeutic. I'd been mildly interested in bjds since 2007, but didn't actually buy my first one until a time where I was very unhappy. All I was thinking about was just disappearing, buying a one way ticket somewhere without telling anyone. Then I purchased a doll and I've gotten better. Applied for school, optimistically looking forward to my future, trying to repair and rekindle relationships, because just having a doll makes me happier and being happier helps me think of solutions instead of dwelling on problems.

 

definitely!! i only own one so far abd i am working on creating her environment little by little. bjd's offer so many endless possibilities, there is no limit to the things you can do with them and the joy you can experience. i am really glad i came into the hobby at this time of my life wich has been very stressfull for me. when i plan for my dolls and create stuff for them i feel like i am in another world, away from the stress and the harshness of reality for a little. and i am soooo happy that the family will expand soon when my two boys from soom arrive. my daughter and I plan on having lots of fun with them.

 

Right now I feel depressed and lonely because I decided to move out and I live alone. I miss my mom and family a lot and I have no close friends in my new job but when I get home and see my dolls I feel a huge relief. I can forget my loneliness by spending time with them and due to this, I have developed a stronger bond with them, even though most of them have been with me for 7 years, I can see until now how important they are for me.

 

I definitely feel like my dolls help me forget about my depression. Hearing people say that they feel the same actually makes me feel a bit less alone.

 

It has been so interesting reading everyone's responses. I absolutely feel that dolls - anything that lets us "play" in general - can absolutely be therapeutic. (There's a reason why so many mental health practitioners - even individuals that tend more toward clinical solutions - are involved with "play therapy").

It is such a shame that the concept of play is so often seen as something we should "grow out of". I truly feel that through play we can help to heal multiple old wounds and engage our creative sides.

 

Growing up as an only child and only having a few close friends has left me a bit lonely. My kids definitely help me cope with stress and depression. I get to live vicariously through them and their misadventures.

I've been told that playing with dolls looks like an unhealthy hobby because all people see me do is just coop up and play by myself. What a lot of people don't know is that I have actually found some good friends because of the hobby. I also go out more and socialize with other people because of it. My kids bring out the best in me and help me to work on my frustrations.

 

For me, my dolls are the physical representations of characters I'm writing in a book. Or they're just characters I've come up with that don't have a place in a book (yet. :P) Each doll has their own personality and quirks but each doll also has a bit of me.

Through my dolls I can give them personality traits that I find in myself (both those I like and those I don't.) - They allow me to express myself in a whole different way, they can wear these outrageous clothes and have wings and horns and purple eyes all at the same time. They can be introspective time travelers, or demons trying to be good. But at the root of every doll is something I find in myself.

So, yes. I think BJD's can be incredibly therapeutic.

 

Ya know? I really agree with this statement. I didn't have a real good child hood. I was never really the healthiest bird in the nest, but I was always the best cared for, by my Mama. Which is why when I care for my Pukifee Ante, I seem to treat her like she's so fragile, kinda like myself, but I usually portray her as someone healthy, but I still fuss over her. (Like my Mama used to fuss over me) I had counseling before, and my counselor thought it to be interesting how my first doll was a child-like character she said it reminds her of how I had to grow up before it was my time, yet the doll is permanently in the form of a child. (or something like that) It's amazing how much better I feel when I speak to my doll or hold her in my arms. Especially with frequent surgeries, hospital visits, etc. It's amazing how the littlest things become so dear to you that they heal emotional scars...and real ones too...I swear, after a very risky surgery (recently) I woke up to see my doll sleeping on my chest (she has a sleeping face and awake face) it just relieved me so much. I just had this instinct to care for her even though I was the one needing care and she was "just a doll". I dunno, maybe that instinct gave me the push I need to get better? Sounds silly, don't it?

 

Like so many others I suffer from Agoraphobia, PTSDs and depression, dolls have helped me cope for years. BJDs more so because they are such a great canvas for creating. From doing face ups, to making clothes, to creating a character and her/his world, it keeps your mind busy. If I'm having a bad day I can tuck one of my yosds into my purse and take them along to appointments. I'm the only one who knows but it's like carrying a friend with you. Dolls are wonderfully therapeutic....expensive but no more so then many other hobbies.

 

I agree, much like the post I have live life rather ill with things cysts, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, astigmatism, and permanent damage to my throat and vocal cords after and endoscopy and doctors say my future is looking pretty grim with threats of infertility and cancer at a young age being a possibility. I'm still only seventeen and got my doll back in May. Since then my friend have noticed and over all improvement in the stability of my mood because I feel less alone. It's hard for me to get out and do things so my doll helps me feel like someone's around

 

I can actually relate to this.

I've got anxiety issues. I'm prone to panic/anxiety attacks, am generally a nervous person and I do find it hard to be out alone when I'm having one of my worse days. In addition to this, my pet lovebird suddenly passed away a short while ago, and I'm still living at home with my parents. u.u;;

While I still have my dog, who loves me quite a bit, he can only do so much. I find that tinkering with my dolls does help somewhat. Especially as far as sewing, customizing and building storylines and such goes. And photographing them too, for that matter.

The day that my lovebird passed away, I wound up curled around Caleb for a good while, and it did help me to feel a bit better.

 

My doll helps me get through tough days. He has yet to arrive but whenever I am bored or lonely I just think about the day his box will arrive and I play out the scenario in my head and I imagine where I can take pictures of him and stuff and it helps the time go by and I forget the bad stuff Also I initially got him because when I looked at his smile it always made me smile so I knew if I had such a happy doll that whenever I saw him he would always leave me happy and smiling It actually has changed a lot of my perspective on dolls as well for I used to find some that had pouting looks to them and sad expressions but now I try to find more happy dolls I think it reflects how my feelings about everything have been changing as well

 

Your story is tear jerking, I'm glad you have Sadako helping you through everything. Me? I'm currently in a depression, mostly for feeling alone, unlove. But when I think about my doll, even though he's just an object incapable of love, I feel like he can