Do you ever turn to dolls as a coping mechanism?

I'm not a therapist, so I can only tell from my personal experience. It depends on how difficult the times are

Dolls did help me during the pandemic. Same as you, I needed something to look forward to. And it's definitely nice to have some distraction when a doll has arrived. I'm not sure if it's good that it makes people shop more, like any anti-stress shopping, but having something to style or craft/sew for is great.

That being said, dolls didn't help me when things got rough lately. At some point, I even put all my dolls away into the closet. What helped was talking to people - relatives and friends, and supporting each other. Dolls are now just a nice addition to other ways of keeping myself sane.

 

Yeah - I could basically repost @nataphilips word for word. Dolls got me through the pandemic at first - my doll collection exploded as a result. But lately, as things got even rougher (sorta related to the pandemic, but not really), even a new doll couldn't help make things better. What has helped is starting to deal with stuff that's hard, and throwing myself into projects on my off time.

Oh! And playing with my now-amazing doll collection. That has brought me lots of joy.

Instead of scratching that "I want a new doll" itch, I'm trying to focus more on working on all of the various projects I've got. (Narrator: she says as she just ordered the Dream Valley Abyss.)

 

In fact, there are studies on how consumerism has evolved as a result of the pandemic, the consumer underwent a radical change of values and began to appreciate things to which he did not give importance before, since his routine and habits were completely transformed.

Also the fact of waiting for something at the end of the tunnel as you call it is because online shopping became more popular than before, since we were totally locked at home at the beginning.

People are living differently, shopping differently and in many ways, thinking differently.

I think that as long as it doesn't affect you economically and it makes you happy it's ok, it's important that you always take into account that what you are doing is not negative and don't buy just to feel happy because that happiness will pass quickly and you will feel the desire to buy more to feel that little dose of happiness again.

I bought some kids in pandemic but all of them have been planned with care, it gives me peace of mind to have them close to me in my work space, with home office having them next to me helped me to be more calm in this pandemic.

 

I've suffered with depression and anxiety disorder all my life. My dolls are a great source of comfort for me. Having them near me keeps me calm and centered.

 

I like ParlourGoddess, suffer with extreme anxiety, and mild to heavy depression and have for my whole life, and like them dolls have helped. Doll can be calming and help ground me, and they can cheer me up at times. Do dolls always work like that no, they are however a very valid tool in my mental health toolbox.

So yes sometimes dolls can help you cope or destress, and that's ok. As long as you do not let yourself slide into bad habits or a shopping addiction, ordering a new doll when you can afford one is fine. Likewise knowing when to cuddle a doll, and when to talk to a real person about your emotions and issues is important. Otherwise it's very much ok that dolls are something that helps you.

 

I also struggle with mental health issues that often present themselves in "highs" and "lows." I will have extended periods of time where I feel amazing, get a lot of doll projects/photography done, etc., then some where I neglect my dolls completely and end up re-boxing them. When it comes to mental health, anything can be an unhealthy coping mechanism. It comes down to running away from your problems.

That being said...I don't think that's the case for you. You seem to be very aware and concerned that might be the case, which I think is a sign that it's not at an unhealthy level. (Not to mention you stated your finances aren't an issue) Being able to focus your energy into a hobby you enjoy despite facing internal struggles is a sign that you are doing your best to stay motivated and positive. I think it's a beautiful thing to turn a bad situation into something a little better by doing something you really, really enjoy, and actively looking for ways to bring a little more cheer into your life.

 

I don’t think anyone should be hard on themselves in such a gentle and pleasurable hobby. Dolls are not only beautiful, they offer a way to escape thinking about oneself. When you are engaged in working on some project, you have focused on that. It’s a vacation from stress.

A very wise person once told me to do things for my soul. I was all snarled up worrying about the things I thought I ought to do. It turned out very few of those things were necessary. I credit this hobby as a joy-giving therapy that is better than any drug.

So, love and support to all of you who love dolls. Each of you has made my life richer.

 

I use my dolls as a coping mechanism. Trying not to go into too much detail, but my mom has a fatal disease; my father and I have been her caretakers as she has drastically declined the last 2 years. At first I was so depressed that I considered selling some of my dolls. Then I got so anxious, further depressed, and exhausted that I went into overdrive with my doll purchases. . . . I have bought a lot of dolls since she became sick. I am trying really hard to manage it better as I have additional expenses now and do not have infinite space to store them. . . But oh boy is it hard. On the bad weeks it takes a lot of self discipline to talk myself out of buying another doll, I definately do not always succeed. With all that said, my dolls are one of the few things that consistently make me smile lately, so what is wrong with enjoying them? So I have been trying to adjust myself into buying things for the dolls I already have instead of buying a brand new doll. I am still working on it.


In short, make sure you are financially okay first. If you have the cash (not credit, cash) and the space, do not fret so much about buying a doll or accessories as a way to make yourself happy. . . . Just maybe slowly work on creating limits for yourself if you currently do not have any and are worried about it. Also remember to be honest with yourself (which it sounds like you are).

Hang in there.

 

I actually had a therapist tell me that playing with my dolls was an excellent coping mechanism. She meant the actual "playing" part--writing stories, role playing, creating characters. They create a nice little escape from the world for a bit, and the role play can also help you subconsciously play out ideas and situations.

The consumerism part, or "retail therapy"....I think that depends on a lot of things. If you're putting yourself in debt or a bad financial situation, shopping so much is really not healthy. If you're treating yourself occasionally with spare money, I think it can be healthy--sometimes, you just have to spoil yourself, you deserve a treat!

 

I chuckled, because my therapist's response was, "Well, it makes you happy, and you're under a lot of stress right now. So you deserve the doll."
That's not helping! (I love her so much.)

It's a problem when it interferes with your life. It's a problem when you feel like it's a problem. Until then - it's just a little joy in a miserable new decade. Which is surely going to get better, right? Right?

 

Not a licensed medical professional disclaimer. :P

I personally don't see anything wrong with this. Many people cope with difficult situations by doing something they love. For you, that something you love is playing with your dolls and buying them nice things. Other examples might be things like reading, drawing, or playing videogames. As long as you're not completely ignoring your real life for hobbies and spending within your means, you're perfectly fine. You're doing what you need to do to get you through a situation.

 

My dolls are an escape in a difficult world, and as such they keep me happy and centered. That makes them worth every penny I’ve spent on them throughout the years. Add a pandemic to the normal problems we all face in our everyday modern lives, and it gets even harder. I’m a lifelong careful spender from necessity, but even I bought a few extra dolls during that time. I don’t regret it one bit! I needed a little break from all that reality crashing down on us, where the daily news constantly felt like a total grind. My dolls create an occasional artistic escape to a beautiful world of imagination and creativity. What could possibly be healthier than that?

 

I really do…a lot. I don’t have a good support system and I keep to myself. Cleaning and organizing the doll room or working on restoring vintage dolls calms anxiety and stabilizes my moods.

 

Honestly my dolls help with my anxiety a lot. Dressing them and sewing clothes for them helps me de-stress. They're also my comfort items, I've always found having an item I'm very emotionally attached to nearby helps me stay calm. They also play the roll of my therapists as I dont have medical so I talk to them. And of course I love making stories and characters and ignoring the real world for a little bit and they definitely help with that.
So yeah I'd say they help me cope with life, I genuinely love them so much.

 

It's less about the dolls themselves for me and about having something to look forward to. Which to me is absolutely an unhealthy coping mechanism because I'm not trying to work through difficult emotions and instead sticking a $$$ bandaid on it. Though I understand why I turn to it; It's so easy to buy something when the wallet's full instead of engaging in a more, uh, engaging hobby.

You have to go off your own self understanding to determine if it's a crutch to you though. Hobbies are perfectly normal.

 

I am always fond of saying if it doesn't hurt anyone doooo iittt. But also spending dollarydoos is a bit of a coping mechanism for me. Usually on more immediate gratification though.

With bjds I will admit the first I purchased it was proof that I could. He has proved to be such a joy in my life. Definitely a coping mechanism in some ways.

 

I don't see my dolls as a coping mechanism as much as they are a creative outlet. However, when things get rough my first instinct is to sell everything, so much collection takes a few hits every now and then. I love sewing and crafting little things for them though, it's a great way to distract myself and it keeps me busy

 

I have depression and anxiety disorder too and my dolls feel like companions who would always be there when it seems like the rest of the world is against you.

 

I use my doll characters to help me work through feelings, especially bad ones. I have depression and there are times I want to do bad things to myself. It's better to write one of the characters working through those feelings rather than acting on them myself. That's just one example personally.