Lego and "Depression"

[vinchente000]

Hey, this is a different post from me. I recently wrote a blog post where I talked about how lego is helping me a lot with down feelings and was just wondering if anyone can relate to this as well.

Here is the post in case you want to read it: http://legovincent.blogspot.de/2016/04/how-lego-helps-me-in-life.html

Disclaimer: I did not write this to make people feel sorry for me or to get special attention, I just want to share how for me, lego is much more than just a toy.

Thank you for reading.

V.

[LudeBene]

Hi vinchente, thanks for sharing your post. I think any really absorbing hobby has the potential to keep people grounded and happy even during difficult times, and I guess that's what's so great about LEGO - it fills up your brain as well as your hands!

[vinchente000]

Hi vinchente, thanks for sharing your post. I think any really absorbing hobby has the potential to keep people grounded and happy even during difficult times, and I guess that's what's so great about LEGO - it fills up your brain as well as your hands!

i agree but I have a few hobbies and although lego may be the most expensive one :D It is also the one I think paid off the most

[gotoAndLego]

I have to say that I have gone through periods like you described, and the same thing was/is true for me.

[Captain Britain]

Lovely post to read - thank you for posting . Hope everything is going well.

[gigiojazz]

Thanks for sharing this. It's same for me. Lego saves me from down feelings coming from life / marriage / shits.

Peace!

[vinchente000]

Lovely post to read - thank you for posting . Hope everything is going well.

Yeah everything is okay :D you know it is just annoying but it will work out.

[Captain Britain]

Yeah everything is okay :D you know it is just annoying but it will work out.

Of course, just take everything one step at a time and before you know it you'll be looking back at what was and proud of what is.

[timmyc1983]

I'm so glad you felt you could share this with us!!!

I too went thru some dark times, but in 2012. When I rediscovered my child hood LEGO sets, it was somewhat of a catalyst of getting my life back on track.

Depression and mental illness is definitely something that should be talked about, after all how do we know how each other are feeling if we do not talk to each other!!!

Having said that I truly hope Vinchente that you have sought professional help, friends family and hobbies are of course important but professional health care and possibly in your case they can refer you to an occupational therapist who can help you maximise your potential to get you back in the green sooner!! And therefore having a steady income to spend on LEGO

[Vindicare]

I can definitely relate. Things have been going quite bad in my life. But, no matter what state of mind I'm in, he minute I walk into my room & see my town layout, it all goes away, however momentary it might be. And yes, building is a great distraction.

[Captain Britain]

I'm so glad you felt you could share this with us!!!

I too went thru some dark times, but in 2012. When I rediscovered my child hood LEGO sets, it was somewhat of a catalyst of getting my life back on track.

Depression and mental illness is definitely something that should be talked about, after all how do we know how each other are feeling if we do not talk to each other!!!

Having said that I truly hope Vinchente that you have sought professional help, friends family and hobbies are of course important but professional health care and possibly in your case they can refer you to an occupational therapist who can help you maximise your potential to get you back in the green sooner!! And therefore having a steady income to spend on LEGO ������

All this advice/comments comes from experience, back then I tried to take my own life twice and Was not in a good place for several months, at the time it felt like there would never be any light at the end of the tunnel, but as Capt. Britain says, I took it day by day, sometimes hour by hour, and sure enough the light began to appear! And as others have eluded to, LEGO is a great distraction as it occupies the body and the mind!!!

So stay strong and keep building, it may seem tough now but it will only get easier ������

Glad to hear you're back on track Timmyc! I definitely agree it's something that needs to be talked about. It's incredible seeing how strong some people become without realising it as it all starts to click into place.

Edited April 8, 2016 by Captain Britain

[MGCJerry]

I'm the same way... Whenever things just turn to crap, and/or I get extremely stressed out I dump out my Lego bin and start building. I turn into a kid again and get lost in my own Lego world. Even if just for a few hours, it helps me immensely to keep my mind off the events that has occurred or about to occur so when I'm done messing with Lego my mind is clear and relaxed. Lego is a huge stress reducer.

[BrickAddict90]

I had a tough childhood growing up. Amazing family but I was just a quiet kid and had very few friends. Lego was my escape and I turned out very well in my adult life. Broke through my shyness shell, had steady work history, and now I'm getting married this year. I attribute a lot of this to Lego helping me through.

Two years ago I lost my best friend, my beagle pup named Peanut. She was 10 years old so I had her during my toughest times in high school. I took out my Lego during the time when she became sick and it helped me immensely. I knew I was going to lose her soon and the Lego was very therapeutic for me.

[Littleworlds]

I think this is a very profound observation. I see building with Lego as a very comforting activity. It gives you a lot of agency - something not many feel today, since we don't exactly live in the most simple of times. You can create your own happy worlds and I think that is something people often miss in their real lives.

[dulsi]

Ruined Castle is a MOC I built to calm me one night.

[azog]

Lego is the best medicine! I got bullied as a kid, I have always had long hair so I always got called a girl by fellow students or target employees. Even now I get told all the time that I'm not going anywhere in life. Without Lego I don't know where I would be, it kept me relaxed and let me know that anything is possible. So I would say that Lego helped me out alot in my life! I dont know where I would be without it!

[BrickAddict90]

My fiance holds a master's degree in mental health counseling. I wonder if I could recommend some Lego to her and some of her clients. I would be very interested in seeing the difference in therapy outcomes of patients using Lego versus those without.

[Littleworlds]

I think Lego would be a just as valid measure than, say, the traditional ones, like painting and pottery. In a way the accessibility might be easier though. After all the shapes already exist (or literally "in parts"^^),

[makoy]

In the past I built vignettes on how I feel about my work... I still have some of those 16x16 vignette here... and it helped me cope up with stress.

Edited May 4, 2016 by makoy

[Paul B Technic]

I can relate to this and will be sharing a link on my blog to your post :)

Personally, I had a magazine article written about me and this very topic: http://paulstechnic.blogspot.com.au/2015/07/article-in-manspace-magazine-about-me.html

[Paul B Technic]

Here is my "depression story":

http://goo.gl/pmhmgh

[wgemini]

The credit card bill certainly deepened my depression. :)

[Nexo Bricks]

Lego does help me in the same way. Being a TFOL brings drama. Like right now I really don't have any friends, Lego takes me out of that depression for the time being. It really Is a wonderful thing for me.

Yes, my allowance deepened It.