Many people with ADHD (whether AuDHD or not) get stuck in a cycle of hyperfixations. We find a cool new thing, latch onto it and make it our whole personality, only to get bored a couple of months (or even weeks) later. I get stuck in this cycle frequently and when I first started crocheting, I honestly assumed it would turn into yet another abandoned hobby.
Instead what I found is that crocheting is kind of the perfect AuDHD hobby. It’s now been a few years since I started crocheting and I am just as obsessed with it now as I was then. If you’re a serial hobby abandoner like me, you know that’s a big deal.
So why is it that crocheting is the perfect AuDHD hobby? I have a few ideas.
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Positive Impact on Hyperactivity and Focus
If you’re neurodivergent, and especially if you have ADHD, you may have struggles with things like hyperactivity and focus. Often we’re very restless and fidgety which can impact our ability to engage in daily life and can also distract other people around us. Crocheting is a great way to channel this energy.
Crochet can act as a sort of stim, giving you a way to engage your body when you’re otherwise expected to be still and quiet. This can help reduce your hyperactivity and restlessness while also helping your focus and attention. I often crochet throughout virtual work meetings and let me tell you, I retain way more of what is discussed when I do vs. when I just sit there with nothing to occupy my hands.
Creativity Without Overwhelm
I’m a huge advocate for people reconnecting with their creativity. I had kind of abandoned my creativity for a long time, feeling like it wasn’t as important as other things I could be doing. Getting back into creative pursuits has been something that I’ve loved so much.
But trying to reconnect with your creativity can get overwhelming, especially if you’ve neglected it for a long time like I had. In my opinion, crochet is a creative hobby that doesn’t cause a lot of overwhelm.
I will fully admit that it can be a little overwhelming at first learning the basic stitches, but once you learn how to chain and how to do single crochets, you can start making things with just those 2 techniques under your belt. From there, it’s only as complicated as you want it to be.
When I’m looking for a soothing creative project, I’ll go for a crochet pattern that’s repetitive and doesn’t require a ton of thought. If I’m looking for a more challenging project, I’ll find a new or more complex pattern that maybe uses some techniques that I’m not familiar with. I absolutely love that with crochet, I can match my project to my energy level. Being AuDHD can cause my energy levels – both mental and physical – to vary day-to-day so being able to match my hobby to my energy is just another reason why I find crochet to be the perfect AuDHD hobby.
Provides Mental Health Benefits
I’ve previously written a post about the benefits of crochet for neurodivergent people that I’d encourage you to read if you haven’t. Crochet has done so much for my mental health and I’ve seen many other crocheters say the same. It’s a very mindful activity and is a huge stress reliever for me. If you’re someone who struggles with the typical mindfulness recommendations like meditation, crochet may be a good alternative.
It also is a great way to boost confidence and give yourself a sense of accomplishment. Once you’ve successfully completed a project, it’s always rewarding to look and know that YOU MADE THAT. This is especially true if it’s something that was particularly challenging for you.
Many people who are AuDHD have comorbid mental health diagnoses like anxiety and depression so these mental health benefits further add to why crocheting is the perfect AuDHD hobby. It does so much more than just give you something to do in your free time.
Those are my thoughts on what makes crochet the perfect AuDHD hobby. If you’re AuDHD and crochet, do you agree? Or what other hobbies are the perfect one for you? Let me know!
