Can Hobbies Improve Mental Health?

Posted on by Dr Mark Parisi

Improve mental healthIt is easy for people to get wrapped up in various treatments, therapies, and medications when it comes to controlling mental illness but did you know simply engaging in hobbies you already love can help too?

According to a 2009 study testing the potential of managing anxiety in eating disorders with knitting found that, “patients reported a subjective reduction in anxious preoccupation when knitting, more specifically- 74 percent reported it had a calming and therapeutic effect.” (1) Engaging in a hobby you already love may be just the treatment you have been looking for. Some people find that listening to music, volunteer work, keeping a daily journal of events and how they feel, laughter, playing with pets, shopping, or other forms of common hobbies helped them to relax. (2)

From singing to cooking and just about every hobby in-between, taking time to relax with an activity you enjoy can help you reap a multitude of benefits when it comes to mental health. Here’s a few that you can look forward to.

  • Reduces stress. Transitioning the focus from the chaos of life to a fun, easy, and enjoyable task can instantly help reduce stress levels. Harness this benefit by opting for more relaxing hobbies. These may include knitting, painting, photographing, journaling, or even bird watching. Whichever hobby you choose, be sure it makes you feel more relaxed.
  • Improves mood. Taking a break to do something you already love beats an extra hour spent at the office anyway. Investing in hobbies can feel similar to taking a break and enjoying yourself and obviously breaks and joy often produce an improved mood. A hobby should always be something you desire doing.
  • Encourages socialization. Though not all, but some hobbies can help encourage socialization where you would otherwise spend time alone. And numerous studies have found a connection between relationships and happiness. Consider participating in group hobbies like team sports, clubs, or other activities that draw a crowd.
  • Improves memory. Did you know studies have shown that people who regularly challenge themselves through puzzles, games, and reading can not only improve their memory now, but also help themselves avoid memory loss later in life? If you enjoy challenging your mind with puzzles you can expect to reap this benefit.
  • Wards off depression. If your hobby of choice is an activity you find happiness in, it can easily help ward off feelings of depression and sadness. If you find yourself not loving a hobby, stop doing it and find something new that you do love. Hobbies are meant to be fun, and in order to benefit from them you must enjoy doing them.

While people may be consumed with treatments, therapies, and medications- sometimes all you need to lift up your spirits and improve your overall mental health is a little time spent doing a favorite hobby. Invest in yourself by taking the time to participate in things that you love. By doing so you can begin to reap the many mental health benefits that can accompany hobbies.

Mark D. Parisi, Psy.D. & Associates, P.C. provides counseling, psychological testing, and psychotropic medication management in Mount Prospect and Chicago – serving surrounding Cook, Lake, DuPage, and Will Counties. They accept most insurance and offer extremely affordable sliding scale rates. Call (847) 909-9858 for a free, no-obligation telephone consultation

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Sources:

  1. Managing Anxiety in Eating Disorders with Knitting, Results quote, 2009, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=knitting+anxiety
  2. Management, Information about hobbies, 2015, http://www.stress.org/military/combat-stress/management/

 

 

 

 

 

Mark Parisi

Mark D. Parisi, Psy.D.

Mark D. Parisi, Psy.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Hello.  It’s great to meet you.  My name is Dr. Mark Parisi.  Let me tell you a bit about myself.  I have been licensed as a Clinical Psychologist in Illinois and Florida since the late 1990s.  I earned my Master of Arts (M.A.) in Clinical Psychology from  Roosevelt University in Chicago in 1991 and went on to earn my Master of Science (M.S.) in Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology  and my Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) Degree in Clinical Psychology from the Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech) in 1995.

I completed my internship and residency while serving on active duty in the U.S. Army  from 1995 – 1998 and specialized in Child and Adolescent Psychology,  Community Mental Health, Traumatic Stress Disorders, and Neuropsychology. I am proud to say that I am a U.S. Army Veteran having deployed  overseas to the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt, in 1997 with the 10th Mountain  Division of the U.S. Army as part of Task Force 2-87.  I was awarded  the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) for my active duty military service  in 1998.  I have worked as a Psychologist and Healthcare Chief Executive Officer since 2000 and have served as a consultant to countless businesses, schools, and law offices on a wide variety of mental health issues.

As a child psychologist, I have worked as a child advocate, as a consultant for Head Start, and as a  pediatric evaluation and treatment expert.  I have highly specialized  training in the disruptive behavior disorders of childhood (ADHD / ODD) under Drs.  Russell Barkley and Robert Brooks.

I founded Home Psych Services, P.C. in 2011 and envisioned a unique practice combining all facets of behavioral healthcare and working with the uninsured, underinsured and low income clients.  I sold much of my healthcare practice some years back to focus on spending more quality time with my family and grandchildren.  I still maintain a clinical practice largely focused on providing remote, telehealth-based counseling and evaluation services.  I have expertise working with children, teenagers, adults, families, and couples.  My treatment style is pragmatic, Cognitive-Behavioral and Solution-Focused, and strongly influenced by my exposure to such renowned pioneers in the field as Dr. Donald Meichenbaum, Dr. Albert Ellis, and Ms. Insoo Kim-Berg – all of which I had the pleasure of learning under during my post-graduate training.

I grew up in Park Ridge.  I am married and live with my family in Skokie where I enjoy family time, playing with our dogs – Gertrude and Blanca, watching the White Sox and Italian soccer, attending movies and plays, reading, hiking, and running.  I am a member of the  American Psychological Association, the Skokie Valley Rotary Club, and the Des Plaines Elks Club.