Is Costuming your Therapy?

[Jason 078]

Costuming is my therapy. Those four words seem simple enough, but they carry much more weight than most people realize. The meaning is probably highest to me, as it is part of who I am.

I suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder from my time in the Army. When I first got out of the service, I thought I only had the physical scars. I was wrong. My depression and anxiety (the primary way my PTSD manifests itself) began showing up shortly after I got out of the service and gets really bad when I am under stress.

One of the few ways that I can manage the stresses that feed into PTSD is through costuming. It doesn’t matter whether it is planning costumes, designing costumes, building costumes, or wearing costumes. I can lose myself in any of those activities to such a degree that the shadows of my experiences are gone from my mind. It’s actually far better than even therapy, group or individual.

Now, I’m curious. I’ve taken a break from costuming, and from stress that is trying to overwhelm me, to ask you a question. How many of you use costuming for your therapy? You don’t need to go into details or anything; I just want to know if I am alone in this or if I have others who feel the same as me.

 

[Serin]

Sometimes it does the trick.
Though I often find 3D modelling to be a far better distraction from reality.
Post production of the resulting physical models is far less involved for me so it kind of allows my brain to spin off into whatever random unhappy/frustrating/depressing thing decides to pop into thought.
I think doing anything that involves ones hands and/or ones mind in an intensive way probably helps.

 

[Lonewolf260]

I usually use costuming to get away, i love it! time consuming, gets you thinking, etc.

-Ian

 

[Cadet]

When my ex-girlfriend dumped me at 7 in the morning by text message to be with a guy on her Ultimate Frisbee Team, I threw myself into completely rebuilding my Mark V from the ground up. It was a very cathartic experience. Even made a video about it, and how doing that and Red Vs Blue helped to stave off my depression.

 

[Alkatraz]

I find creative things like this to be a general vent for negative emotions. It helps keep your mind off of any bad stuff that is going on. In my case I started really getting into costuming after my mother was diagnosed with cancer. It definitely helps to have a fun distraction.

 

[Spartan 043]

I haven't done a lot of costuming but I agree with Alkatraz anything creative that requires time can take my mind off of things especially when the end product is somewhat unique the sense of accomplishment helps ease stress whenever im stressed i tend to build things or make up a project and it works and I also wanna say thank you for your service Jason

 

[Nephtis]

I wouldn't call it my theraphy, but it definitively helps when you need a distraction from a bad situation.

For me any activity that involves creating something (not necessarily something grasp-able, a virtual design that only exists on your computer works the same) as long as it's a project that is involved enough that you need to focus your attention on it, challenging but not that difficult that it gets frustrating.

Personally, I need to see a progress and a certain level of achievement for it to work, but it also has to be a bit of a challenge so I need to concentrate on it and not be able to let my mind wander.
If I do have a project like that it is a great way to re-charge, and get your mind to stop going in circles over something that troubles you.

I do tend to loose track of time when I get into that 'space' though.

 

[Chernobyl]

I wouldn't call my projects 'therapy' in the traditional sense, but they certainly help me to develop skills and encourage my creativity and critical thinking. It's also a great way for me to unwind sometimes and relax as I watch something take shape.

 

[Retralpha]

I in some form agree with Arcanine. I feel at times costuming is my version of meditation and yoga. Even if it can be frustrating at times.

 

[Tzahalon]

My costuming is my get away. I love coming home from a long day at work and just going out to my shed, grabbing a cold one and just getting to work. I guess when my mind is busy on doing something I really love then it makes everything else not seem like such a big deal. Its my time away from the world, I get to sit and think about things and plan while I'm working. Its the biggest stress re-leaver I have.

 

[cha0skn1ght]

Costuming is very therapeutic for me, it get's my mind off of whatever it is I'm thinking about and forces me to pay attention to what I'm building. Especially any form of pep process lol. Recently I was under a lot of stress (and kind of still am) and making my new ODST suit and working with my wife on her FOTUS suit has been a phenomenal help!

 

[Zero Prime]

I have to say that Costuming is in fact a Therapy for me, whenever I am working on peping or painting it helps keep my depression down and elevates some of the stress I go under during finals weeks at school.

 

[Lowcone494]

answer

YES i have found thatt ever since i have been doing my armor, i have been able to relax and daydream. i have developed a ( i guess ) depression because i have always been forced to the one at my house who ends up picking up my sisters and parents slack around the house (chores and cleaning everyday) and they sem to understand that when i start cutting and gluing, that it is my time and they dont bother me. its also a fun learning and experamenting hoby.

 

[WandererTJ]

Speeding is my therapy, traffic jams are my stress.

Also, screaming as loud as I can while in the car is sometimes pretty therapeutic. I definitely should do more of it.

 

[Gaming239]

I do find it therapeutic,especialy after trying to do the Impossible on my Tech Deck.

 

[Ashuraa]

I have found over the years that making the few costumes for myself very fun, engaging, and in many ways relaxing. These are all good things for me due to I have chronic depression, as well as Auspurgers. Wearing my costumes is tharaputic as well because it lets me be more social. I am natrually a shy, introvert, but toss me into costume, and I become an extrovert.