Scrapbooking is my Therapy

By:Anissa Stringer

As someone who has struggled with depression for many years, I have tried all of the "cures". I have been on medication, tried counseling, worked diligently at exercising regularly and watching my diet, and on and on. Interestingly, one of the things that has helped me the most has been scrapbooking!

It's not that scrapbooking is a cure for depression, by any means. But it does resolve a couple of the key components for my own struggles with depression. For one thing, because I like to scrapbook with other people, the more I scrapbook, the less isolated from other people I become. And if you know anything about depression, you know that being isolated, whether by choice (turning down social invitations, for instance) or by force (moving away from your friends and family) is something that can contribute to depression.

Scrapbooking also helps me see things as they really are. Because I document all of the good and bad things that happen to my family and in my life, I have a very good record of these events. When I find myself starting to feel apathetic and that nothing is worthwhile, looking back at my completed pages helps clarify for me what my life is really like --it's very full of wonderful things, especially my family.


Scrapbooking also gives me a creative outlet -a way to clarify those negative feelings I may be having by writing about my feelings and continuing to document the events in my life.

Scrapbooking is not a medically accepted cure for depression, but if you struggle with this illness, I suggest YOU give it a try too. You may find yourself feeling better within a matter of weeks!


Tomorrow at dMarie Daily: Scrapbooking why it is important to me!, by cropmom