Article 23: The Brain's Sweet Treats and Knitting-The Meditational Benefits of Film Therapy and Knitting
I often commute to work by train. I used to carry a bag full of food and eat on my commute. It made me happy. On days when I had to give reports and dreaded going to work, I would eat constantly. Now, I have my iPod full of movies. I can stop and start watching them at any time. Sometimes I even can't wait to finish a movie on the train. This is better than constantly eating salty bagged snacks or candy.
-Katie
For the brain, movies are like candy because they intensely stimulate the senses. They fill the brain with complex images, sounds, lights, and dialogues. If your brain is obsessed with food, switching to computer stimulation can help you eliminate food cravings. Many clients mention different movies during counseling. They talk about the characteristics these movies inspire in them, and sometimes they emulate different characteristics from the movies to cope with difficult life situations.
Many visitors also share deeper connections to certain films. For example, Katie revealed her connection to Jenny from *Forrest Gump*. Jenny was a victim of domestic abuse who had harmed her body and soul for years with drugs and promiscuous relationships. Although Katie's problems were not a replica of Jenny's, Katie's life had many similarities to Jenny's, and she too had engaged in years of self-harm.
After watching *Forrest Gump*, she couldn't help but cry. She used food to harm herself, to damage her self-esteem, and to guide her choices. Seeing those stories on screen, she understood the driving forces behind her emotional eating and weight gain. The beauty of movies is that they can make you laugh and cry; they directly address and reveal the deepest emotions.
Self-soothing techniques
Film therapy
Watching movies often takes a lot of time. You can download some movies to your phone or tablet.
If you can't find a book that interests you, think about your favorite movie. What's the latest movie that can elevate your spirit? What do you like about it? Let Douban or Mtime recommend a similar movie for you.
Weaving
Knitting is my new hobby. Although my grandmother kept teaching me, I never got bored. She would always have a ball of yarn on her lap. As a child, I was captivated by the movement in her hands. As a teenager, I thought knitting was old-fashioned and outdated. I never imagined I'd use it as a way to soothe myself when I wanted to overeat. You can't knit and eat at the same time. But knitting benefits me more. When I knit, I instantly calm down. Now, I rarely wander into the kitchen looking for food anymore.
-Rigiana
Skilled knitters enthusiastically discuss the therapeutic and stimulating properties of knitting. The craft is so captivating that many knitters can work for hours on end. The sound of the needles and the movement of the hands help to clear the mind.
Dr. Herbert Benson, founder and dean of the Harvard Benson-Henry Institute, a center for psychosomatic medicine, and author of *The Relaxation Response*, points out that knitting is comforting because it is a form of meditation. In fact, this quiet, repetitive movement induces a relaxation response. This relaxation response is the same as that that occurs during meditation or yoga. At this time, the body enters a still, relaxed mode, and both heart rate and breathing rate decrease. This explains why knitters praise the comforting properties of knitting.
Knitting not only provides physical comfort, but when you finish, you also gain a tangible reward, such as a scarf, a baby hat, a blanket, or a sweater. If you knit a blanket, you'll find it very cozy to lie on. Knitting is a comforting skill that you can use anytime. Keep a ball of yarn in your bag and you can take it out whenever you want.
Self-soothing techniques
Keep your hands busy.
Sign up for a knitting class. Look for such classes at your local handicraft and yarn shop.
If there are no knitting classes nearby, you can search for knitting instructions online or buy a book that introduces knitting techniques.
If knitting is too difficult, or you don't have time to learn it, you can use any form of sewing instead of knitting, such as cross-stitch, crochet, embroidery, or yarn weaving.
If knitting or crochet isn't for you, you can try another hobby with the same goal: to keep your hands busy.
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