For many people facing physical or mental health battles, using their creativity through crafting, baking, art or whatever can be a crucial and in some cases life changing experience. And this blog is the story of how it was a a fundamental breakthrough for me in coming to terms with chronic long term illness and the havoc it wreaks in your life.
Ten years ago I was doing a job I loved and enjoying all the usual things that you take for granted like going for pub walks, nipping out to the shops, going to the gym….until five years later when everything had changed. I developed two chronic illnesses, am in severe pain and unable to walk very far, am exhausted all the time and frequently ill. I’m on serious pain and immune suppressant medication that’s almost as bad as the diseases. Work, despite a lot of effort on both sides with all options explored, became impossible some years back and I’m now on long term disability. Here I am today with a wheelchair, mobility scooter, walking stick and all the other unwanted aids of the disabled.
Now imagine this has happened to you. Life as you know it has disappeared and you have a very different road to travel, slowly. Obviously this is going to affect your mental health and it does, it can’t help but do so. One of the biggest issues I faced was that, having a very strong work ethic and getting so much personal satisfaction from my job, all that had now gone and what was left was illness, boredom, pain and frustration.
I’d made jewellery before from time to time so, through boredom, I started again, slowly. An important lesson I learned was that making something, crafting something, is an activity you can do intermittently when you’re well enough…but you’re still creating something. Of course it’s addictive as heck so I ended up after a year with more than a few bracelets and necklaces and thought, I really should sell some of this, just to fund the beads if nothing else! So I did, on Facebook, and some lovely people actually liked what I was creating enough to buy it.
I saw a way I could make a difference again, however small. I would donate a chunk of money from each sale I made to one of the three charities that helped me. And that became the best moment of my month, when I donated that money and posted about it on Facebook, and realised that my customers also liked the idea of helping me and the charities through their purchase. This was massively meaningful to me, and the lesson I was learning was that creativity is mental support, proving for me to be as beneficial as any other medical form of therapy.
Some time after I became ill my husband Mark, who is a very talented artist, began to look into new business opportunities. He was nervous of starting a small business essentially on his own but we started looking around for possibilities. Nothing really seemed right for ages. Then we found The Creation Station franchise, a business offering arts and crafts classes, events, parties and more. At first we couldn’t believe what a fit it was for him! He would be able to help develop creativity in all ages as well as being able to drive his own success. I could maybe handle the social media side of things when I could, and feel that I was a part, however small, of the enterprise. Even when the illnesses keep me bedridden I can dictate into my iPad….it really is about the small things, I can’t stress that enough.
In May 2018 The Creation Station Braintree Dunmow & Chelmsford was launched with much trepidation and excitement and although Mark rarely gets a day off and works harder than ever, he is so much happier and the business is going from strength to strength.
I post on social media about classes, the fabulous artwork the kids create, the amazing sessions Mark has done with elderly people and disadvantaged children as well as the very popular crafting for adults…and it’s clear that the positive benefits of creativity really do work for all ages, as his photos of all the happy and proud faces prove. We’ve managed to incorporate demonstrating the power of creativity as therapy by giving one working day a month to working with charities at little or no cost. In April 2019 Creation Station Braintree Dunmow & Chelmsford won the Best New Franchisee award at the company conference and awards day and were Highly Commended in the People’s Choice award too.
So how am I doing right here and now? Is my health still as bad? Yes, and likely to continue that way so I’m told. Do I get fed up? Yes. Am I still down? Yes from time to time but as well as picking up my knitting needles or making something sparkly and pretty now I have something else I can do. I still get my weird and wonderful ideas, I try out crafts to make at our Creative Crafters, chat online with other Creation Station friends and look forward to Mark coming home to tell me the day’s stories and show me photos of peoples’ creativity roaring…what a blast!
Mark and I are both training to become a Mind Time to Change Champion too so we can send the creativity message wider, and show other people how making, baking or creating can help support them through periods of ill health in whatever form or brighten their day with a new interest.
I hope my story has shown you how creativity can be not just a hobby or an interest but real demonstrable therapy for both physical and mental health issues. So next time you’re under stress or unable to see the wood for the trees, try out a new craft, learn a new skill and get making, creating, baking or building. You never know, it could turn into a new passion…or a new way of life.
For more info on what the Creation Station Braintree Dunmow & Chelmsford is up to see http://www.thecreationstation.co.uk/mark-hugh-jones
Diary of a Chronic Illness Warrior 