Why Crochet Might Be the Best Tool for Anxiety Relief

Can crochet really help anxiety? Learn how to use crochet for anxiety, panic attacks, to reduce stress, and help you feel calm again.

This blog post took me a long time to write. I wanted to express my thoughts in a way that felt clear, intentional, and meaningful, rather than just rambling. I talk about how crochet started helping me through anxiety and panic attacks, and the moments where I realized it was doing more than just keeping my hands busy.

There were also parts of my story I wasn’t sure if I should include. I didn’t know if they would feel irrelevant or too much… but in the end, I chose to share them anyway.

There was a time in my life when I genuinely thought I was dying.

I wasn’t. It turns out I was having panic attacks.

But it took having three or four of them before I even knew what they were. And honestly, even after I found out… I still thought I was dying. Because the fear of having another one was so overwhelming, I was convinced I wouldn’t survive the next one.

Now, crochet didn’t cure my panic attacks. But it became one of the most powerful tools I had to get through them.

Crochet for Anxiety Video

The Abusive Relationship That Led to My Anxiety

So let me give you a little bit of background.

I was in an abusive relationship for a few years. I was engaged to someone who was highly abusive…emotionally, psychologically, and financially. I remember constantly stressing about how I was ever going to leave.

He was living with me, in my house, and yet somehow I felt completely trapped.

And I know what you might be thinking, “Why didn’t you just kick him out?” Believe me, I’ve heard that question more times than I can count… even from my own family.

But unless you’ve lived in that kind of situation, it’s really hard to understand the level of fear and control someone can have over you.

Why Leaving Wasn’t Simple

This may not seem relevant, but trust me, it is.

I also grew up in a very strict, fundamental Baptist environment where I was taught to stay quiet, not ask questions, and not challenge authority. Even though I had been out of that environment for about ten years at that point, so much of that conditioning was still deeply ingrained in me.

I very much lacked the confidence – or even the awareness – to know how to get myself out. And on top of that… there was the financial abuse.

I was earning barely above minimum wage at the time, while he was making three times as much as I was. But somehow, I was the one paying all of the bills. He made sure it stayed that way.

Very early in our relationship, he did something that felt incredibly generous. He bought me a brand new truck and told me I wouldn’t have to worry about anything anymore. He encouraged me to take my car off the road. Looking back now, I can see that this was love bombing… and one of the first ways he began to trap me.

My car was quickly moved out to the backyard, where it sat as the years went by and the grass slowly grew up around it.

And that truck? It wasn’t really mine. Anytime I tried to stand up for myself, he would take the keys away. There were times I was left with no way to bring my son to school… or even get to work to pay the bills I was responsible for.

I distinctly remember going to work every day and spending my entire 8-hour shift racking my brain, trying to figure out a way out…some way I could leave.

But I had nothing. No savings. No backup plan. No cushion. The idea of coming up with first month’s rent, last month’s rent, and a security deposit? It felt completely impossible. Like something other people could do… but not me.

And when you’re in that position…when you have nothing left over…you feel like you have no choice but to stay.

The Moment I Finally Left

Now, I don’t want to focus too much on the abuse, because that’s not the point of this post. But I do think the context matters.

At the time, we were actually in the process of buying the house we were living in. It had originally been my dad’s rental property, and when I moved into it, I started making the mortgage payments.

Then my dad had a heart attack, and the medical bills were devastating. My parents ended up losing so much. They had to sell their home, his business… everything. He told me he would have to let the house go, too, but I insisted on continuing to make the payments. So my ex-fiancé and I decided we would buy the house together. But six days before closing… everything changed.

He got very drunk one night, and something in me just snapped. I realized I couldn’t do it anymore. I wasn’t going to live like that.

So I called the bank and withdrew myself from the purchase. I told them I was out…and that he was on his own.

The Fallout After Leaving

Unfortunately, that also meant losing the $14,000 gift of equity my dad had given me, since my name was no longer on the loan. And that only made things worse. He was furious. It added fuel to everything and made leaving even harder.

But eventually… the dust settled. My son and I were able to start over in a small, safe home where I knew he couldn’t find us. But even after I left, I still didn’t feel free.

I would drive down the road scanning every single car, looking for his work van. Every parking lot – gas stations, grocery stores – I was always checking, always bracing myself for the possibility of running into him.

And at night, I slept with every light on. Inside. Outside. Everywhere. Because in my mind, darkness didn’t feel safe.

When the Panic Attacks Started After I Left

And that’s when the panic attacks started.

What’s interesting is that I never had panic attacks while I was in the relationship. And I didn’t have them right away after I left, either – it was delayed. But I will never forget the first one.

It felt like everything was shutting down. My heart was racing, I couldn’t breathe, and I was absolutely convinced it was over… like it was just a matter of time.

And then it happened again. And again.

Over the next few weeks, I had several more, and every single time, I thought, this is it.

When I was finally told they were panic attacks, there was a small sense of relief…at least I knew what was happening. But that didn’t make them any less terrifying.

Because now I was living with this constant fear…When is the next one coming? And that fear alone was enough to keep my body on edge all the time.

How Crochet Helped My Anxiety and Panic Attacks

At this point in my life, crochet was already part of my world.

My blog was still just a baby, and I had just started making a tiny bit of money from Etsy sales and a few things on my site. It was something I enjoyed… something I was building… but it was still very much just a hobby turned small side business.

What I didn’t realize at the time was that it was about to become something so much more.

When Crochet Became More Than Just a Hobby

I was living in constant fear of my next panic attack.

I would wake up in the morning, and that dreadful feeling was already there, before my feet even hit the floor. My body was always tense. It felt like there was a heavy weight sitting on my chest, like I couldn’t fully breathe.

I was on edge all day, every day… just waiting for the next one to hit.

And around that same time, I had just learned a new-to-me stitch and designed my very first blanket pattern using it: my Fireside Blanket.

That stitch was the almond ridge stitch.

The Stitch That Helped Me Stop Spiraling

There was something about this stitch that just… worked.

It’s a simple, repetitive pattern:
4 half double crochets, 4 slip stitches, 4 half double crochets… over and over again.

And without even realizing what I was doing at first, I started reaching for it whenever I felt that panic creeping in. Because instead of spiraling, I would count.

1, 2, 3, 4…
1, 2, 3, 4…

Over and over again.

The rhythm of the hook. The feel of the yarn moving through my fingers. The steady repetition of counting to four. It gave my mind somewhere else to go.

Finding Calm in the Repetition

I even had a swatch. It was just a simple piece that was nothing but the almond ridge stitch, and I kept going with it. Row after row, it grew… and so did this sense of calm that I couldn’t quite explain at the time.

Because somehow, in those moments when I felt like I couldn’t breathe…when my chest was tight, and my body was on high alert…Crochet would bring me back down.

It didn’t fix everything. But it did give me something to hold onto. And in those moments, that was everything.

And without even realizing it… crochet had become my lifeline. And it stayed that way for a long time.

I used crochet to manage my anxiety and panic attacks quietly, in the background of my life, for years. It wasn’t something I talked about. It wasn’t something I fully understood yet, either.

It was just… the thing that helped me get through.

The thing I reached for when everything felt like too much. It would take me a long time before I could actually put words to it…before I could talk about it openly like this. But looking back now, I can see exactly what was happening.

Why Use Crochet for Anxiety and Panic Attacks

There’s a reason something as simple as yarn and a hook can feel so powerful in moments of anxiety.

Crochet gives your mind and your body something steady to focus on.

The repetition…
The rhythm…
The counting…

All of it works together to gently pull you out of that spiral and bring you back into the present moment. When your thoughts are racing, crochet gives them somewhere to land.

When your body feels tense and on edge, the motion of your hands can help signal to your nervous system that you’re safe.

It’s not about distracting yourself completely; it’s about grounding yourself. To bring your focus back to something tangible. Something calm. Something you can control.

How to Use Crochet for Anxiety

If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety or panic attacks, crochet can be a really simple but powerful tool to have in your back pocket. Here are a few things that helped me:

Start with Repetitive Stitches

Simple, repeatable patterns – like the almond ridge stitch – are especially helpful because they give your brain a rhythm to follow.

Count Your Stitches

Counting can interrupt anxious thought loops. Even something as simple as counting to four over and over can help bring your focus back.

Keep a “Comfort Project”

Have a project (or even just a swatch) that you can pick up anytime you need it – no thinking required.

Focus on the Sensory Experience

Pay attention to how the yarn feels in your hands, the movement of your hook, and the sound of each stitch. Let yourself fully be in that moment.

Let It Be Simple

This isn’t about making something perfect or impressive. It’s about creating a moment of calm.

If you’ve ever used crochet to get through something hard, I would truly love to hear your story. And if you’re in the middle of it right now…just take it one stitch at a time. That’s all I did.

This was a really personal one for me to share. But if it helps even one person feel a little less alone, then it’s worth it. And if you’re here, reading this right now, I’m really glad you’re here.

XOXO,
Christine

More Blanket Patterns to Try

These are a few of my favorite crochet blanket patterns with easy repetitive stitch patterns!

Fireside Blanket

Tulip Baby Blanket

Chunky V-stitch Throw

SHOP PREMIUM PATTERNS:

These photos are the property of Spotted Horse Design Co. This tutorial is for your personal use only. Please do not copy/paste, distribute, or alter and claim as your own.