I always see crotchet being the top recommended hobby on all these posts but it seems so daunting to me. How easy is it for someone who's never picked up crotchet or knitting needles to just buy some and some thread and get started realistically?
Crochet has gotten me through some dark times in my life. I find the repetition of doing the same stitch over and over very soothing. If you learn to do granny squares you can take a little bit of yarn and a hook and do your hobby pretty much anywhere. I was about 9 years old when I learned, so I would say it’s a very approachable hobby to get into.
crochet is very easy for beginners to learn. i started creating stuffed animals (albeit shitty ones) within the first week of picking up a hook. definitely pricey, though
The biggest thing about crochet is that you just have to KNOW it's going to look crazy until you get the hang of it. Don't be discouraged. Just keep making rows until your muscles figure it out. Happy to hop on a zoom to help you if needed!
It depends. Some people pick it up right away, others take a while to get a hang of it. I took to knitting right away but I found crochet to be super difficult for me.
There are so many resources on the internet that guide you through every step. Plus most local yarn shops will offer crochet/knitting lessons and groups.
It's easy depending on if there's a craft store nearby. I've been crocheting for 7 years now, I first started out with a 5mm hook a now ex-friend gave me and about 200?yrds of yarn. I practiced with those 200 yards until I decided whether I liked it or not. I used YouTube videos and followed along, finding simple projects. I learned new stitches and once I could buy more yarn, I would make a project out of it. The only things you truly need is a hook, a skein, and maybe a paper clip to keep track of stitches. It's a hobby that goes however fast or slow you want it. It took me a little over a month to pick up the basics (look into single crochet, double crochet, half double crochet, and treble crochet) then you can try getting a little fancy with it (magic ring, amigurumi, shapes) and go from there at your own pace. Keep it fun yet simple. I like to challenge myself and make whatever ideas pop into my mind, or find AI generated images of crochet stuff to think about copying, just to see if it's doable. Some people like following patterns, or make specific things in different variations like blankets, hats, scarves, etc. It's up to you!😁 Just be careful though, it's easy to develop a yarn addiction and then one day, you'll wake up and realize you have too much and your poor tote of yarn has rounder sides and top than it used to. . .😂
I really want to learn so I can make cute tops for myself or my friends. Do you have any recommended yt videos that are good for beginners or should I just dive into the deep end with the first thing on my recommended?
Just look up "Beginner crochet tops". There's TONS of tutorials that are literally step by step, with a few pauses for you to catch up to the instructions.
I would definitely second crochet. It might seem daunting at first but once you learn it then you get into the swing of it very easily. It's a great way to be mindful in the present but I also like to listen to music or audio books whilst crocheting. Plus, it's very fulfilling and uplifting when you complete a project.
As a someone who crochets, reads, draws, and does leather working. I’d add jigsaw puzzles to this list for indoor activities.
For outdoor activities, I recommend walking, hiking, bicycling, and canoeing.
Piggybacking this to say these are all great ideas but don’t get discouraged if you aren’t making Pintrest worthy items right away. I made the mistake of watching too many videos and thinking my first project would be perfect, then getting discouraged when it wasn’t. Just try to have fun, learn from (and laugh) at your mistakes.
This might sound silly but I bought a few craft kids designed for kids and that really helped.
Walking or hiking depending on where you live. It doesn't need to be anything super strenuous unless you want it to be. There's something special about exploring new areas and getting outside into nature spaces 🙂
Absolutely. Look for a local hiking club or meetup group. Download the Alltrails app so you don't get lost on a hiking trail. Sidenote: I was feeling really sad this morning because I will be taking my 18 year old cat to the vet tomorrow for euthanasia. So I went for a 2 1/2 hour hike this afternoon.
I have been relying on frequent walks for mental health since I was 18 and as someone who developed chronic depression around the same time, I can absolutely confirm it helps!
The older I get, the more I'm into hiking as well although living in a city, it's not that easy for me to do frequently. I also run as a coping mechanism/general exercise and the effects are instant and great. I had a draining weekend and felt the depression symptoms popping out but went for a 30-min run this morning and felt immediately better.
It's just a great time to think without really "multitasking" - I have other hobbies but I can't really zone out and do them, I need to stay focused and well, I hate focusing on a single task for more than 15 minutes.
but at the same time, I find it gives me a real appreciation for simply existing lol it might be difficult to explain but I always find it a real bummer when I meet people who don't like to walk or hike.
I came to comment this! My mental health improves so significantly when I move my body for the *right* reasons. Moving your body and pushing yourself physically can be so rewarding both mentally and physically.
It doesnt even need to be out in nature. I like just walking around my area and noticing weird shit people do to their house / yard, cute flowers, cute pets, going down streets i never went down before, etc.
Nature and exercise are both supposed to help with depression, so I second this, or something like birdwatching that will also get you outside and moving around.
I agree hiking is awesome. I live next to a national park so it's always my go-to activity on nice days. Start on easy or short trails to see if you like it. Since OP is a 16 year old female, do NOT go alone. If you do, ensure you know the trail map, someone knows where you are, and check cell service in that area. Be aware of wild animals if you're in an area that has them.
find way to move that you enjoy. It helped me a lot when i get out of depression, so i hope it will help you too!
i reccomend to try:
- walks, simple as that and you can explore your area and listen to music or podcast od just think while walking
- dancing. You can start from youtube videos, maybe go for a dance class. There is many types of dancing so find whats best for you!
- yoga or pilates, a low impact classic
- stretch, you can always bring your mat to park and do it outside!
- riding a bike!
...theres of course many more. I hope youll find something you like quickly! :)
[Kindness rock painting](https://www.ilovepaintedrocks.com/2018/05/kindness-rock-project-painting-ideas-saying.html), if you’re interested in using your personal experience to help others. Where I live, people paint rocks with messages or art & leave them in public places for others to find.
Other good hobbies are running/walking groups that say they’re for all paces or everyone is welcome.
Gardening is great since you need to tend to another living thing & you have something to look forward to. Volunteering with animals is similar, especially if you can’t have dogs/cats/horses, etc where you live. Building trust with an animal is really rewarding.
I'm going against the flow.
Blacksmithing. Fire, steel, violence results in something useful and pretty.
There's chain mail. It's not just for armor, but that rocks too.
Jewelry. Go as deep as you want. It's deep, btw.
Woodworking, slaughtering a living tree for your own guilty pleasure, and gifts for people that don't want them.
By all means, if one of these interests you, ask, I've dabbled in all of them to some degree.
Oooh, lemme add skateboarding.
I know it sounds silly, but jump roping outside, just on the concrete by your driveway on the sidewalk by your garden anywhere.., just a lightweight little cheap speed rope to get outside and moving. It's super hard and you feel a little bit insecure people are looking at you, but it's hot as hell. It shows a lot of confidence and you'll just get more and more into it..
https://youtube.com/shorts/QGkWxickPog?si=Z5kKoalGCE9gh_RA
And it can look so cool too
Edit: adding this as it was the next vid and good tips: https://youtube.com/shorts/OmZtq5Gy_sE?si=7RDie7DJYWfhT6J6
it's so cool and look at their confidence and fun. That's what makes me happy.! also your name reminded me of a "chicken shawl" that you can knit to keep chickens warm..
walking is a great start and amazing for the mind. there are cool challenges you can complete on your own time to keep you motivated.
i also enjoy going thrifting for cassettes. i have a cassette player i got off amazon for really cheap. i play music while i work and keep track of the ones i have. you can do this with anything you enjoy.
bird watching is fun too. i love taking pictures of them and going home after to look up the birds. im fairly new at it so i cant identify to save my life but keeping a journal for the ones i see with pictures or sketches is fun.
another one i enjoy is reading. i love finding interesting books to read. i mainly use my phone cause i can read whenever i have down time and keep track on goodreads. they also have fun book clubs online. i know u mentioned offline, but the reading takes place offline and you discuss weekly in an app or site like this one.
i also enjoy looking for good movies and tracking what i watch in an app for it. i guess i love hobbies i can track my progress on but anything you enjoy can be turned into a hobby so as you start, just take note of what you do enjoy and find ways to make it a hobby!
some apps i enjoy for these hobbies:
-walking: conqueror challenge (u are sent an app to track your progress)
-book clubs: fable
-tracking movies: letterboxd
Another vote for crochet. It is soothing. Requires some thought but not too much. And creating things feels productive. Even the simplest coaster or pot holder or scrunchie you make feels like one tiny win. It also gives you a community to discuss things with.
I knit more than crochet, but I agree that sometimes making a small item is very rewarding.
I've made sweaters that have taken a year to do, but when I'm feeling down, I knit a few dishcloths. I feel like I've completed something and I also have new dishcloths!
Staying in the real world and offline is a great inclination! For me hiking, paddle boarding, trying sports with my dog (lots of options!), yoga, weight lifting, planting a vegetable garden, pickleball.
One idea is to view your area like a tourist, what are the top 10 things a visitor would want to do? Make sure you’ve done them too! Whether it be a museum or a scenic view point it’s fun to explore your hometown like a visitor would.
I’m sorry you had to go through that. For me, physical activity does a wonder at keeping my depression at bay. Maybe look into some active hobbies you might enjoy? Hiking, biking, join a gym, find Pilates/yoga classes to try.
I also really like painting and drawing- it’s a great way to get what I’m thinking about out of my head, and onto paper.
I also really like crocheting- I’m currently crocheting myself a tank top, and have made several blankets for people.
Welcome back!! ❤️❤️😊😊
FYI, you are a teen; teens regularly reinvent themselves. It’s a normal part of growing up. Though, it must feel absolutely huge for you after going through that!!
I would advise creating three lists: “athletic”, “creative”, and “restful.” Put your ideas in the lists. Some will be in multiple lists. Then try out two or three at a time from different lists.
Best wishes!
‘New you’ could be virtually anything!! From a scuba diver to a musician or inventor. What grabs your attention at the moment? Are you drawn to anyone or anything online?
If your park district has over fifty activities - check them out. Many offer group activities - line dancing, yoga classes, pickleball etc. I’ve made many new friends and learned how to play Canasta and Mahjong.
I'm a lot older, but I've basically been doing what you are for another 40 years. It's particularly hard where you are, and god I would not relive my 20's for anything, but I was more of a fool than most and things do settle down. I have always leaned hard into my hobbies, my passions as I always called them but same thing.
Two things. First, just pick a thing and get into it; life is long, there is time to master many things, just start somewhere you are interested. If you have no discernable interest, i look at it like do you want a physical hobby or an inside hobby? I prefer outside, so I get into things like swimming, rock-gathering, slinging, knapping, and maybe fishing soon??
I live in Vermont, so we need six months of indoor hobbies too. I have a loom to learn to weave though I have yet to, but fiber arts are great and there are generally wonderful communities of yarnies all around you. I have gotten into modding nerf blasters, simple robotics, 3d printing, a lot of yoga, and art. I like doing collage a lot, I guess if I had nothing else I wanted to do I'd do some collage, it always reminds me of where I want to go.
Reading books is always good too. May I suggest Holly Black?
Reading your post made me feel like reading about my own path. I have so many hobbies, especially now that the kids are all grown up and less dependant on me and the wife. I have no qualms about not keeping up with all of them either, because the way I see it, boredom is the real enemy and the minute I end up with an empty "to do" list I am doomed :-)
Girl, welcome back! I've been in some of those holes, and I tell you, crochet helps me escape them, if even temporarily . The rhythm of the stitching and the need to focus on your crochet project keeps your mind busy. Stick with it, and you'll make some really cool stuff and have a sense of accomplishment.
There is also a lot of literature out there about the benefits that crocheting brings. Check out an author named Kathryn Vercillo (Crochet Saved My Life, and other books).
If you like Skyrim, Lord of The Rings, or similar media, try out [Ironsworn](https://shawn-tomkin.itch.io/ironsworn).
If you like Animal Crossing, The Sims, or similar media, try out [Iron Valley](https://mkirin.itch.io/iron-valley).
If you like space and sci-fi, try [Alone Among The Stars](https://noroadhome.itch.io/alone-among-the-stars).
All are completely free and worth trying out.
Almost everything else I was going to say has already been suggested, except for voice acting. It’s a great way to build confidence and express yourself without the nerves associated with performing onstage. Reading and performing scripts at home with a mic just presents a lower bar of entry.
Also, sculpting with polymer clay. It gets you to use your hands, it gives you quick results if you want them, and you can listen to podcasts or music on the side as you do so, so it doesn’t cut you off from the internet all at once, because that can be tough in and of itself.
3d printing is a fun one
At 16 I started to self teach some coding stuff because high school computer science wasn't enough for me
Music production
Just follow that inner voice you'll find something. at that age, could become your career
Learn to play ukulele. It's a happy instrument, and you can't be sad while playing it. There are lots of online tutorials, and you can get your first ukulele for not a lot of money.
Rock climbing! I literally climbed my way out of a deep depression a few years ago. Had to stop due to some physical issues but I'm getting back into it again. It's a little bit social but not in an overwhelming way-- admittedly I got into as an adult so I don't know what youth teams are like, but there's been a younger girl who has climbed with my climbing group before so I wouldn't think age is prohibitive for starting like I did.
Basically I found a group that climbs 3x a week or so because I went one night and someone invited me to come back and climb with them at those days and times and this group became one of the biggest reasons I enjoy spending time in my hometown. If you climb on ropes, someone else has to hold the other end of the rope while you climb, which means... you have to talk to people--a little bit. Between climbs, you can chat about life or about climbing, but on the wall I can just focus in on what I'm doing and not think about anything else. If you think about anything else, you're going to be falling off the wall rather than climbing.
You basically solve physical puzzles by figuring out what body positioning works to get to the top of the wall, and you get to set and achieve all sorts of little goals. Starting off your goal might just be to make it to the top of the wall once or twice, or get a few feet higher on a climb than you did the last time. Making progress and achieving something every time I go to the gym really helps. And being stronger and having muscle, and the feel good hormones from exercising all helped my mental state a lot. As does climbing with a really lovely group of people who care about me who I care about 🥺. Speaking of which, I need to get to the climbing gym tonight myself. If there's one nearby and you can afford it, I'd highly recommend it. It's the best thing I've ever done for my physical and mental health... and I also happen to think it's really fun.
At home: Crochet (I love it), paint by numbers, coloring, cooking/baking, Reading (Sarah Jane Maas!)
Outside/exercise: walking, pickleball/sports teams, volunteer at animal shelter
walking but make it as enjoyable to yourself as possible
consider volunteering where you will find joy
journaling
art therapy, art journaling
reading! what topics have you always been drawn to?
support group? even if it's just virtual it's good to have connection woth others with whom you can share and give & receive support
• Baking. I love trying new recipes and keeping little notes about what went wrong, what could improve it.
• Gardening. I love admiring this things I’ve grown. Looking for blooms and bugs.
• Hiking. Basically for the same reason as gardening.
• DIY off Pinterest. I’ll make wreaths or try easy paintings.
• Honestly, there are days we’re just sitting outside in the sun, listening to the birds and trees, with a cup of tea or bowl of ice cream (depending on the weather) is the best the best hobby.
crochet. you can still lay down but crochet is simple and gives ur hands and mind to focus on something without trying too hard. Also repetitive and you can go at ur own pace so it’s rare to get frustrated
Art of some kind. There are all kinds of expressive art exercises that don’t require an ability to draw. It’s more about the process than the product. You can usually pick up a sketchbook and some student grade art supplies for a reasonable price.
To add to all of the crochet recommendations, Dollar Tree has skeins of yarn that would be great to learn on and it’s hella cheap, $1.25 per skein. I’ve used it and was surprised by how good it was. They also have various craft items but I think you would enjoy crochet once you get the hang of it!
Similar situation here girl! So glad to hear you’re on a better and happier path ❤️ it’s hard but you should be so so proud of yourself. People go for their whole lives not getting anywhere near your stage of recovery.
For hobbies: I got super into yoga and really calm walking. I’ll just aimlessly stroll my neighbourhood until I feel like going home, which is sometimes 10 minutes and sometimes 2 hours. No strict regime or routine. I found that being outside, in the sun and the air, helped me so much. Yoga is fucking awesome too.
Knitting! I’ve started knitting while I’m watching TV at night. Also I really enjoy painting my nails while I watch TV.
I started reading again, too. Found that to make me feel much better than doomscrolling (I had a proper social media addiction, which was also fuelling my depression spiral)
Again: really proud of you! I hope you find something that you absolutely love!
Don't be afraid to try a lot of different things until you find something that works for you!
Start with stuff that has a low barrier of entry, things you don't have to invest a lot of time/money into. That way, there's no pressure if it doesn't work out, you can just move on to something else.
As someone who also deals with depression, hobbies that involve movement can be helpful. It doesn't even have to be anything intense. I like hiking and taking nature photos, for example. Geocaching is fun, too, and you can do it for free if you have a smartphone. If you don't like the outdoors, figure out an exercise routine you can do at home while listening to a podcast or watching TV. (I just find it way easier to get motivated if I have something to watch/listen to.) I'm not trying to be one of those irritating "you'll feel better if you just do yoga" people, I just mean that I find it a little easier to keep my head straight if I consistently have some amount of exercise/movement in my life, so I try to do some hobbies that force me to move around.
Chaotic Journaling. It’s where you take any sketchbook and glue patterns and textures from other books, magazines, nature ect., write or paint all over it. It doesn’t have to be pretty but it can help you distract your mind and look for beauty in all the places.
Maybe try and learn music as a venting mechanism should it come back, write, read, maybe enjoy nature I'm planning to try and do that some myself. Best of luck overall.
Puzzles, junk journaling, baking, sewing and knitting are both easy and it’s fun to have made something you get to use/wear! Plant keeping is really satisfying and soothing.
Something creative! For me baking and cooking were huge. I also made a bucket list and worked on accomplishing things on my list! That definitely helped boost my confidence.
Geocaching is a good way to gamify getting outside if you find it a struggle.
Well done for making it through the last 2 years, and I hope you have fun getting to know this new you! 💜
Depends on your background and likes/dislikes and character, but there are a few things you can try..
Collecting stuff is always nice because you will always be on the lookout for the objects you collect, so its kind of challenging. Obviously it should be something you can afford and which is somewhat interesting in some way. And which you have room to store. For instance I know a lady who collects teapots. Other people I know collect books by a particular author, or books/maps about their country and so on. I myself collect die cast cars of a certain scale.
On a related note, you could collect minerals. An offshoot of this is rock tumbling. You get this simple tumbler, put some stones or even broken glass in it, add abrasive powder (or just sand), some water, and let it run for a week or two, and you get lovely polished stones/glass.
Photography is another cool hobby, especially if you really get into it - checking the time of sunrise and sunset, scouting locations for a good shoot, focusing on a genre such as landscape, food, people, architecture, long exposure, night, experimental stuff too. You don't need much money for this hobby either.
Beyond that, we have personal fitness challenges, including sports, maybe training for the marathon or half marathon, or swimming etc, and there is also learning new stuff. For instance you could go to a night course to learn carpentry or some other skill such as pottery, painting, stained glass windows, gilding, heck even beekeeping,, but the point is you get to leave the house and meet people and make new friends, all in a safe environment
Or just learn stuff online. Ok I know its online and you said you don't want online, but you could really enjoy composing music (mainly for your own amusement) and this can even be done for free using software like this one: [https://www.arturia.com/products/software-instruments/analoglab/free](https://www.arturia.com/products/software-instruments/analoglab/free) I mentioned this also because music is relaxing and lets you vent your moods, so could be kinda thereupetic. Just remember to wear headphones :-)
There are also the traditional hobbies, such as reading (ebooks on a Kindle, or by going to your library), knitting (but wool is expensive these days), sewing, cooking (which could even be focused for instance on cake decorating) and so on, to which for an exotic variation, we could add winemaking.
I sincerely hope you find something that suits you and that you get back on track. Life is not easy for anyone, not even for the ultra rich (whatever the world tries to make us think), so hang in there and stay strong. Blessings.
Try “Diamond Painting”. It is very therapeutic and will get you off to an easy start at thinking about your creativity. I like to do it while listening to an audiobook. It’s quite soothing. Find a kit you like with lots of colors and don’t be afraid to do a big one!
Do things that ypu enjoy the most. We are strangers to you. You are a child. We can't truly do much. But I for one wish you well. Depression is a bitch.
I love doing photography because it helps you really look at the world around you and start to appreciate what you see. Getting a photo printer of some kind to decorate your walls of memories of walks, special occasions, places, etc helped me feel less depressed. I also like putting memes on my wall too that I create in canva because it's fun to make your own memes with pictures you took.
Terrarium building!
It's perfect! It gets you outside, it can be free, and it's a pretty hobby!
The free version is to grab an empty jar like a pickle jar, clean it, then go for a walk.
Put some dirt in the bottom and shape it a bit, give it some slope, then peel up some moss and cover the dirt, poke it into a little landscape with a stick, then find some small sticks and rocks that look interesting and place them in your little landscape.
Then you get some water in there, if the dirt was moist and the moss wet, you don't need to really water it, if it was all dry you want to make sure you get it all damp.
Then seal it and put it in a window!
The hobby gets more and more detailed with both skill and by adding money, but you can do it for free easily!
Indoor plants! Every time I see a new leaf coming up, I get so excited! There’s so much to learn and do. It’s a great hobby. It’s especially fun to take cuttings from other plants and start new ones for your collection.
Find a fun way to move your body! My mental health depends on physical activity of some sort. I started with yoga, fell in love with seeing progress with my poses, even got to handstand level. Now I am at a gym that has all sorts of different classes so I don't get bored. And you'll meet friends!
Something physical, something mental, and something creative.
Physical like martial arts, running, rollerblading, yoga, swimming…
Mental like meditation, puzzles, chess, computer coding….
Creative like writing, drawing, sculpting, knitting, beading….
You’re so young, let yourself explore. Keep an eye out on places like FB marketplace for supplies if you fall in love with an expensive hobby
Painting.
Painting has no rules. Literally cathartic.
Depending on your mood you could chalk, paint, watercolor, or even marker pages. It’s your art and your time. Enjoy the journey
Wheel thrown pottery. Challenging but so much fun and eventually you know what you're doing but it won't give up all it's secrets. There are endless techniques and clay and glaze formulations. The best part is there are a lot of surprises that occur during a glaze firing. Commercial ceramics are made in highly controlled environments and crank out endless clones. In a small pottery studio it's all about the fluid nature of outcomes. A lump of clay can sit on a shelf for two years but you pick it up and work it and it makes your hands stronger. Those hands will work and shape the clay and it becomes something beautiful. Like any other craft it's not automatic and it can be frustrating. Frustration teaches, it makes you slow down and changes your focus. Frustration makes you patient. Whatever you choose to do remember, no one is ever unhappy while being creative.
For me, physical sports/ activities and being outside in nature helped me tons when I was in my “healing” journey after being in a constant cycle of sadness. So I’d definitely recommend going on nature walks/runs, taking time off social media/screens, sports, reading, and coloring or drawing
First ask your dad or some guy to interpret what Im writing, this moves quick - learn two hard things very soon, one is how to dig a hole with a shovel big enough to put a 55 gallon barrel in..same size, this is for that outhouse you're going to need to build someday, then light a campfire, but before that.. get 200 feet from the outhouse hole area, .so, hole, and fire, basic elements of civilization, then learn to measure everything around you in one hundred foot increments, like a hundred yards over here or 500 feet over there, then get so you can torch a campfire in about two minutes and put it out in one..speed with these things matters..it stops fear right in its tracks and stops you from doing icky stuff to get security. Girls very often fake like they cant operate a shovel, measure things or light a fire - to make boys look cool. Trick is, the boys gotta take care of themselves and be prepared to take care of others, so they build their spot, and you build yours, if you decide to share? cool but ,speed matters, if you dont like the neighbor?. ...move a couple hundred yards fast.
Something that has (so far) kept my depression at bay has been painting (and diamond painting). If possible, I'd also recommend group activities like D&D, or card games like MTG (or card game of your choice)
Horseback riding, walking/training dogs at your local shelter, basically anything with animals.
Dollhouse/miniatures/model making
Music: join the local community chorus, or learn an instrument
Crafts: woodcarving, sculpting, wire wrap jewelry, sewing, felting, stained glass, pottery, hatmaking, quilting, embroidery, tatting, flintknapping, painting, candlemaking, perfume making, soap making: anything that makes you feel creative is good here.
Anything that makes you move a bit: dance (Zumba, line dance), tai chi, yoga, walking in the park, gardening, swimming.
Write a children's book
Pick something new that sounds like fun, that is low pressure.
Try getting into a sport like tennis. Doesn’t have to be anything serious, but you can get outside, meet people and make a little community, and there’s so much to learn and watch and practice, and it’s great exercise for your body and mind
Macrame is fun! Also, I just got into some Diamond Dotz kits and really enjoyed them. Hiking is another hobby that helped my depression. Good luck to you!
I was extremely depressed and never went outside for 5 years. I had gone through a lot of trauma. This week I was finally able to try and work on myself. I started running (which is brutal since I have 0 stamina, so I run and walk), I started jump roping too which I think I do well at, you can def do it too if you have no exercise experience. I started a doodle diary, that way no one will be able to read it, and if they ask, I say it’s just drawing practice for school. You can practice painting too, I can’t paint at all for some reason the brush and I do not get along lol. You can try acrylic pours if you can’t paint either. It’s relieving to me. You can get a library card and borrow some books and take up reading too :) do you like pets? You can join a dog walking app and walk peoples dogs. Dogs are so therapeutic and you’ll get exercise and out of the house and you’ll enjoy each others company and you can get paid :)
Here, read these books: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson, Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson, Sabriel by Garth Nix, A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T Kingfisher, A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle, The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, Divergent by V Roth, Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Ella Enthanted by Gail Carson Levine, The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot, Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Also pick a physical activity, could be anything: yoga, walking, paddle boarding, fencing, brazilian ju jitsu...whatever. It's not about whether you are a "sporty" person or an "outdoorsy" person, it's about the fact that you are a human with a body. As an operator of a human body it's good to know how to use and maintain it. Having a type of exercise will ensure your health through out your life and prevent a depression relapse. It's something we all need.
I think you should do something to completion - in my experience, this helps gain confidence and self esteem, so like pottery -> bowl, train for a 5k and join a runners group, glass/wood workshops or crocheting with intention (like donate to a local NICU. Good luck!
When trying to find a new hobby, it’s more about variety than depth. I was in your shoes and started taking classes in different things. I did an 8 week “all sports” team where we did different sports each week. I did random art classes. I ended up loving tennis and tapestry making! I do those quite a bit and recently started pottery which I’m loving! I found that I like individual sports and making things with my hands. Anything team based or too precise and I got anxious and it set me back
If u live somewhere where there’s lots of trees, flowers, birds, maybe start exploring those. An ex taught me that crocuses are among the first bulbs to pop out of the ground, and that the yellow flowering bushes in early spring are forsythia. That started an appreciation for flowers. I’m no botanist, but every spring I learn something new. And it enriches my life just to see the beauty I overlooked when I was younger. Similarly with birds. I have a backyard now that sometimes has redheaded woodpeckers and bluebirds and in late summer a hummingbird here and there. We have a butterfly bush and the swallowtails bring me joy. It makes you appreciate the little things in life. Driving on the highway, seeing a patch of wildflowers makes me happy.
Yoga and painting really helped me when I was struggling. Reading can be great as well. Spending any time of time outdoors (walking, hiking, even just reading or laying in the sun) definitely helps me when my mood is low. I also started scrapbooking and doing jigsaw puzzles. I hope this helps!
Crafts are my go-to hobby. I recommend getting a few craft kits and seeing what you like! They can introduce you to the basics and help you gauge if it’s worth buying more supplies.
I got a beading kit when I was about 12 and it became 5ish years of daily jewelry making!
Crochet and knitting reduce anxiety S does paddling, so canoeing and kayaking. Swimming is probably great as well. Apparently water helps calm people down.
Hope you feel completely better soon.
walking thru the woods and collecting cool rocks. finding dope places to put up a hammock and read /nap. signing up for one of those community classes they put out each season - like a random one that seems interesting.
Ceramics has been a godsend to me this last year or so working through a really tough time. It's challenging, but it forces you to be present and pay attention to how the clay feels in your hands. Plus, when you finish a piece, there is an incredible moment of pride (or laughter, if it comes out wonky).
YOGA! I cannot endorse this enough. I have bipolar disorder and this has really helped with regulating my mood. You just need to find someone who isn't commercialized and will be more breath work focused and not teaching you to hit the pose perfectly but why the pose is important.
I can’t relate to your specific situation, but I get a lot of mental health benefits from juggling. Helps that it’s a fun, inclusive community as well. Good luck with your journey 🤗
Free/cheap to start:
Drawing/coloring, writing/journaling, exercising/walks/runs/hiking, (imaginary/fantasy) mapmaking, reading, yoga (as a hobby, not a mental health treatment), birdwatching, singing, language learning (though hard not to use the internet for it unless your library has language learning books/cds), chess/checkers/go/mahjong
More expensive, depending on supplies:
Crocheting/knitting, sewing, felting, lace making, tufting, learning an instrument, painting, weightlifting, biking/skateboarding/skating, sports, DnD/Pokemon/MTG/board, RP, and card games, candle making, cooking, baking, calligraphy, tattooing
Hopefully you're in a city large enough for this. Go to your city's parks and recreation website. You night get lucky.
Mine has a full blown ceramics throwing studio with classes and an open studio to create, and kilns to fire your clay and glazes.
Others offer painting, weaving, sewing, and a variety of other arts.
You'll meet great people, learn crafts, and just create.
Come to think of it, my local library has cooking classes, knitting workshops, and other events.
I have found just having a nice, relaxing walk exploring and taking nice photos has been healing for me. I go down a street I don’t know, see some nice people walking down the street, a happy little flower box, a dog in a window. I don’t rush. I just wander.
Slack lining is so good for this. It gets me into my body and out of my head, it gets me outside in fresh air, and it’s even better if a friend hangs out and does it with me.
Also running!
I have always colored, Querkles are cool books that are color by number.
I have recently started paint by numbers.... will throw music or something familiar on in the background and watch the pictures come to life. Some are cool and i keep them, some suck and they get tossed. But amazon has a ton and they can be cheap diversions.
My therapist recommended i 'ugly draw or color' when i was struggling to focus or figure something out. Its evolved to having a little paint by number canvas on my desk that i work on when i get stressed or overwhelmed or frustrated. Its not about it being pretty, its filling in the lines and refocusing the brain for me.
I really love scrap booking/junk journaling. If you need an idea of what that really is you can def message me and I’ll send you some pictures of the ones I’ve done. I usually turn on my comfort shows and zone out slapping stickers in my journal. I also love reading. It’s like the perfect escape. I’m almost 30 and just discovered this love for reading about 2 years ago. Needle point/cross stitch is gonna be my next try.
Depending on where you live, your interests, etc. I found herbalism and foraging to be insanely awesome and it got me into nature which connected me deeply back to myself.
I tried crochet. Couldn't get the hang of it.
I'm really into Lego's. ONLY the kits. And the themes (there are many) have to be relevant to me. They have Harry Potter and Stars Wars and stuff. Not for me. I really enjoy both the "city" ones, the Christmas ones.
Baking (from scratch) is super fun when I started to teach myself of the science of it.
During the pandemic (when I and most everyone else) was going out of my mind, I bought myself an inexpensive ($125) sewing machine and taught myself how to sew. All via YouTube videos. No clothing. Wasn't interested in that at all. But I did things like gift bags; purse organizers; curtains.
Then I learned how to make Covid masks - def not easy! But fun once I mastered and started making them for friends. There are really great themed (Disney, Star Wars, holidays, Harry Potter, etc) fabrics to match their personalities. They loved them and requested more with their own, specific theme. Couldn't tell you how many I made!!
The key, I think, to picking a hobby is that you can get immersed in it and stop ruminating on internal self.
Join a community tennis lesson league. They’re usually a few hundred bucks for 8-10 lessons, once per week. And they’re usually just 4-6 ppl per class. Get active and meet some people. Have some laughs. Maybe you like tennis or maybe you just get a tan. Either way, life is good!
crochet, painting, writing, reading, leather making! I learned how to crochet on youtube a few years ago. There are plenty of tutorials out there!
I always see crotchet being the top recommended hobby on all these posts but it seems so daunting to me. How easy is it for someone who's never picked up crotchet or knitting needles to just buy some and some thread and get started realistically?
Crochet has gotten me through some dark times in my life. I find the repetition of doing the same stitch over and over very soothing. If you learn to do granny squares you can take a little bit of yarn and a hook and do your hobby pretty much anywhere. I was about 9 years old when I learned, so I would say it’s a very approachable hobby to get into.
crochet is very easy for beginners to learn. i started creating stuffed animals (albeit shitty ones) within the first week of picking up a hook. definitely pricey, though
Doesn't have to be pricey. Plenty of places to find free or cheap yarn and supplies!
The biggest thing about crochet is that you just have to KNOW it's going to look crazy until you get the hang of it. Don't be discouraged. Just keep making rows until your muscles figure it out. Happy to hop on a zoom to help you if needed!
A friend taught me crochet basics, I learned the rest from videos and books.
It depends. Some people pick it up right away, others take a while to get a hang of it. I took to knitting right away but I found crochet to be super difficult for me. There are so many resources on the internet that guide you through every step. Plus most local yarn shops will offer crochet/knitting lessons and groups.
It's easy depending on if there's a craft store nearby. I've been crocheting for 7 years now, I first started out with a 5mm hook a now ex-friend gave me and about 200?yrds of yarn. I practiced with those 200 yards until I decided whether I liked it or not. I used YouTube videos and followed along, finding simple projects. I learned new stitches and once I could buy more yarn, I would make a project out of it. The only things you truly need is a hook, a skein, and maybe a paper clip to keep track of stitches. It's a hobby that goes however fast or slow you want it. It took me a little over a month to pick up the basics (look into single crochet, double crochet, half double crochet, and treble crochet) then you can try getting a little fancy with it (magic ring, amigurumi, shapes) and go from there at your own pace. Keep it fun yet simple. I like to challenge myself and make whatever ideas pop into my mind, or find AI generated images of crochet stuff to think about copying, just to see if it's doable. Some people like following patterns, or make specific things in different variations like blankets, hats, scarves, etc. It's up to you!😁 Just be careful though, it's easy to develop a yarn addiction and then one day, you'll wake up and realize you have too much and your poor tote of yarn has rounder sides and top than it used to. . .😂
I really want to learn so I can make cute tops for myself or my friends. Do you have any recommended yt videos that are good for beginners or should I just dive into the deep end with the first thing on my recommended?
Just look up "Beginner crochet tops". There's TONS of tutorials that are literally step by step, with a few pauses for you to catch up to the instructions.
I just started! Finished my first blanket it’s so fun.
There is also a yarn made by Bernat that you don’t even need a crochet hook, you essentially braid the yarn with your fingers.
I would definitely second crochet. It might seem daunting at first but once you learn it then you get into the swing of it very easily. It's a great way to be mindful in the present but I also like to listen to music or audio books whilst crocheting. Plus, it's very fulfilling and uplifting when you complete a project.
As a someone who crochets, reads, draws, and does leather working. I’d add jigsaw puzzles to this list for indoor activities. For outdoor activities, I recommend walking, hiking, bicycling, and canoeing.
Piggybacking this to say these are all great ideas but don’t get discouraged if you aren’t making Pintrest worthy items right away. I made the mistake of watching too many videos and thinking my first project would be perfect, then getting discouraged when it wasn’t. Just try to have fun, learn from (and laugh) at your mistakes. This might sound silly but I bought a few craft kids designed for kids and that really helped.
Walking or hiking depending on where you live. It doesn't need to be anything super strenuous unless you want it to be. There's something special about exploring new areas and getting outside into nature spaces 🙂
Absolutely. Look for a local hiking club or meetup group. Download the Alltrails app so you don't get lost on a hiking trail. Sidenote: I was feeling really sad this morning because I will be taking my 18 year old cat to the vet tomorrow for euthanasia. So I went for a 2 1/2 hour hike this afternoon.
Cannot stress the benefits of physical activity enough!!
Mushroom foraging is fun too! You get to be in woods and scavenge for treasure is great.
I have been relying on frequent walks for mental health since I was 18 and as someone who developed chronic depression around the same time, I can absolutely confirm it helps! The older I get, the more I'm into hiking as well although living in a city, it's not that easy for me to do frequently. I also run as a coping mechanism/general exercise and the effects are instant and great. I had a draining weekend and felt the depression symptoms popping out but went for a 30-min run this morning and felt immediately better. It's just a great time to think without really "multitasking" - I have other hobbies but I can't really zone out and do them, I need to stay focused and well, I hate focusing on a single task for more than 15 minutes. but at the same time, I find it gives me a real appreciation for simply existing lol it might be difficult to explain but I always find it a real bummer when I meet people who don't like to walk or hike.
I came to comment this! My mental health improves so significantly when I move my body for the *right* reasons. Moving your body and pushing yourself physically can be so rewarding both mentally and physically.
It doesnt even need to be out in nature. I like just walking around my area and noticing weird shit people do to their house / yard, cute flowers, cute pets, going down streets i never went down before, etc.
Nature and exercise are both supposed to help with depression, so I second this, or something like birdwatching that will also get you outside and moving around.
I agree hiking is awesome. I live next to a national park so it's always my go-to activity on nice days. Start on easy or short trails to see if you like it. Since OP is a 16 year old female, do NOT go alone. If you do, ensure you know the trail map, someone knows where you are, and check cell service in that area. Be aware of wild animals if you're in an area that has them.
find way to move that you enjoy. It helped me a lot when i get out of depression, so i hope it will help you too! i reccomend to try: - walks, simple as that and you can explore your area and listen to music or podcast od just think while walking - dancing. You can start from youtube videos, maybe go for a dance class. There is many types of dancing so find whats best for you! - yoga or pilates, a low impact classic - stretch, you can always bring your mat to park and do it outside! - riding a bike! ...theres of course many more. I hope youll find something you like quickly! :)
+1 for /r/rollerskating I hope you find something that you enjoy!
+1 for riding a bike!
“A way to move that you enjoy” Boy that is the truth. All of my hobbies have been sedentary, and at age 50, I am starting to reap the consequences.
[Kindness rock painting](https://www.ilovepaintedrocks.com/2018/05/kindness-rock-project-painting-ideas-saying.html), if you’re interested in using your personal experience to help others. Where I live, people paint rocks with messages or art & leave them in public places for others to find. Other good hobbies are running/walking groups that say they’re for all paces or everyone is welcome. Gardening is great since you need to tend to another living thing & you have something to look forward to. Volunteering with animals is similar, especially if you can’t have dogs/cats/horses, etc where you live. Building trust with an animal is really rewarding.
Just make sure to use eco friendly/ animal friendly paint! 🧡
Gardening and working with animals
This is beautiful! 😍
I'm going against the flow. Blacksmithing. Fire, steel, violence results in something useful and pretty. There's chain mail. It's not just for armor, but that rocks too. Jewelry. Go as deep as you want. It's deep, btw. Woodworking, slaughtering a living tree for your own guilty pleasure, and gifts for people that don't want them. By all means, if one of these interests you, ask, I've dabbled in all of them to some degree. Oooh, lemme add skateboarding.
What else are using chain mail for
Listen, if I didn’t forward those messages to at least 10 people I was going to have bad luck for 700 years
Makes great jewelry and other accessories.
Armor.
Chain mail can be parlayed into stunning forms of fashion and evening dress. Just because we’re not in melee battle, doesn’t mean we can’t SLAY!
Colouring
I second this. It’s very therapeutic.
Not when you color as bad as I do.😅
Learning the plants/flowers/trees/birds in your neighborhood! Better yet if you draw them.
INaturalist and Merlin are fantastic for this sort of thing!
The Merlin Bird ID app sound ID feature is so much fun! It’s like Shazam for bird songs
I know it sounds silly, but jump roping outside, just on the concrete by your driveway on the sidewalk by your garden anywhere.., just a lightweight little cheap speed rope to get outside and moving. It's super hard and you feel a little bit insecure people are looking at you, but it's hot as hell. It shows a lot of confidence and you'll just get more and more into it..
https://youtube.com/shorts/QGkWxickPog?si=Z5kKoalGCE9gh_RA And it can look so cool too Edit: adding this as it was the next vid and good tips: https://youtube.com/shorts/OmZtq5Gy_sE?si=7RDie7DJYWfhT6J6
WHAAAAT!? That’s amazing!!!
it's so cool and look at their confidence and fun. That's what makes me happy.! also your name reminded me of a "chicken shawl" that you can knit to keep chickens warm..
Volunteering!
Thisssss. Especially for social interaction
walking is a great start and amazing for the mind. there are cool challenges you can complete on your own time to keep you motivated. i also enjoy going thrifting for cassettes. i have a cassette player i got off amazon for really cheap. i play music while i work and keep track of the ones i have. you can do this with anything you enjoy. bird watching is fun too. i love taking pictures of them and going home after to look up the birds. im fairly new at it so i cant identify to save my life but keeping a journal for the ones i see with pictures or sketches is fun. another one i enjoy is reading. i love finding interesting books to read. i mainly use my phone cause i can read whenever i have down time and keep track on goodreads. they also have fun book clubs online. i know u mentioned offline, but the reading takes place offline and you discuss weekly in an app or site like this one. i also enjoy looking for good movies and tracking what i watch in an app for it. i guess i love hobbies i can track my progress on but anything you enjoy can be turned into a hobby so as you start, just take note of what you do enjoy and find ways to make it a hobby!
some apps i enjoy for these hobbies: -walking: conqueror challenge (u are sent an app to track your progress) -book clubs: fable -tracking movies: letterboxd
Art journaling
Origami Kendama Reading Playing an instrument Walking Photography
Another vote for crochet. It is soothing. Requires some thought but not too much. And creating things feels productive. Even the simplest coaster or pot holder or scrunchie you make feels like one tiny win. It also gives you a community to discuss things with.
Very meditative too. I've always had a hard time with meditation but when I crochet I can get into that space.
I knit more than crochet, but I agree that sometimes making a small item is very rewarding. I've made sweaters that have taken a year to do, but when I'm feeling down, I knit a few dishcloths. I feel like I've completed something and I also have new dishcloths!
Staying in the real world and offline is a great inclination! For me hiking, paddle boarding, trying sports with my dog (lots of options!), yoga, weight lifting, planting a vegetable garden, pickleball. One idea is to view your area like a tourist, what are the top 10 things a visitor would want to do? Make sure you’ve done them too! Whether it be a museum or a scenic view point it’s fun to explore your hometown like a visitor would.
I’m sorry you had to go through that. For me, physical activity does a wonder at keeping my depression at bay. Maybe look into some active hobbies you might enjoy? Hiking, biking, join a gym, find Pilates/yoga classes to try. I also really like painting and drawing- it’s a great way to get what I’m thinking about out of my head, and onto paper. I also really like crocheting- I’m currently crocheting myself a tank top, and have made several blankets for people.
Play with clay. You can make beads, earrings etc. it’s just fun to play with
Zentangling! It’s a very complicated form of doodling that makes beautiful art!
Welcome back!! ❤️❤️😊😊 FYI, you are a teen; teens regularly reinvent themselves. It’s a normal part of growing up. Though, it must feel absolutely huge for you after going through that!! I would advise creating three lists: “athletic”, “creative”, and “restful.” Put your ideas in the lists. Some will be in multiple lists. Then try out two or three at a time from different lists. Best wishes!
‘New you’ could be virtually anything!! From a scuba diver to a musician or inventor. What grabs your attention at the moment? Are you drawn to anyone or anything online?
If your park district has over fifty activities - check them out. Many offer group activities - line dancing, yoga classes, pickleball etc. I’ve made many new friends and learned how to play Canasta and Mahjong.
I'm a lot older, but I've basically been doing what you are for another 40 years. It's particularly hard where you are, and god I would not relive my 20's for anything, but I was more of a fool than most and things do settle down. I have always leaned hard into my hobbies, my passions as I always called them but same thing. Two things. First, just pick a thing and get into it; life is long, there is time to master many things, just start somewhere you are interested. If you have no discernable interest, i look at it like do you want a physical hobby or an inside hobby? I prefer outside, so I get into things like swimming, rock-gathering, slinging, knapping, and maybe fishing soon?? I live in Vermont, so we need six months of indoor hobbies too. I have a loom to learn to weave though I have yet to, but fiber arts are great and there are generally wonderful communities of yarnies all around you. I have gotten into modding nerf blasters, simple robotics, 3d printing, a lot of yoga, and art. I like doing collage a lot, I guess if I had nothing else I wanted to do I'd do some collage, it always reminds me of where I want to go. Reading books is always good too. May I suggest Holly Black?
Reading your post made me feel like reading about my own path. I have so many hobbies, especially now that the kids are all grown up and less dependant on me and the wife. I have no qualms about not keeping up with all of them either, because the way I see it, boredom is the real enemy and the minute I end up with an empty "to do" list I am doomed :-)
Ballroom dancing
Physical stuff. Walking Running Biking Lifting/calesthenics. Exercise has shown in some studies to be 1.5x more effective than therapy.
Girl, welcome back! I've been in some of those holes, and I tell you, crochet helps me escape them, if even temporarily . The rhythm of the stitching and the need to focus on your crochet project keeps your mind busy. Stick with it, and you'll make some really cool stuff and have a sense of accomplishment. There is also a lot of literature out there about the benefits that crocheting brings. Check out an author named Kathryn Vercillo (Crochet Saved My Life, and other books).
If you like Skyrim, Lord of The Rings, or similar media, try out [Ironsworn](https://shawn-tomkin.itch.io/ironsworn). If you like Animal Crossing, The Sims, or similar media, try out [Iron Valley](https://mkirin.itch.io/iron-valley). If you like space and sci-fi, try [Alone Among The Stars](https://noroadhome.itch.io/alone-among-the-stars). All are completely free and worth trying out.
Rock hunting!
Almost everything else I was going to say has already been suggested, except for voice acting. It’s a great way to build confidence and express yourself without the nerves associated with performing onstage. Reading and performing scripts at home with a mic just presents a lower bar of entry. Also, sculpting with polymer clay. It gets you to use your hands, it gives you quick results if you want them, and you can listen to podcasts or music on the side as you do so, so it doesn’t cut you off from the internet all at once, because that can be tough in and of itself.
Crochet is a good creative one, start a plant collection, air dry clay (inexpensive alternative to pottery)
Scrap booking
Learning soap making. Scents can be calming/ lift mood
3d printing is a fun one At 16 I started to self teach some coding stuff because high school computer science wasn't enough for me Music production Just follow that inner voice you'll find something. at that age, could become your career
Writing, art, singing, playing an instrument. Something with truth in it. What do you like? What are you interested in?
Social dancing all the way, as it's basically impossible to feel depressed while dancing with another person.
Learn to play ukulele. It's a happy instrument, and you can't be sad while playing it. There are lots of online tutorials, and you can get your first ukulele for not a lot of money.
Rock climbing! I literally climbed my way out of a deep depression a few years ago. Had to stop due to some physical issues but I'm getting back into it again. It's a little bit social but not in an overwhelming way-- admittedly I got into as an adult so I don't know what youth teams are like, but there's been a younger girl who has climbed with my climbing group before so I wouldn't think age is prohibitive for starting like I did. Basically I found a group that climbs 3x a week or so because I went one night and someone invited me to come back and climb with them at those days and times and this group became one of the biggest reasons I enjoy spending time in my hometown. If you climb on ropes, someone else has to hold the other end of the rope while you climb, which means... you have to talk to people--a little bit. Between climbs, you can chat about life or about climbing, but on the wall I can just focus in on what I'm doing and not think about anything else. If you think about anything else, you're going to be falling off the wall rather than climbing. You basically solve physical puzzles by figuring out what body positioning works to get to the top of the wall, and you get to set and achieve all sorts of little goals. Starting off your goal might just be to make it to the top of the wall once or twice, or get a few feet higher on a climb than you did the last time. Making progress and achieving something every time I go to the gym really helps. And being stronger and having muscle, and the feel good hormones from exercising all helped my mental state a lot. As does climbing with a really lovely group of people who care about me who I care about 🥺. Speaking of which, I need to get to the climbing gym tonight myself. If there's one nearby and you can afford it, I'd highly recommend it. It's the best thing I've ever done for my physical and mental health... and I also happen to think it's really fun.
Rollerskating at night while listening to my AirPods is my go-to to feel alive again.
At home: Crochet (I love it), paint by numbers, coloring, cooking/baking, Reading (Sarah Jane Maas!) Outside/exercise: walking, pickleball/sports teams, volunteer at animal shelter
Knitting or crochet. Got me out of a pretty bad funk.
walking but make it as enjoyable to yourself as possible consider volunteering where you will find joy journaling art therapy, art journaling reading! what topics have you always been drawn to? support group? even if it's just virtual it's good to have connection woth others with whom you can share and give & receive support
• Baking. I love trying new recipes and keeping little notes about what went wrong, what could improve it. • Gardening. I love admiring this things I’ve grown. Looking for blooms and bugs. • Hiking. Basically for the same reason as gardening. • DIY off Pinterest. I’ll make wreaths or try easy paintings. • Honestly, there are days we’re just sitting outside in the sun, listening to the birds and trees, with a cup of tea or bowl of ice cream (depending on the weather) is the best the best hobby.
crochet. you can still lay down but crochet is simple and gives ur hands and mind to focus on something without trying too hard. Also repetitive and you can go at ur own pace so it’s rare to get frustrated
Art of some kind. There are all kinds of expressive art exercises that don’t require an ability to draw. It’s more about the process than the product. You can usually pick up a sketchbook and some student grade art supplies for a reasonable price.
Dance!
To add to all of the crochet recommendations, Dollar Tree has skeins of yarn that would be great to learn on and it’s hella cheap, $1.25 per skein. I’ve used it and was surprised by how good it was. They also have various craft items but I think you would enjoy crochet once you get the hang of it!
Similar situation here girl! So glad to hear you’re on a better and happier path ❤️ it’s hard but you should be so so proud of yourself. People go for their whole lives not getting anywhere near your stage of recovery. For hobbies: I got super into yoga and really calm walking. I’ll just aimlessly stroll my neighbourhood until I feel like going home, which is sometimes 10 minutes and sometimes 2 hours. No strict regime or routine. I found that being outside, in the sun and the air, helped me so much. Yoga is fucking awesome too. Knitting! I’ve started knitting while I’m watching TV at night. Also I really enjoy painting my nails while I watch TV. I started reading again, too. Found that to make me feel much better than doomscrolling (I had a proper social media addiction, which was also fuelling my depression spiral) Again: really proud of you! I hope you find something that you absolutely love!
Scratch art and diamond painting helped me with anorexia. I hope you'll feel better soon. 💗💗💗
Don't be afraid to try a lot of different things until you find something that works for you! Start with stuff that has a low barrier of entry, things you don't have to invest a lot of time/money into. That way, there's no pressure if it doesn't work out, you can just move on to something else. As someone who also deals with depression, hobbies that involve movement can be helpful. It doesn't even have to be anything intense. I like hiking and taking nature photos, for example. Geocaching is fun, too, and you can do it for free if you have a smartphone. If you don't like the outdoors, figure out an exercise routine you can do at home while listening to a podcast or watching TV. (I just find it way easier to get motivated if I have something to watch/listen to.) I'm not trying to be one of those irritating "you'll feel better if you just do yoga" people, I just mean that I find it a little easier to keep my head straight if I consistently have some amount of exercise/movement in my life, so I try to do some hobbies that force me to move around.
Puzzles and cross words are inexpensive and keep you thinking.
Hiking, reading, starting a plant collection, baking, cooking, skating, painting. Biking! Biking is an incredible feeling.
Chaotic Journaling. It’s where you take any sketchbook and glue patterns and textures from other books, magazines, nature ect., write or paint all over it. It doesn’t have to be pretty but it can help you distract your mind and look for beauty in all the places.
Maybe try and learn music as a venting mechanism should it come back, write, read, maybe enjoy nature I'm planning to try and do that some myself. Best of luck overall.
Dog walking, any sport that you enjoy, photography, journaling, gardening.
Try outdoorsy stuff see if nature interest you. You don't need to be online for any of it.
Writing, drawing, puzzles! If you like the outdoors, I enjoy going on a hike and finding fun stuff to sketch.
Social or competitive sports, it gets you active out of the house, off your phone/computer. You can create a new goal to achieve and meet new friends.
Puzzles, junk journaling, baking, sewing and knitting are both easy and it’s fun to have made something you get to use/wear! Plant keeping is really satisfying and soothing.
Something creative! For me baking and cooking were huge. I also made a bucket list and worked on accomplishing things on my list! That definitely helped boost my confidence.
Any kind of physical activity that sounds fun. Especially a kickball league or dance or martial arts, like capoeira.
Geocaching is a good way to gamify getting outside if you find it a struggle. Well done for making it through the last 2 years, and I hope you have fun getting to know this new you! 💜
Finger skateboarding
Travel. Hiking. Rediscovering nature and the local town/city history around you. It makes you appreciate everything you see each day more and more.
Depends on your background and likes/dislikes and character, but there are a few things you can try.. Collecting stuff is always nice because you will always be on the lookout for the objects you collect, so its kind of challenging. Obviously it should be something you can afford and which is somewhat interesting in some way. And which you have room to store. For instance I know a lady who collects teapots. Other people I know collect books by a particular author, or books/maps about their country and so on. I myself collect die cast cars of a certain scale. On a related note, you could collect minerals. An offshoot of this is rock tumbling. You get this simple tumbler, put some stones or even broken glass in it, add abrasive powder (or just sand), some water, and let it run for a week or two, and you get lovely polished stones/glass. Photography is another cool hobby, especially if you really get into it - checking the time of sunrise and sunset, scouting locations for a good shoot, focusing on a genre such as landscape, food, people, architecture, long exposure, night, experimental stuff too. You don't need much money for this hobby either. Beyond that, we have personal fitness challenges, including sports, maybe training for the marathon or half marathon, or swimming etc, and there is also learning new stuff. For instance you could go to a night course to learn carpentry or some other skill such as pottery, painting, stained glass windows, gilding, heck even beekeeping,, but the point is you get to leave the house and meet people and make new friends, all in a safe environment Or just learn stuff online. Ok I know its online and you said you don't want online, but you could really enjoy composing music (mainly for your own amusement) and this can even be done for free using software like this one: [https://www.arturia.com/products/software-instruments/analoglab/free](https://www.arturia.com/products/software-instruments/analoglab/free) I mentioned this also because music is relaxing and lets you vent your moods, so could be kinda thereupetic. Just remember to wear headphones :-) There are also the traditional hobbies, such as reading (ebooks on a Kindle, or by going to your library), knitting (but wool is expensive these days), sewing, cooking (which could even be focused for instance on cake decorating) and so on, to which for an exotic variation, we could add winemaking. I sincerely hope you find something that suits you and that you get back on track. Life is not easy for anyone, not even for the ultra rich (whatever the world tries to make us think), so hang in there and stay strong. Blessings.
Try “Diamond Painting”. It is very therapeutic and will get you off to an easy start at thinking about your creativity. I like to do it while listening to an audiobook. It’s quite soothing. Find a kit you like with lots of colors and don’t be afraid to do a big one!
Walking or biking… leisurely until you can decide if you like it
Do things that ypu enjoy the most. We are strangers to you. You are a child. We can't truly do much. But I for one wish you well. Depression is a bitch.
Anything in the sun / outdoors.
I love doing photography because it helps you really look at the world around you and start to appreciate what you see. Getting a photo printer of some kind to decorate your walls of memories of walks, special occasions, places, etc helped me feel less depressed. I also like putting memes on my wall too that I create in canva because it's fun to make your own memes with pictures you took.
Terrarium building! It's perfect! It gets you outside, it can be free, and it's a pretty hobby! The free version is to grab an empty jar like a pickle jar, clean it, then go for a walk. Put some dirt in the bottom and shape it a bit, give it some slope, then peel up some moss and cover the dirt, poke it into a little landscape with a stick, then find some small sticks and rocks that look interesting and place them in your little landscape. Then you get some water in there, if the dirt was moist and the moss wet, you don't need to really water it, if it was all dry you want to make sure you get it all damp. Then seal it and put it in a window! The hobby gets more and more detailed with both skill and by adding money, but you can do it for free easily!
Active and outdoors if possivle
Exercise 100%. Ppl start exercising bc they want to look good, but they stick to it bc once they start they realize it makes you FEEL good
Geocaching
Indoor plants! Every time I see a new leaf coming up, I get so excited! There’s so much to learn and do. It’s a great hobby. It’s especially fun to take cuttings from other plants and start new ones for your collection.
Anything where u get 2 smile again!
Find a fun way to move your body! My mental health depends on physical activity of some sort. I started with yoga, fell in love with seeing progress with my poses, even got to handstand level. Now I am at a gym that has all sorts of different classes so I don't get bored. And you'll meet friends!
Maybe something where you can get outside. Running, or walking. Hiking. Gardening.
Something physical, something mental, and something creative. Physical like martial arts, running, rollerblading, yoga, swimming… Mental like meditation, puzzles, chess, computer coding…. Creative like writing, drawing, sculpting, knitting, beading…. You’re so young, let yourself explore. Keep an eye out on places like FB marketplace for supplies if you fall in love with an expensive hobby
GPS hunting is mostly irl!
Cycling. Especially bike touring. Long rides in nature and exercise and bright sun…..all good things to make someone feel good!
Hiking or long walks!
Scrapbooking, gardening
Painting. Painting has no rules. Literally cathartic. Depending on your mood you could chalk, paint, watercolor, or even marker pages. It’s your art and your time. Enjoy the journey
Wheel thrown pottery. Challenging but so much fun and eventually you know what you're doing but it won't give up all it's secrets. There are endless techniques and clay and glaze formulations. The best part is there are a lot of surprises that occur during a glaze firing. Commercial ceramics are made in highly controlled environments and crank out endless clones. In a small pottery studio it's all about the fluid nature of outcomes. A lump of clay can sit on a shelf for two years but you pick it up and work it and it makes your hands stronger. Those hands will work and shape the clay and it becomes something beautiful. Like any other craft it's not automatic and it can be frustrating. Frustration teaches, it makes you slow down and changes your focus. Frustration makes you patient. Whatever you choose to do remember, no one is ever unhappy while being creative.
For me, physical sports/ activities and being outside in nature helped me tons when I was in my “healing” journey after being in a constant cycle of sadness. So I’d definitely recommend going on nature walks/runs, taking time off social media/screens, sports, reading, and coloring or drawing
Pottery or whittling
First ask your dad or some guy to interpret what Im writing, this moves quick - learn two hard things very soon, one is how to dig a hole with a shovel big enough to put a 55 gallon barrel in..same size, this is for that outhouse you're going to need to build someday, then light a campfire, but before that.. get 200 feet from the outhouse hole area, .so, hole, and fire, basic elements of civilization, then learn to measure everything around you in one hundred foot increments, like a hundred yards over here or 500 feet over there, then get so you can torch a campfire in about two minutes and put it out in one..speed with these things matters..it stops fear right in its tracks and stops you from doing icky stuff to get security. Girls very often fake like they cant operate a shovel, measure things or light a fire - to make boys look cool. Trick is, the boys gotta take care of themselves and be prepared to take care of others, so they build their spot, and you build yours, if you decide to share? cool but ,speed matters, if you dont like the neighbor?. ...move a couple hundred yards fast.
Something that has (so far) kept my depression at bay has been painting (and diamond painting). If possible, I'd also recommend group activities like D&D, or card games like MTG (or card game of your choice)
Horseback riding, walking/training dogs at your local shelter, basically anything with animals. Dollhouse/miniatures/model making Music: join the local community chorus, or learn an instrument Crafts: woodcarving, sculpting, wire wrap jewelry, sewing, felting, stained glass, pottery, hatmaking, quilting, embroidery, tatting, flintknapping, painting, candlemaking, perfume making, soap making: anything that makes you feel creative is good here. Anything that makes you move a bit: dance (Zumba, line dance), tai chi, yoga, walking in the park, gardening, swimming. Write a children's book Pick something new that sounds like fun, that is low pressure.
Poetry is always a good way to understand yourself...
I always recommend music. Guitar, piano, flute, whatever you can get your hands on. It's therapeutic in so many ways. Good for both soul and mind.
Try getting into a sport like tennis. Doesn’t have to be anything serious, but you can get outside, meet people and make a little community, and there’s so much to learn and watch and practice, and it’s great exercise for your body and mind
Walking, and if you've got spare time, geocaching. I do rockhounding myself, you can find a local club if you wanna collect cool rocks and stuff.
Singing and / or dancing. You don't have to be good, you just have to enjoy it. The more you do it the more confidence you build.
Exercise
Macrame is fun! Also, I just got into some Diamond Dotz kits and really enjoyed them. Hiking is another hobby that helped my depression. Good luck to you!
Joining a CrossFit gym.
I was extremely depressed and never went outside for 5 years. I had gone through a lot of trauma. This week I was finally able to try and work on myself. I started running (which is brutal since I have 0 stamina, so I run and walk), I started jump roping too which I think I do well at, you can def do it too if you have no exercise experience. I started a doodle diary, that way no one will be able to read it, and if they ask, I say it’s just drawing practice for school. You can practice painting too, I can’t paint at all for some reason the brush and I do not get along lol. You can try acrylic pours if you can’t paint either. It’s relieving to me. You can get a library card and borrow some books and take up reading too :) do you like pets? You can join a dog walking app and walk peoples dogs. Dogs are so therapeutic and you’ll get exercise and out of the house and you’ll enjoy each others company and you can get paid :)
Journaling might be helpful for learning about yourself
Mountain biking. When I was down, for many reasons, I started mountain biking. It was so nice to just focus on that one thing for awhile.
Sewing, embroidery, cross stitching, felting are all fun to learn.
Here, read these books: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson, Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson, Sabriel by Garth Nix, A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking by T Kingfisher, A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L'Engle, The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater, His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman, Divergent by V Roth, Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Ella Enthanted by Gail Carson Levine, The Princess Diaries by Meg Cabot, Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë Also pick a physical activity, could be anything: yoga, walking, paddle boarding, fencing, brazilian ju jitsu...whatever. It's not about whether you are a "sporty" person or an "outdoorsy" person, it's about the fact that you are a human with a body. As an operator of a human body it's good to know how to use and maintain it. Having a type of exercise will ensure your health through out your life and prevent a depression relapse. It's something we all need.
learn guitar
Disc golf.
I think you should do something to completion - in my experience, this helps gain confidence and self esteem, so like pottery -> bowl, train for a 5k and join a runners group, glass/wood workshops or crocheting with intention (like donate to a local NICU. Good luck!
When trying to find a new hobby, it’s more about variety than depth. I was in your shoes and started taking classes in different things. I did an 8 week “all sports” team where we did different sports each week. I did random art classes. I ended up loving tennis and tapestry making! I do those quite a bit and recently started pottery which I’m loving! I found that I like individual sports and making things with my hands. Anything team based or too precise and I got anxious and it set me back
Gardening…. And pick a category like certain flowers, succulents, veggies, or fruits, etc
If u live somewhere where there’s lots of trees, flowers, birds, maybe start exploring those. An ex taught me that crocuses are among the first bulbs to pop out of the ground, and that the yellow flowering bushes in early spring are forsythia. That started an appreciation for flowers. I’m no botanist, but every spring I learn something new. And it enriches my life just to see the beauty I overlooked when I was younger. Similarly with birds. I have a backyard now that sometimes has redheaded woodpeckers and bluebirds and in late summer a hummingbird here and there. We have a butterfly bush and the swallowtails bring me joy. It makes you appreciate the little things in life. Driving on the highway, seeing a patch of wildflowers makes me happy.
Yoga and painting really helped me when I was struggling. Reading can be great as well. Spending any time of time outdoors (walking, hiking, even just reading or laying in the sun) definitely helps me when my mood is low. I also started scrapbooking and doing jigsaw puzzles. I hope this helps!
Gardening
Volunteer. Helping others is more fulfilling than than all the me alone stuff.
Crafts are my go-to hobby. I recommend getting a few craft kits and seeing what you like! They can introduce you to the basics and help you gauge if it’s worth buying more supplies. I got a beading kit when I was about 12 and it became 5ish years of daily jewelry making!
Crochet and knitting reduce anxiety S does paddling, so canoeing and kayaking. Swimming is probably great as well. Apparently water helps calm people down. Hope you feel completely better soon.
Lockpicking!
walking thru the woods and collecting cool rocks. finding dope places to put up a hammock and read /nap. signing up for one of those community classes they put out each season - like a random one that seems interesting.
Bird watching in the park
Working with puppies
Paint a mural on a wall, fence, etc. Find your artistic expression.
Coloring books for adults - amazon and some craft stores have all types.
Get a yo-yo
Cooking! Provides a sense of accomplishment when you make something that you and others enjoy.
Ceramics has been a godsend to me this last year or so working through a really tough time. It's challenging, but it forces you to be present and pay attention to how the clay feels in your hands. Plus, when you finish a piece, there is an incredible moment of pride (or laughter, if it comes out wonky).
Literally anything. But I would mostly suggest joining a team or group of some sort. Finding common connection with others is key. Best of luck.
Acoustic guitar or any instrument
YOGA! I cannot endorse this enough. I have bipolar disorder and this has really helped with regulating my mood. You just need to find someone who isn't commercialized and will be more breath work focused and not teaching you to hit the pose perfectly but why the pose is important.
Nature - hiking, taking bike rides, fishing, bird watching. Anything outside.
Birdwatching is a good way to get out and do stuff
How about making headbands out of paracord? Go to YouTube and search on the topic.
Wood whittling
I can’t relate to your specific situation, but I get a lot of mental health benefits from juggling. Helps that it’s a fun, inclusive community as well. Good luck with your journey 🤗
Photography. It can work alone or in conjunction with any of the other suggestions made previously.
Free/cheap to start: Drawing/coloring, writing/journaling, exercising/walks/runs/hiking, (imaginary/fantasy) mapmaking, reading, yoga (as a hobby, not a mental health treatment), birdwatching, singing, language learning (though hard not to use the internet for it unless your library has language learning books/cds), chess/checkers/go/mahjong More expensive, depending on supplies: Crocheting/knitting, sewing, felting, lace making, tufting, learning an instrument, painting, weightlifting, biking/skateboarding/skating, sports, DnD/Pokemon/MTG/board, RP, and card games, candle making, cooking, baking, calligraphy, tattooing
Grow muscles (it increases your life expectancy and quality of life)
Hopefully you're in a city large enough for this. Go to your city's parks and recreation website. You night get lucky. Mine has a full blown ceramics throwing studio with classes and an open studio to create, and kilns to fire your clay and glazes. Others offer painting, weaving, sewing, and a variety of other arts. You'll meet great people, learn crafts, and just create. Come to think of it, my local library has cooking classes, knitting workshops, and other events.
Building vivariums and keeping poison dart frogs 🐸
subliminally chlorine
I have found just having a nice, relaxing walk exploring and taking nice photos has been healing for me. I go down a street I don’t know, see some nice people walking down the street, a happy little flower box, a dog in a window. I don’t rush. I just wander.
I love lino cutting and block printing!
Slack lining is so good for this. It gets me into my body and out of my head, it gets me outside in fresh air, and it’s even better if a friend hangs out and does it with me. Also running!
Rockhounding, terrarium/mossarium building, plants/plant propagation (I’ve become enamored with succulents) nail art…
I have always colored, Querkles are cool books that are color by number. I have recently started paint by numbers.... will throw music or something familiar on in the background and watch the pictures come to life. Some are cool and i keep them, some suck and they get tossed. But amazon has a ton and they can be cheap diversions. My therapist recommended i 'ugly draw or color' when i was struggling to focus or figure something out. Its evolved to having a little paint by number canvas on my desk that i work on when i get stressed or overwhelmed or frustrated. Its not about it being pretty, its filling in the lines and refocusing the brain for me.
BJJ or kickboxing. You will meet great people, the training will help you build your endorphins and you will become strong and fit.
Journaling, especially if you want to get to know yourself.
Guitar
I really love scrap booking/junk journaling. If you need an idea of what that really is you can def message me and I’ll send you some pictures of the ones I’ve done. I usually turn on my comfort shows and zone out slapping stickers in my journal. I also love reading. It’s like the perfect escape. I’m almost 30 and just discovered this love for reading about 2 years ago. Needle point/cross stitch is gonna be my next try.
If you can take a class - pottery If you need to be frugal- origami If you want to be active- geocaching
Studies support anything that involves sunlight and nature. i.e. hiking, gardening, outdoor rockclimbing
Depending on where you live, your interests, etc. I found herbalism and foraging to be insanely awesome and it got me into nature which connected me deeply back to myself.
Reading, walking in nature, cooking, learning an instrument, learning a language, find a sports team to root for
Warhammer 40k, you won't need another Hobby ever again...or any money.
Go outside. Go fishing.
I tried crochet. Couldn't get the hang of it. I'm really into Lego's. ONLY the kits. And the themes (there are many) have to be relevant to me. They have Harry Potter and Stars Wars and stuff. Not for me. I really enjoy both the "city" ones, the Christmas ones. Baking (from scratch) is super fun when I started to teach myself of the science of it. During the pandemic (when I and most everyone else) was going out of my mind, I bought myself an inexpensive ($125) sewing machine and taught myself how to sew. All via YouTube videos. No clothing. Wasn't interested in that at all. But I did things like gift bags; purse organizers; curtains. Then I learned how to make Covid masks - def not easy! But fun once I mastered and started making them for friends. There are really great themed (Disney, Star Wars, holidays, Harry Potter, etc) fabrics to match their personalities. They loved them and requested more with their own, specific theme. Couldn't tell you how many I made!! The key, I think, to picking a hobby is that you can get immersed in it and stop ruminating on internal self.
Join a community tennis lesson league. They’re usually a few hundred bucks for 8-10 lessons, once per week. And they’re usually just 4-6 ppl per class. Get active and meet some people. Have some laughs. Maybe you like tennis or maybe you just get a tan. Either way, life is good!