It’s the new year and many of us are starting new things or getting back into things we love. It is common to be focused on making positive changes in our lives. Whether it be with physical health, mental health, hobbies, family, or friends, we are all looking to improve something in our lives. But when does a good thing become too much and start hurting us?
Hobbies can be good for mental health
We’ve shared before that hobbies can have mental health benefits because they support both regulation and activation. Many sources have highlighted how hobbies can be especially helpful for people suffering from depression. Some of the most impactful ways hobbies can help include reducing stress, providing intentional mental rest, strengthening our identity beyond our roles, increasing positive emotion, building mastery and self-efficacy, supporting connection and belonging, encouraging presence and mindfulness, and focusing on being rather than doing.
Sometimes, hobbies can take over
Just like anything else, we can have too much of a good thing. While hobbies are generally supportive, they can become unhelpful or even harmful depending on how and why they are being used. If a hobby becomes something you feel you should be good at, it can recreate the same performance stress as work. If we use hobbies as a way to numb or escape rather than restore, they can become problematic. If our hobbies replace meaningful connection, interfere with our other responsibilities, or take over sleep or recovery time, this can become a cause for concern. If our hobbies lead to financial strain, the stress negates the benefit. If we find ourselves comparing our progress to others to the point where the hobby is no longer enjoyable, it may be serving our ego rather than joy.
What can I do if my hobbies have become a problem?
If a hobby starts to feel like a problem, the goal isn’t necessarily to quit, but rather to change your relationship with it. By identifying how it has become a problem, taking a gentle pause, limiting time or frequency, reminding ourselves what motivated us to engage in the hobby in the first place, addressing the underlying need that has led to the hobby becoming excessive, and talking through your experience with someone else, we can ensure our hobbies remain healthy. This is where reaching out to a therapist can help. We recommend seeking professional help when the hobby feels compulsive or out of control, is harmful to finances, sleep, or relationships, is your primary way of avoiding stress, or causes significant guilt, shame or anxiety.
