How Origami Saved Me

The winter months and the holiday season can be especially difficult for people struggling with depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. I find myself making origami a lot more during the winter months and I have recently discovered why. Origami can help with depression, calm anxiety and brighten dark days.

The Merry Go Round

This is hard for me to share but here goes… I’ve struggled with depression and bipolar disorder most of my life and origami has always been a beacon of light through the darkest of times. I started folding origami as a child when symptoms were just beginning and at a time where people had little understanding of mental disorders. Most of us with mild cases went untreated and only were thought to be behavior problems. My illness wasn’t diagnosed until I was almost thirty and treatments were hit and miss. Some medications helped with symptoms and had awful side effects and others made symptoms even worse. It was a terrible merry go round for many years until I made lifestyle and diet changes with the help of my doctor to control the symptoms. It was also a relief to know I wasn’t a bad person but was dealing with an imbalance which could be treated.

Origami is Meditation

Learning how to meditate was essential for improving my mental health. To me, folding paper is an act of deep meditation. It always calmed racing or random thoughts and allowed me to focus my energy on something joyful and positive. Engaging the eyes and hands and both hemispheres of the brain leaves little room for negative thinking as well. There’s also great sense of satisfaction figuring out a complex origami design which can boost self esteem.

Origami is Pleasurable

Origami also activates the pleasure center of the brain creating a sense of well being. Folding keeps me focused on the present moment while navigating the folds. A depressed person tends to withdraw from the world and the people in it. Giving and sharing origami connects us with others which I believe is essential for a healthy mind and heart.

Origami Can Help

I am happy to say I’ve been off medications for over fifteen years and feel pretty great most of the time. Occasionally, mild symptoms return and when I feel unfocused, sad or confused, I turn to my old friend Origami. It always works to calm my mind and gives me a purpose for that moment which is all I really have. I love the challenge of making something beautiful out of a simple sheet of paper. Origami has truly saved my life! How has origami touched your life? I would love to hear your story.

We’re Not Alone

Joseph Wu, a well known origami artist opens up on how origami helped him battle depression. I was inspired by his story and hopefully you will be inspired too. Click here to watch to the video.