4 Interesting Mental Health Benefits Of Collecting

Being a collector can be a very satisfying experience. You may hunt for months for a unique item that rounds out your collection perfectly or provides increased value to the collection.

Collecting is a way to relax and a way of connecting with others. Psychologists know that engaging in an absorbing hobby can help reduce stress, and they are finding that collecting helps improve their patient’s mental health. Fostering a healthy interest in collecting stamps, glassware, coins, seashells, antiques or other speciality items can provide a wealth of concrete benefits.

1. Stress reduction

Collecting requires that individuals give their time and focus to the study of the item, its history, its value and many other characteristics. This absorption in a task that is not dictated by work requirements or personal relationships makes it the perfect method for reducing stress. Collectors can escape from troubling thoughts or depressing experiences by spending time absorbed in the details of their collection.

2. Personal affirmation

Once you start putting stamps in a collection or collecting coins, you’ll find that collecting begins to become a part of your self-identity and part of how others identify you. It is something an individual becomes known for, and a topic that others can refer to in conversation with you. Collecting is a great way of affirming your own unique personality and how other people see you.

3. Improved focus and memory

Collecting objects requires that you focus on the business at hand in minute detail. Collectors often need all their powers of observation and memory to evaluate an object. This process may mean recalling articles they have read or conversations with others in regard to the subject. Exercising the brain in this manner can help to improve concentration and memory skills.

4. Collecting aids in building relationships

Individuals that collect items are passionate about their subject and often attend conventions and participate in online forums regarding it. They are more likely to form friendships around the topic that leads to personal satisfaction and reduces loneliness and isolation. Deep interest in the particular item can provide hours of conversational topics for those who collect.

Not everyone is a collector by nature. However, anyone can enjoy the mental health benefit from the actions and philosophy of collecting treasured items. If you don’t collect anything now, consider the types of subjects you enjoy. Whether it is artworks, stamps from around the world, ceramic figurines or model cars, you can derive a significant amount of satisfaction from the act and process of collecting.

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