maritime modelling as therapy

[Maginot]

Someone I know with a maritime background and MS has recently started building WWII warships. He observes that this has eased some of his symptoms and doubled the drug-free days a week. Nine down and still going strong.

 

 

[TonyW]

That's really good to see.

 

A mate of mine works for a brain injury charity. He started a model building club there and it has been a quite amazing success. It's one of the most popular therapies used there.

[johndon]

I'm absolutely convinced that modelling can help, 8 years ago I lost my dad and my wife within 6 months of each other and modelling was one of the things that kept me going through it all...

[Bertie McBoatface]

I've often found life really difficult, sometimes almost intolerable, and model making has provided a convenient and easily available place to go 'outside real life'. It's a holiday in a box. Invaluable.

[Jagdtiger1]

I have depression, anxiety and schizotypal disorder/schizophrenia (and whatever else the idiot doctors couldn't be bothered to listen to) and on the whole I can't say modelling really helps with anything for me. It has never once stopped me thinking about or trying to kill myself. Never made me have the courage to go outside into the world. Never made the shadows or voices disappear.

 

Why do I make models? I don't know. Why am I alive? I don't know. I just do it.

 

That aside though, peeling back the masking tape after painting or putting on the last finishing touches to a big ship is a really good feeling. So its really uplifting to hear that modelling can provide so much relief to others.

 

James.

 

P.S. Where did he get those shelves? They're very nicely sized.

Edited August 30, 2022 by Jagdtiger1

[Bertie McBoatface]

1 hour ago, Jagdtiger1 said:

Where did he get those shelves? They're very nicely sized.

 

I think they are Billy bookcases from IKEA

 

1 hour ago, Jagdtiger1 said:

a really good feeling

 

I just finished a painting a bust It's a grotesque witch figure, a tribute to the Ex-Mother in Law, and it's made me grin from ear to ear as well as stopping me thinking about stuff for a couple of hours. A really good feeling is a nice thing and a distraction is useful at times too. 

 

However, your post reminded me that modelling isn't really therapy, not psychotherapy anyway. In this thread we are just casually using the word in the semi-jokey, semi-unthinking way that's become fashionable. For one thing, modelling is far too easy to be much use as real therapy for serious psychological stuff such as you mention. Therapy means changing things, curing something, and a hobby won't do that.

 

I hope that you find some means of easing your problems and wish you all the pleasures and distractions of the hobby too. 

 

Good luck mate.

[Maginot]

Quote

Where did he get those shelves? They're very nicely sized.

Quote

I think they are Billy bookcases from IKEA

 

Spot on, @Bertie McBoatface. For my 1/48 aircraft and 1/35 AFVs, I use a smaller dimension Billy with a glass door to keep out the dust. They're fun to put together. I always think that when standup comics utter an assembly joke about Ikea products, it's cheap humour. They either haven't followed instructions or are not good with their hands.

 

 

Yes, my use of the word therapy is very loose indeed (slack!). I certainly wouldn't classify modelling as therapy in the medical sense. But it is a creative pursuit that develops manual skills and encourages other activities such as reading for research and decision making. So it's good for the mind (perhaps soul in some people's vocab). For my own mental health, I think working with native (Australian) wildlife and plant conservation, citizen science projects and the occasional environmental activism works wonders for my self esteem and inner peace/balance. It's rewarding, connects me to a larger process and makes me feel I'm pulling my (considerable) weight. Just saying 🤓

 

FYI: the ships in the Billy bookcases up top are 1/350 scale.

 

ps: My maritime mate had a checkup recently and came back with flying colours. His MS symptoms have not developed further.

[Maginot]

And, ladies and gentlemen (and bald-headed babies), belonging to and participating in the BMer community is a terrific bonus to making models. Thank you for your camaraderie.

[ArnoldAmbrose]

2 hours ago, Maginot said:

And, ladies and gentlemen (and bald-headed babies), belonging to and participating in the BMer community is a terrific bonus to making models. Thank you for your camaraderie.

Gidday all, as far as I'm aware I don't have mental issues (some who know me will probably disagree 😁), none that have been diagnosed anyway. But I'm somewhat reclusive and antisocial by nature, plus going deaf into the bargain so I don't directly interact with the rest of the human race much. I used to make my model ships quietly and alone, and was somewhat embarrassed to do so, thinking it was a kid's hobby.

       But joining Britmodeller and the ATF (Airfix Tribute Forum) has opened a whole new world for me. Like @Maginot says, the camaraderie is terrific, as is the help and knowledge base available to share.

 

On 8/31/2022 at 3:42 AM, Jagdtiger1 said:

peeling back the masking tape after painting

Yeah, that's a good feeling, as is saying   -   "I'm calling this one DONE!" 

 

Model ships are my thing and to date I've done about fifty, the majority being 1/600 scale. I display them in a glassed-in display cabinet similar to but wider than those above. I can display two ships end to end.

Access is from either side. It's a great display cabinet but the glass front and mirror at the back make photography difficult.

 

Anyway, I've probably bored you all enough now.       Regards, Jeff.

[europapete]

That's a great collection there Jeff. I hope someday to actually finish a model that I can display. Mind you, if they were 1/600 instead of 1/200 and 1/72 ships, then I might stand a better chance! 

Maginot, yes I agree, this is a great hobby for closing out the world for a while.  Being self employed and an elderly caregiver there is not much time left over in a day to spend on hobbies, and more often than not it seems when I do sit at the bench I am too mentally exhausted to do much more than fondle the plastic and make plans about what I need to do to this kit than any actual building progress. Regards, Pete in RI

[Maginot]

Can highly recommend joining a Group Build (GB), @europapete. You can propose a subject, vote for a subject (or six) or just participate in one that takes your fancy. For me, starting a model is easy (purchasing is even easier). Following through to a finished model I find almost impossible. I'm 4 days into my first GB and have made more progress than usual. I do believe I'll finish this project. Quick smart! I feel motivated. It's great fun being in the mix with others. (Scuse me if you're already in a GB and I haven't spotted you).

[ArnoldAmbrose]

6 hours ago, europapete said:

Being self employed and an elderly caregiver there is not much time left over in a day to spend on hobbies,

I admire anyone who's prepared to give up their time to look after others.

 

6 hours ago, europapete said:

when I do sit at the bench I am too mentally exhausted to do much more than fondle the plastic and make plans about what I need to do to this kit than any actual building progress.

I know this is easy for me to say, but perhaps in an evening sit at your model and decide what is the next thing to do, even if it's a simple job like painting one life-boat or gluing one single bit of plastic to another. And then if that's it for the evening put it aside for the next. The next evening simply pick it up and do it before thinking about anything else. Then you will have achieved something, moved that little bit closer towards completion. As I said, easy for me to say, but I've had to force myself sometimes when mojo is a bit lacking. HTH.       Regards, Jeff.

[europapete]

Hi Jeff, yep, I have tried group builds in the past and even starting build threads. Trouble is that it takes me so long to do anything that they sort of time out. I don't believe it's a mojo thing, more of a time thing. Even if I didn't have this hobby, I would still be brain dead and just crash on the couch in front of the gogglebox. So, I think the hobby is great! it prevents that scenario lol

Edited November 4, 2022 by europapete
added text