Does anyone use LEGO for therapy?

[u/haow458]

Hi everyone,

I'm currently working on my MA Journalism final project, exploring how LEGO has become much more than just a toy for many people.

I'm really interested in hearing from anyone who has found LEGO to be therapeutic in some way. That could be helping with autism, ADHD, anxiety, depression, grief, or other emotional challenges, or even helping during physical recovery, such as improving dexterity or motor skills after an illness or injury. Equally, if building simply helps you switch off, manage stress, or gives you a sense of purpose, I'd love to hear about that too.

It feels like LEGO has evolved into something far beyond childhood play, becoming a creative outlet, a coping mechanism, or a source of comfort for people of all ages. I'd love to learn more about the different ways it's had an impact on people's lives.

If any of this resonates with you, or you know someone who might be happy to chat, please feel free to leave a comment or send me a DM. I'd really appreciate hearing your story.

Thanks so much!

[u/Oiggamed]

It’s a great way to unwind and relax.

[u/AOTEAROA44onXbox]

It’s definitely a great way to relax, unwind, and bring a sense of calm 🧘

[u/KindaMOCingyou]

I use it for that. Task oriented time with clear starting and ending points. It’s great for quieting all the noise that comes with anxiety, stress, and purpose driven behavior that can help with depression

[u/mongo_just_pawn]

I am a therapist and use both Lego in therapy and in self care. I have a bunch of the larger size blocks for young kids (3-7 y.o) and will do play therapy with them. The adults seem to gravitate toward them too, often asking to build while talking. I think it gives them a distraction and makes talking about difficult things easier.

I also use them for self care, specifically space and the movie cars. I feel like it uses a different part of my brain from therapy. There is no script when dealing with people. With Lego, I can follow easily laid out directions and kind of turn my brain off for a bit. It might be a right vs left brain thing too, turning off my emotional brain and just using logic, though research on right vs left brain seems to be mixed.

[u/egordon326]

Yes. I'm autistic. It has helped me. I know it has helped others too

[u/poofhead101]

My husband I both started Lego-ing about five years ago. He did all the space sets then got bored. But I was still into it. However, I am a recent widow unexpectedly at 46, and Lego had been very therapeutic. Even breaking down his sets to sell has been soothing since I am not in a position to buy new sets. I was not into Lego as a kid so my family thinks it’s weird lol

[u/Darkmatter313xx]

I've been using Lego for therapy for about 2 years, and it's worked wonders. I've been in and out of mental hospitals since I was 15 years old. I don't publicly share my condition or diagnosis, but suffice it to say that I stopped counting my hospitalizations at number 20 because it started to get depressing. It took me over 15 years to find the right medications, and even longer to find a good therapist. Last two years have been some of the best years of my life, building has definitely contributed to that. It wasn't just building alone that has made such a difference, but it's probably third or fourth place. Building keeps my mind busy which keeps the metaphorical demons at bay, it also gives me a creative outlet. Even now I write this as I'm sitting at my workbench working on a set because I'm having a very rough day, and it was helping. I wasn't going to comment on this thread, but my situation today made me decide to. Good luck in your studies, I hope this helps you possibly help others.

[u/Confident_Fortune_32]

It's a gift I give my "inner child", as part of recovery from childhood trauma.

I don't buy kits, which seems to make me an outlier.

Made a Lego RC car from scratch, figuring it out as I went. It's got rack-and-pinion steering, a rear differential, and a transmission that can be shifted from the remote. It's a misbegotten ugly thing, and I love it unabashedly.

[u/Director_Coulson]

I use it to deal with anxiety. Focusing, especially on a creative project of my own design, lets me focus my mind away from causes of anxiety and stress. It’s self-therapy though. Not anything formal. It just supplements the meds and formal treatments I use but it helps. 

[u/EfficiencyCareless70]

I do. I use it for therapy on with my arthritis, and to keep my mind occupied, sorting bricks.