How LEGO Is Being Used to Reduce Stress, Combat Childhood Trauma, and Manage PTSD

LEGO bricks, the beloved toys of many childhoods, are proving to be more than just a pastime. They have become a therapeutic tool for managing stress, childhood trauma, and PTSD in both children and adults.

Therapeutic Benefits of LEGO

The therapeutic benefits of LEGO stem from their ability to help individuals zone out while playing with them. For those who are overstressed or dealing with trauma, the act of snapping together the bricks and following precise instructions can offer a mental escape, refocusing their brains on something positive and constructive.

Healing from Trauma

Dr. Jay Watts, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Psychotherapist, emphasizes the importance of play in healing from trauma. According to Dr. Watts, play helps to reawaken an inner child that may have been too scared or damaged to move forward, aiding in the healing process.

Retired Army Medic Robin Krauth found solace in building a 1,000-piece LEGO set of the Hogwarts Castle from the Harry Potter series. Despite not playing with LEGO as a child, she discovered that the activity significantly calmed her down. Krauth’s experience in Iraq, where she faced daily mortar fire and a distressing murder-suicide incident, left her with deep trauma. Building LEGO sets helped her focus and let go of her fears temporarily.

Another trauma victim, AJ, shared with Canary Media that LEGO provides a mental break. He finds relief in both following instructions and building creatively, allowing him to switch off his mind and distract himself from overwhelming thoughts.

LEGO in Pediatric Care

Recognizing the potential of their toys for therapeutic purposes, LEGO has sent over 600 toy sets designed to resemble magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines to help ease children’s anxiety during scans. This initiative highlights LEGO’s commitment to using their products for good.

Adult Fans of LEGO (AFOL)

LEGO has long targeted adult fans by releasing nostalgic sets from the 80s and 90s, such as those based on the TV show Friends, and aesthetically pleasing sets like bonsai trees. Adult fans have played a crucial role in sustaining LEGO during times of poor sales, finding comfort in the meditative nature of building with the bricks.

Supporting Mental Wellbeing

LEGO hired Abbie Headon, a 44-year-old English author, to write a book on using LEGO for mental wellbeing. Headon’s book, Build Yourself Happy: The Joy of Lego Play, published in 2022, provides strategies for adults to reduce stress using LEGO.