Confeitaria e saúde mental

Abstract

The word "confectionery" derives from the Latin verb "conficere," related to food preparation. Besides being an ancient practice, confectionery is recognized as a form of occupational therapy, with contemporary studies exploring its relationship with psychological well-being. Mental health, defined as emotional balance and the ability to cope with challenges, is influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors. This work aims to describe the main emotional perceptions reported by the practice of confectionery and analyze personal accounts of the possible emotional effects on confectionery experiences at different production stages. The results of the research on confectionery and mental health, conducted with 103 individuals who answered questions about the psychological effects that making sweet preparations had on their mental health. The sample consisted of valid participants (n=78). The majority of participants (87.2%) reported feeling some positive effect. Participants highlighted several reasons for this, including learning and enjoyment in the product, moments of focus and concentration, therapy and artistic expression, stress relief and fulfillment, positive social effects, female empowerment, and other therapeutic reasons. 88.5% of participants reported an improvement in their mental health through confectionery, 89.4% indicate that this activity can be an effective form of creative therapy; 93.2% of stress and anxiety reduction, and 83.3% reported positive experiences sharing their creations with friends, family, or online communities. Despite the promising results of this research, further investigations are still needed to corroborate and deepen our understanding of the relationship between confectionery and mental health. Additional studies could explore different aspects of this connection, such as the long-term effects of confectionery practice on mental health, the effectiveness of specific confectionery interventions for treating psychological conditions, and the influence of contextual factors, such as the work or social environment, on individuals' experiences.