Crystals Gain Attention as Adults Seek Simple Ways to Calm Stress
Some of my friends think I am different. I will admit something about myself here, perhaps I am. I have always been open to alternative ideas. I enjoy reading about nontraditional science, new theories in human consciousness, and even the possibility of life elsewhere in the universe.
That curiosity has never interfered with my respect for evidence. Instead, it has made me more aware that human experience is wider than clinical trials alone. You can hold a rational understanding of health and still have room for wonder. That space between what is proven and what is still unknown is where many adults my age find emotional meaning today.
You know stress hits differently after 50. I am always looking for ways to find calm, as stress has a tremendous impact on your body. Your body feels it more. Your sleep reacts faster. Anxiety can flare quicker if you are caregiving, working long hours, or supporting aging parents. This is why so many adults are exploring simple grounding techniques to regulate emotion.
Some people use crystals as part of that routine, not for healing, but as a physical anchor for mindful breathing or calming rituals. Yes, crystals.
Crystals are naturally occurring solid minerals that form under heat and pressure in the earth. Their atoms arrange in repeating geometric patterns, which create their shape, symmetry, and color variation. People are often drawn to crystals because they are visually striking, feel grounding to hold, and have been used symbolically in many cultures for thousands of years.
What Emotional Regulation Really Means
Emotional regulation is your ability to notice and adjust your emotional response. It does not mean avoiding feelings or pretending you are calm. It means learning how to slow your reaction, soothe your nervous system, and return to balance in a healthy way.
Some people build those skills through therapy or meditation. Others use breathwork, journaling, faith practices, or grounding routines. This becomes more difficult with chronic stress, caregiving burnout, health changes, financial pressure, and sleep disruption, all of which are common after 50.
Emotional regulation is a skill you can build. And for some adults, incorporating a physical object during calming practices can become a meaningful part of that process.
Supporting Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Healing
Many people who use crystals believe that holding them or placing them on the body can support physical, emotional, or spiritual healing. This idea is often tied to the concept of “energy fields” or “chakras,” with certain stones associated with stress reduction and others linked to clarity or creativity.
Scientific evidence remains limited. One small experiment presented at the European Congress of Psychology in Rome in 2001 compared people who meditated for five minutes while holding either a real quartz crystal or a glass replica.
Participants’ reported experiences varied most by how strongly they believed in the paranormal. The researchers described the reported power of crystals as “in the eye of the beholder.”
What Science Says About Crystals
Crystals are not proven medical treatments. They should not replace therapy, mental health care, or medication when needed. But some people use them because they offer a tangible, physical object that is easy to hold during mindfulness or deep breathing.
While the science is still evolving, many people report that working with crystals helps them feel calmer, clearer, and more emotionally balanced.
One 2016 qualitative analysis found that symbolic objects can play a felt-support role in integrative emotional healing rituals. The idea is that they anchor attention and intention during moments of stress (Fazzino et al., Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 2016).
A real expert reinforces the limit clearly. In a 2021 interview, Dr. Christopher French, professor of psychology at Goldsmiths, said the effects people attribute to crystals were “almost certainly due to the placebo effect.”
If people believe that a treatment will make them feel better, many of them do feel better … even if it is known to be therapeutically worthless. - Dr. Christopher French, professor of psychology, quoted in Time magazine.
Why Some Older Adults Still Use Them
Even if the benefit is symbolic, tactile objects can help adults slow down their moment of emotion. For example, someone under stress may hold a stone in their hand while breathing deeply for sixty seconds.
That act itself works as it can lower your heart rate. The grounding tool is the ritual — the stone is the symbol. So, did the crystal itself work? In this example, yes.
Common Crystals Used as Mindful Anchors
If you choose to use crystals symbolically, here are three popular stones people select for emotional self-care:
- Amethyst for calming rituals
- Rose quartz for self-compassion routines
- Black tourmaline for emotional boundaries exercises
They are not medicine. They are mindfulness props.
Practical Ways Adults Use Crystals in Self-Care
People incorporate them into already established routines:
- Holding one during a four-count breathing cycle
- Keeping one at bedside to re-center before sleep
- Placing one at a desk to prompt micro-pauses during the workday
These are not medical benefits. Instead, the value lies in how a crystal can help trigger a mindful moment. A physical object can anchor your attention and slow your reaction in a stressful moment.
For many adults, especially over 50, that simple pause is where emotional regulation begins. Tactile objects can serve as a reminder to pause. Pause is a good thing.
Medical Disclaimer
Crystals should never be used as a substitute for professional evaluation or treatment of anxiety, depression, trauma, or other mental health conditions. If you experience persistent symptoms, talk with your doctor.
Stress, Depression, and Long-Term Care
Chronic unmanaged stress raises risk for depression, burnout, and physical decline. This is especially true for not only older adults, but also for family caregivers.
If you provide care for an older parent, you already know how stress can accumulate. Healthy emotional regulation — through evidence-based methods like counseling, exercise, meditation, and routine support — reduces the chance that stress pushes you toward crisis.
If you are a caregiver for a loved one, you already know it is not easy. You are also not alone. Many families are forced into caregiving because planning for aging was delayed or never done.
Balancing being a caregiver with your job and family responsibilities can damage your health, income, and emotional well-being. Use this time to reduce stress, explore respite or professional care options, and make a plan for your own future aging while you still have the time and choices available.
Find quality caregivers, respite care options, and long-term care facilities by using the LTC News Caregiver Directory. The free directory lets you search for extended care providers in your loved one's zip code.
If your loved one has Long-Term Care Insurance, use the tax-free policy benefits to ease the burden on you and ensure quality care for your loved one.
Get help to complete the claim. LTC News partners with Amada Senior Care to provide free claim support with no cost or obligation — File a Long-Term Care Insurance Claim.
Planning now for your future aging will also reduce stress. Long-Term Care Insurance provides access to quality care in the setting you want. It can also help your family remain family, not full-time caregivers.
The LTC News Cost of Care Calculator lets you see real current and future long-term care costs in your state. You can use it as part of your research.
Final Thought
You deserve emotional safety and emotional space. If symbolic objects help you pause and breathe, that is a personal choice within your self-care routine. They are not treatment but they are one small tool that can support mindful attention.
Think about this: what would your stress load feel like two months from now if you practiced even ninety seconds of mindful pause every day?