I’ve always loved writing. As a child and throughout my teenage years I loved creating writing. I could write seemingly endless poems. The words flowing through me. Even when tasked with prose in English class, I loved weaving a story together. Relishing the challenge of a writing prompt. I even enjoyed analyzing the poems, prose and plays we explored. The mechanisms of writing as much as the act itself has always been a place of joy for me. It’s the reason I started writing this blog. As I got older the time and creativity I devoted to writing decreased drastically. So I turned my hand to blogging to encourage my writing practise. And here we are almost 5 years later.
For 5 Ways to Ensure Blogging is an Act of Self Care read here.
Writing & Mental Health
Writing can have a profound effect on our mental health. It can be a valuable form of self-care. Research has shown that it can increase self-awareness and decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Through writing we can process how we feel and check in with our thoughts and feelings. Making us more aware of our mental health. It can be a key part of one’s reflective practise should they choose to. Writing can also connect us to others or help us feel connected. By joining a community of writers’ we can reduce isolation. And by reaching out with our words we can feel part of something larger than ourselves.
Creativity is important for our mental health to. And writing is both an opportunity to be creative and invest in our imagination. It can broaden our horizons and our perspectives. We may also find satisfaction and achievement in seeing our thoughts, feelings and the stories we tell ourselves come to life. Lastly, it can provide us a safe space to escape to when the world or our emotions become to loud. Allowing us to have a time out when we need it most.
For 5 Amazing Benefits of Blogging about Mental Health read here.
Reasons to Write
The reasons you write and the reasons I write may be very different; how we write, when we write, what we write. But whatever the reason, writing does something for us. It fulfils a need. Perhaps giving us something that we can’t find elsewhere. In turn writing has helped me in a myriad of different ways. What we seek from writing may not be what we find. But with luck we may discover something new or of great value.
- To learn. I’ve learned innumerable things the longer I write. Whether it’s the construction of a sentence, the rhyming of words or an eye for editing. Writing is a learning curve and there’s always something to discover.
- To process. Writing has helped me work out how I really feel countless times. Whether it’s the emotions I’ve related to an event or experience. Or my opinion on a subject. The opportunity to write gives me space to think it through to it’s conclusion.
- To have a voice. When I write my thoughts become real. Whomever you share them with, writing gives you a voice. It’s just one way to stand up and be counted.
- To be heard. We all need to be heard and understood. At times there may be no words to say; but often many to write. Other times writing may help us find the words which so desperately need to be said. Writing helps us communicate with the world around us. We all need this at times.
- To create. When we write, we create. Our words take form and the visions and images we see in our head or dreams become real. Too often these are kept within us and I wonder what is lost when they are. All forms of writing started in the same place. It’s our creativity which give them power.
- To feel. There is something terribly evocative about writing. The feelings we can imbue in our words can make waves. The words we write could change a perspective or even the world.
- To share. When we write; we share. Writing is a gift that we give. Sharing our creativity, our viewpoint, our thoughts and feelings. It can connect us to others and create a sense of community.
What are your thoughts on writing? Why do you write and how does it help you? As always, let us know below.
So true. Writing is not just work or hobby. It’s also a good therapy. My mental health improves when I started active writing again in 2019. By writing, I’m able to express myself and it gain make me confident.