Therapy in Writing
Writing has been proven to be a successful act of self therapy. It is now common place for psychologists to prescribe journaling to their patients to better diagnose triggers and map out disturbances. I, myself, used writing as a way to surmount an overpowering desire to commit suicide before my therapist had even suggested using journaling. It hadn’t been the first time I had used the written word to help me through a difficult time, but it was the first time I had connected writing with psychological wellness.
I discovered my talent for writing when I was in the fifth grade.
I wrote my first poem during an assignment in class and, thanks to my mother, saw it published in one of The National Poetry Societies anthologies. This had been a startling achievement for me, up to this point. I had been having difficulty with grades in school and was often in trouble for my moodiness during family situations. I’d begun to spend exorbitant amounts of time locked away in my room, but thanks to this sudden ability to turn simple words into absorbing pieces of art I found myself in the family spotlight. Though awkward with all the sudden attention I enjoyed the way my mother’s eyes would light up when she read something I had written; how she would read it, out loud, to the rest of my family. I began writing more, fervently seeking acceptance in my silent, subtle way.
I was horrible at keeping a daily journal, but I began writing down the stories that were always running rampant in my head; my overactive imagination was finally good for something. When the yelling would start I would disappear into my own world, becoming someone else. Grounded for weeks due to bad grades, I would spend my time reading books and writing stories. It became a release to express the turmoil slowly building inside of me by taking out all of my pent up anger on someone who wasn’t real, someone I had complete control over. When my parents finally divorced I disappeared into my stories for an entire summer. This fictional gambit had helped me deal with more stress than someone my age would have otherwise been capable of dealing with. Later, when I was 24, I learned from my therapist that my disconnection from reality had actually kept me from developing a far worse condition and I was more capable of dealing with the disorder because of it.
Millions of people around the world use journaling as a form of self therapy every day. Blogging is a form of journaling. It is an expression of self, though far more public than the lock-and-key journals a lot of people grew up with, and, through the open support of the people who share these sites, can help build confidence and self-esteem. Next time you feel overly stressed I would suggest writing it out. See where you are when you are done.
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