Writing Therapy is Good for the Soul

It is well known that writing about your troubles will lessen mental and physical stress. It will not cure heart disease or any other ailment, but it will alleviate associated depression. Although it may be difficult at first, after a few weeks it will make a big difference in your outlook and perhaps lessen the need for medicine.

Writing about any subject with emotional connections may provide the most relief, and open new pathways of coping and lessening the pain. It may bring focus on long-neglected goals and necessary life changes.

The relaxing power of writing is proven to improve immunity to the common cold and other minor ailments. Writing may bring new insight into events that seem baffling, thus reducing psychic stress. Putting feelings into words is not new, as Freud did the same with his talking cure. A variation of writing therapy is art therapy, where people can use various art mediums to express their feelings.

Writing opens new avenues of discovery without limits for an entire lifetime, and unlike a phone call, you don't have to hang up when writing. Writing therapy has shown little effect on deep rooted bad habits such as smoking and overeating.

Keeping a journal and writing a list of good things in your life is a great stress reliever, even just a weekly entry. Only you will read what you write, and it may be helpful to destroy it immediately, thus eliminating the worry that someone else will read it. Find a quiet place sometime during your day, and spend 20 minutes writing nonstop, without editing. Let yourself go and write whatever comes to mind, just let it all out while remaining aware that exploring painful memories or emotions may stop you and force you to take an unplanned break.