I come from a family of writers .My great grand father,my grandfather,my mother,  they all were fantastic writers and I always thought it was a gift they had,something special…They did!

I don’t have that gift which I admire , but what I want to share today is something else  .At my early fifties  I have discovered that, who cares if it is not good enough for anyone else to read,writing heals!!! Writing allows you to take distance from what is going on ,have perspective and, magically or, not…it helps you feel significantly better .

As a psychologist I know that talking about difficult experiences can be a way of easing the emotional pain of trauma and ,I insist , writing about them ,has also that magical effect .I have used writing in therapy as a tool.I send people home to write letters, diaries, notes …In a notebook or , on the phone… I do it with  those who have had difficulties talking, and  with those who are stuck in a situation … .Some have had great results ,none mentioned it harmed …

Searching around you will find many studies,that prove it. Writing has been effective in a number or conditions ,many for which stress can be a causative or exacerbating factor .It improves disease severity and cognition in irritable bowel syndrome patients with longer term disease,reduces in resting blood pressure levels ,reduces anxiety and depressive symptoms in trauma related  cognition and general behavioral problems in children with post traumatic stress disorder…and on and on …Just search around and see all the serous university studies  that prove it!

What ever the secret is  when  we write about something, we  get to see it in a different way…How writing brings health benefits ,to me is unknown,the underlying mechanism is likely to be complex ,but it does .It helps.

So,just take it as a quick advice,tip or what ever you want to call it…Go ahead and write! Write,write for yourself,write and send it to others Just to release pain ,write to calm your soul or just just to play .

Keep in touch and let me know what you think

Regards

Ines