According to Anxiety and Depression Association of America, depression and anxiety disorders are included in the list of most common mental illness affecting about 40 million adults aging 18 years old and above in the US alone.
This condition is highly treatable but only 36.9% of sufferers receive treatment. Not just in the US but also in many countries all over the world, millions are suffering from depression. There might be countless medications and techniques to cope up but writing is still considered one ideal way to ease depression without resorting to costly pills and techniques.
Even professional writers have their own stories to tell. Carrie Fisher, F. Scott Fitzgerald, JK Rowling, Winston Churchill and Sylvia Path they actually have one trait they all share and that is a severe mental issue. They are sufferers of depression but despite their black clouds and demons, they become successful authors. Writing has become one of the ways they used to ease depression.
If these professional writers can battle depression, you can too. Writing helps ease depression in many ways.
The following are 5 helpful ways to ease depression with writing.
1. Writing Makes Positive Feelings Come to Life
Writing can creatively help you externalize your own feelings and as a result, making it more real. Whether writing fictional stories or writing a journal, parts of your emotions or feelings somehow come out in the forms of contents.
If you got the chance to look back on all those words you have written, you may better understand your feelings. Writing, therefore, sparks insights for better understanding. Another good thing about writing is that along the process, the emotions or feelings that you have been bottling up can be released and this would make you feel lighter and better.
2. Writing Gives You an Escape
When you are writing, you are able to obtain a temporary escape from problems and pressures that depress you. You also enjoy the freedom to write whatever you want to say or express. Through writing, you are also able to create a bridge between your emotions and thoughts.
If you feel like you start to lose control in your life, the fact that your writing is all yours and no one can tell how you should do it can help you feel good. Escape from problems is helpful for depression sufferers and this provides an oasis in times of stress or times that a person is toggling between anxiety and sadness.
3. Writing Reduce Pain and Improves Health
According to some research, writing does not only help ease depression but it also helps reduce pain and improve health. As you write, your blood pressure lowers and this actually has added benefit to keep you calm.
Your depression and physical manifestations are somehow related. During your free time, you can write or read articles on how depression can impact the body. If writing is really your passion, you can get inspiration from professional writers who have become famous despite depression.
4. Writing Provides Sense of Order
It can be therapeutic and this provides a sense of order on ways you perform or do things every day. Also, writing ease depression because this allows you to find patterns in your reactions, thoughts, and feelings. This is also an excellent way of uncovering distortions in your thought patterns. Writing and keeping a journal can also assist you in identifying the flow of your depression.
5. Writing Also Acts as a Tool for Therapy
If you write regularly, you can find out somehow that you are no longer the only one who wants to read your words. The moment you wanted to share your words or writing to others, you’re definitely on your way to healing. Many individuals who attend therapy for anxiety and depression realize that by sharing stories with their therapist, they are able to share their emotions while having silent witnesses as parts of their special journey.
If you find it hard to deal with depression, realize that there are lots of possible things that you can do to cope. Writing is one of them. It can bring your feelings and emotions to the surface. If your worries and thoughts start swirling around, put your pen on the paper. This can ease your depression, cut down the chaos and help make things more manageable for you.
Writing also empowers you since this is something that can help you feel better and help you recognize the good things around. Therefore, you can take advantage and help yourself heal and feel better. Depression is highly treatable and writing can be one of the best parts of your treatment. Take time to think of good things to write and allow yourself to free your emotions while writing. This can help you feel a lot better.
Author’s Bio
Julia Sanderson is creative writer and blogger from New York. She loves traveling and discovering new things every day. Julia has 2 kids.
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Positive Words Research – 5 Ways To Ease Depression With Writing
