Are You Feeling Overwhelmed? Write It Down!

Can Writing Improve Your Mental Health?

As an avid reader, a lot of people would assume that I am a writer. Before, this assumption would have been way off the mark because I was a very lazy reader. For me, reading was an escape, it certainly wasn’t a gateway for me to start writing. However, fast forward to the present and I am now an avid writer!

If I were to tell you what began my journey back to mental health, the answer would be writing. I remember it like it was yesterday. During the lockdown (Covid), I challenged myself to start coloring outside the lines and ventured into putting words to paper. Symbolically enough the first words I started writing down were from the Bible.

Every day without fail, I would write down a scripture in my fancy new journal, then close the book and keep it moving. I did this for 3 months straight, and somehow all the words I wrote down started resonating with me in a strange but remarkable way. I found myself slowly changing but couldn’t pinpoint what was causing the shift and how it was happening. Suddenly, my mind was not as consumed with dark and depreciating thoughts as it had been before, and my spirit just felt lighter (there is just no other way to explain it). At the time I didn’t see the connection, but hindsight always proves true. Now I recognize that it was in the act of writing that my healing journey began. It’s funny how life works, that the thing I was averse to the most would result in my subsequent mental healing.

Don’t take my word for it, have a look at what the professionals have to say. Research shows that writing can enhance self-awareness, ultimately decreasing depressive symptoms, anxious thoughts and perceived stress. From journaling to creative writing, the benefits of writing are numerous and can range from reduced stress and anxiety, to improved self-esteem and resilience.

So go on, live on the edge and write something down. Like me, it might just change your life.