5 Forms of Writing that Can Help Your Mental Health
We all know that writing can have a therapeutic impact on our mental health, if it’s something you enjoy or can get into. However, being told that doesn’t guide you to what to write. We often think of writing as novels and books, essays and stories. You don’t have to be an author or student to get into writing!
In this week’s video we’re discussing 5 different forms of writing that can help your mental health, which you can watch below on our YouTube Channel:
The Five Forms
In the video above, we’re talking about different types of writing that you can utilise in different ways to better your mental health. These are:
Poetry - Poetry can be a great way to focus in on a thought or feeling and get them onto a page. Poetry can take many different forms and structures, leaving you with room for creativity and use of words and language. We spoke more in-depth about poetry on our article here.
Letters - Call me old-fashioned, but I love a good letter (not the bill type though!) In terms of our mental health, letters are a great outlet to get those thoughts and feelings towards a person, or yourself, out of your head and not quite said, but communicated at least. I’ve written letters to bullies, telling them how they made me feel and what I thought of them; I’ve written letters to myself, telling me how I shouldn’t be too hard on myself and that missed opportunities shouldn’t be dwelled on (because I wouldn’t be doing this right now. Or maybe that isn’t a good thing…) Once they’re written, they don’t have to be sent. You can burn them, tear them up, keep them hidden away until you feel ready to let go of them. There’s just something so satisfying about writing a letter, because it’s as close to saying things to a person’s face as you can get without… well, saying it to the person’s face.
Diaries - I know a lot of people that love keeping diaries to stay organised, but they can be a great reflection tool. If you get into the habit of writing down even small events, outings and achievements for each day, it can give you a great record of the things you have done and the times you enjoyed.
Journaling - Journaling is great if you like a bit of everything. When you have a journal, you can use it as a way to vent, moan, rant, talk about negatives but also for writing about good memories, inspirational thoughts and idea, motivational quotes, pictures, doodles… it’s essentially a book of you and the things that are close to you.
Stories - If you love being creative and using your imagination, story writing will be up your alley. Whether you immerse yourself in a different or ideal world, or write about your future self and where you want to be; story writing can take you out of your current situation and give you a breath of fresh air for a short while, giving you a break and room to be yourself.
Do you use writing as a way of coping with your mental health? Was there anything on that list that you are thinking about giving a go? Let me know in the comments below.
Until next time, stay happy, stay healthy and stay positive. And remember, someone out there cares about you, so if you need help or feel like chatting, reach out.
Beth
