In several studies, participants who have experienced a traumatic event have been encouraged to spend just a few minutes each day writing in a diary-type account of their deepest thoughts and feelings about it. The results revealed a remarkable boost in their psychological and physical well-being, including a reduction in health problems and an increase in self-esteem and happiness.
So why would talking about a traumatic experience have almost no effect but writing about it yield such significant benefits? From a psychological perspective, talking and writing are very different. Talking can often be somewhat unstructured, disorganized, even chaotic. In contrast, writing encourages the creation of a story line and structure that help people make sense of what has happened and work towards a solution. In short, talking can add to a sense of confusion, but writing provides a more systematic, solution-based approach (Jeff Atwood 2011).
Writing is my favorite hobby besides photography. While some of my pieces may disturb some readers it is extraordinarily therapeutic for me. Through prose I can shed some of that pulsating rage that's coursing through my veins. I have this inability to express myself to those I'm close to, but I'm able to cryptically bleed on paper for complete strangers. I enjoy seeing how many people can decipher my messages(very few do), and if I help someone along the way the reward is that much sweeter.
