How Does Writing Help Heal From Trauma
Expressive writing is a type of therapy that asks participants to write about their most difficult thoughts and feelings without regard to the structure of the writing. It is a powerful tool for helping people who suffer from depression, stress, or trauma because it provides a safe and comfortable space for the person to be honest about their experiences.
Researchers have found that people who are able to write about their traumas and emotions often experience less distress over time. This is because writing allows people to process and make sense of their memories.
Research shows that expressive writing is effective for many different types of mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. It has also been shown to improve physical health in some cases.
A New Zealand study, for example, found that expressive writing helped older adults heal faster after a medically necessary biopsy on their arm. The study involved 49 healthy older adults who wrote about upsetting events or daily activities for 20 minutes on three days in a row. The results showed that on the 11th day, 76 percent of the participants who wrote about upsetting events were completely healed compared to 42 percent of the control group.
The researchers said that the lowering of cortisol levels during this writing session may have helped reduce the emotional distress associated with the biopsy and increased the body’s ability to heal itself. In addition, the writing reduced the amount of time spent thinking about the event and improved sleep.
Journalling for PTSD
Writing about trauma is one of the best things you can do to treat a condition such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to veteran Matt Johnson, writing helps people with PTSD understand what they are going through and how it has affected their lives. It is also a great way to clear your mind of any unwanted and unhelpful thoughts and feelings that can distract you from coping with PTSD.
This can be done in a range of ways, from writing a journal to composing a poem or even a short story. The important thing is to find something that you can do regularly and keep it up.
It can be a good idea to keep a notebook and pen with you at all times so that you are always ready to write. You can even set a goal for how much you want to write and achieve this.
The key is to make sure that you are writing about something that is important to you. It could be a past event that you have relived or something that is happening in your life right now.
There are also many other kinds of journaling, like art journaling or poetry. You can also try writing in a different style every now and then to find out what works for you.
Getting Started
The most important thing is to take the time to write about your traumatic experience. You should do it in a quiet place where you will have limited distractions and be able to focus on your writing for at least five minutes.
