Therapeutic writing

Already from childhood, many children begin to write our little secrets in diaries. The need to capture thoughts in writing arises very early and is highly positive. The benefits of therapeutic writing are multiple, organizes ideas, helping to make decisions and minimizes stress, since writing is similar to speaking. And it serves as a relief.

It is always better to talk and get negative feelings and experiences out. But sometimes it’s just not possible. Either because we do not decide to go to a psychology professional or we do not have trusted people who can understand us. This is when writing can become a process of therapeutic improvement.

It should never be a substitute for speaking, but if it is not possible to do so for any reason, writing is a good option. Besides writing makes negativity come out, which, if not written or spoken, would remain internally and harm you. Furthermore, over time it usually comes out abruptly, in the form of anxiety, stress or illness.

There are countless cases of internal tensions that transform in physical pain. Such as headaches, migraines, vision distortions, back pain, stomach problems, rises or falls in blood pressure, palpitations, dizziness, etc.

Therefore, it is important for each person to express in some way the problems they have in their daily life and to bring out everything they have inside. In the long run, If we keep the negativities to ourselves, they will end up coming out somehow in the form of physical discomfort. It is called psychosomatization.

How to carry out therapeutic writing

Therapeutic writing is writing without worrying about aesthetics. Grammar and the form of expression, in these cases, must be taken care of, but they are the least important. In fact, if we are careful that it is written correctly it will not work. We are not going to teach it or publish it. Therefore, The only important thing is to let everything come out naturally.

As you write, you go through different emotional states. And it’s good give free rein to those emotions and express them as they come, without fear.

If we have stops where we don’t know what to say we could be blockedpain

The positive thing about therapeutic writing is that there are no restrictions. Many times, when we have to tell someone we trust about a problem, we leave things out of shame or fear. But in writing we are alone with ourselves and we know that, once we finish writing, no one will see it because we will erase it or tear the paper.

We do not have to save these writings to reread them, it is recommended that once written we get rid of the text, since reading it again could confuse us instead of helping us. Every feeling expressed It is part of a moment of emotional boiling, so it cannot be taken as valid for other days.. In the writing it would be positive to analyze how the negative event affected us at the time and how we feel now, thus differentiating that they are different stages we can see if an improvement occurs.

New thoughts after writing

Oneself, after having vented and expressed everything one feels in writing, will go through the process of looking for solutions and wanting to overcome it. Usually, after spending a few days venting the conflict and discomfort we feel, you move towards another stage in which new thoughts appear.

Since we have already let go of everything bad and let off steam, the interior is cleaned of the past and a look towards the future is produced and search for solutions. Since everything has already been taken out, there is no room for regrets or frustrations. Because they’re already out. Now we just have to accept it and start living new experiences again.

Like everything, it has its negative side

Writing can not always be of help. Like everything, depends on how it is applied and if the person has the ability to help themselves.

There may be cases of people who have used writing to delve deeper into the negative and regret again and again for what happened. Blaming himself, without hope and sinking further. In these cases, writing can be a bad practice, because the person does not advance or learn from mistakes, they limit themselves to writing the negative life they had and there is no room for growth or hope.

To detect if it is therapeutic writing or not It is important to analyze what feelings we had the initial two or three days of writing and what feelings we have in the present. They have improved? Is there room for hope? Do we see the future positively? If not, we would need outside help to close the negative stage and start moving forward with hope.

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