We all go through tough times once in a while, or for others, most of the times. These times are inevitable to all human beings, but it is how you deal with the pain and agony that matters the most. Breakups and divorce, traumatic accidents, the death of a loved one, financial crisis, losing a job, mental health issues are some of the things that emotionally and psychologically hurt us.
There are methods that people use to heal or get over the emotional pain they feel; talking about it to a trusted person, seeking professional help, taking some time away, involving oneself in physical activities like running, swimming, cycling, etc. But there is also a therapeutic way in which a person going through emotional pain can use as a healing tool; writing!
For many years, writing has been used as a way to help those burdened with pain release their stress. It has been recognized as a sure way to help people let go of pent up anxiety, anger, bitterness, and resentment. A large percentage of people in the world suffer from mental disorders and doctors have encouraged the use of writing as a way to relieve the stress and cope with their situations. Putting things down in words helps to empty the mind of negative thoughts, helps balance emotions and assists us to slow down when we feel like we are spiraling. For example, a person suffering from depression can use writing as a coping mechanism when they are feeling sad. In turn, this will help the person know what to do when they are feeling down.
Writing helps in understanding a situation and dealing with the pain brought about by it. Assuming you lost your job unexpectedly and was left whirling from the whole situation, writing will definitely help make sense of things. Going back to the written piece will help understand and accept the cards one has been dealt with. Wording it down on paper helps us deal and candidly accept the situation and in turn, the burden that was weighing you down will be lifted.
When we write after the tragic loss of a loved one, we are able to let go, accept the situation and bring closure to our feelings. We see and hear many heartfelt letters and poems written by grieving people not only as a perfect way to honor those who have passed away but as a way to mourn and bring closure to themselves. Writing it down helps release the emotional turmoil you are going through.
Forgiveness comes in many forms; verbally, using your actions, and also, writing it down. When someone has offended you or vice versa, tempers usually rise and sometimes, one may harbor negative feelings of hatred and resentment towards another. The pain of betrayal is usually a heavy burden to walk around with. A perfect way to ask someone for forgiveness, especially if you really hurt the other person, is by writing it down. This shows that you have carefully thought it out and brings sincerity to it. When a person who really hurt you also apologizes to you by writing down the apology, you will tend to take it more seriously and earnestly.
When we have gone through a lot of pain and emotional baggage and need some change in our lives, then writing down our experiences will definitely help in the healing process. Take an alcoholic or drug addict who has caused a lot of pain to himself and his family. One way of achieving an understanding of the pain is by writing about it. By this, he will be able to view things from a different perspective. He will be in a better position to achieve the change he needs when he writes and reads about his experiences and use it as a definite point of reference.
Lastly, writing promotes growth, self- awareness, and self-knowledge which are key ingredients to healing. You are able to learn a lot about the world through writing, understand yourself much better and be able to get over situations more easily. When writing about your experiences or behavior, you are able to handle things differently as you can refer to what to do and what not to do. Discipline is also achieved when we write often e.g. at a specified time or for a certain amount of time. You will be able to hold yourself accountable with your writing especially if the writing is doing a lot of good in your healing process.
Note that when writing to heal or get over a situation; always have a positive approach to things. Although you are going through tough times, try to incorporate some positivity; this way, you are able to heal more easily. Honesty should also be employed at all times. It is only by being honest with ourselves that we are able to push through and get better.
When you get the gist of writing and see some improvement in your journey to healing, you might even consider writing about other things; things or people around you. You could just end up a well-renowned writer.