Mental health has been at the center of public discussion for over a decade now. People are more open to sharing their mental health issues and seeking help. However, it seems that more and more people struggle with some type of mental health disorder. Today, children as young as pre-teens are diagnosed with depression and anxiety. It seems that we are in the midst of a mental health epidemic. Yet, there are ways to facilitate people’s recovery and mental health improvement. Self-care in the form of writing can serve as a solid foundation for people struggling with mental health. Let’s see how that’s possible.
Self-reflection
Often, we need a moment to recognize the issues we have been avoiding or patterns of behavior we have been unconsciously repeating. Writing gives you a chance to notice certain behavior of yours, see moments you’d like to correct, or form new viewpoints on events or ideas. Overall, it is a strong tool for looking deep into your own personality and truly seeing it.
In addition, such practice increases self-awareness and helps people learn about themselves better. Having a safe place to express thoughts, ideas, and feelings helps people grow more confident and calm. In addition, self-reflective writing helps clear the mind and learn to analyze and notice personal emotional states.
Emotional release
Sometimes, we just need to let things go. Emotions, especially negative ones, play a big part in our mental state and how we view ourselves and the world. Being too focused on unpleasant but strong emotions can lead people to dark thoughts and unhealthy consequences. Yet, people often bottle up their emotions, unable to cope with them or unwilling to fully experience these feelings at the moment.
Writing gives people the power to process any unresolved emotions when they are ready for it. A person can just take a piece of paper and pen and let things go. A free flow of thought, without control or analyzing (unlike when you’re working on an assignment), can help people release reserved stress, pain, fear, or anger. One gets to experience these emotions on paper in order to let them go in real life.
Such practice helps people acknowledge and work with their feelings, which can be rather therapeutic.
Quality me-time
The current way of life is very fast, forcing people to keep up with the pace no matter what. However, being constantly occupied with work or other external factors makes people neglect their basic needs – themselves. Mental health can’t strive in an environment where its needs are pushed back at the end of the line. It requires constant care and attention to function properly. That’s where writing can also help. People find quality time in writing and a moment to dedicate to themselves and no one else.
In a way, writing serves as a temporary escape from all the real-life business. It is a place of comfort and positive solitude. Such me-time should also teach people to prioritize their health time over external factors like work or grades. In fact, choosing between writing a journal or a school essay, students should feel free to choose personal writing and entrust papers to sites like writingpapersucks. It’s a smart move to prioritize personal needs without sacrificing school performance.