Writing as therapeutic healing

[Paul S]

(It's been years since I last posted; I was primarily active wayback in 2005-07 in the aftermath of my Mom's death and once in a great while due to my melancholic temperament I get all wistful and wonder what's up with 😍 Marty😍 and the forums in general. This place saved my sanity and was a massive aid in helping me cope in between counseling sessions. Anyway, on with this topic... )

I have found from my personal experience that writing is therapeutic. Any kind of writing that you can do concerning your loss, your grief, and coping with it all. Even if it's just posting a lot to these forums, letting it all out, or starting a blog elsewhere and sharing stuff; writing helps to objectify the pain and hurt and gets it 'out there' where it's observable. You needn't even do all the sharing publicly, as you do on here or on a blog, just keep a private journal that only you can see and read.

One great method of writing as therapy is fiction. Just place the entire scenario in fictional form. Dramatize it. Change names if needed, invent new people, perhaps people you imagined would come to your rescue but didn't exist in reality. Put in stuff you wish happened. Whatever You don't have to be good. You don't even have to even publish it (either traditionally through a publisher or by way of self-publishing on Amazon or Smashwords, etc.)

One of my favorite writers, Flannery O'Connor, said “I write because I don't know what I think until I read what I say.” You'd be surprised at what comes out when you start writing about your experiences. Stuff seems to come from nowhere. But in the end, I always feel better, like I'm no longer alone. And you'll understand yourself and where you've been better.

[MartyT]

So good to see you back here with all of us, Paul! And thank you for sharing that suggestion about writing. I couldn't agree with you more!  ❤️

[kayc]

15 hours ago, Paul S said:

“I write because I don't know what I think until I read what I say.”

Very good way to put it!