The Benefits of Writing Practices on Mental Health

Mental health has always been a globally ignored issue, but since 2020, there has been a significant increase in the number of people struggling with mental health. Many people report dealing with anxiety, burnout, and depression. Considering the pandemic and its repercussions on already vulnerable communities, this is no surprise.

Our mental health plays a crucial role in our daily life. It affects how we think, behave, and feel about ourselves and others, our ability to manage stress, and our decisions. While there's no specific way to prevent a mental health struggle, there are particular measures and certain habits one can incorporate into a daily routine—like writing—to help manage and cope.

Before continuing, this must be named: the most effective way to manage mental health is by seeing a health professional(s); however, we live in a country that does not seem to care about mental wellness, especially in Black, Brown, Indigenous, and working-class communities. According to a 2012 study published in the National Library of Medicine, “The average cost to deliver care was highest for Medicare and lowest for the uninsured: schizophrenia treatment, $8,509 for 11.1 days and $5,707 for 7.4 days, respectively; bipolar disorder treatment, $7,593 for 9.4 days and $4,356 for 5.5 days; depression treatment, $6,990 for 8.4 days.” In other words, many people in the United States do not have access to adequate mental health services, and they are forced to find ways to manage it on their own and cope.

With that said, writing has proved to be an effective way of regulating mental health for some. Over the years, several studies conducted have demonstrated the beneficial effects that writing can have on mental health. Writing is one technique that has proved efficient—not only for professional writers but for everyone. Because writing is a great way to express yourself, many therapists often recommend journaling as an emotional outlet. The major reasons why include:

1. Writing helps you clear your mind—

Writing can help people with mental health battles express their emotions and organize their thoughts. Bottling up emotions often has adverse effects on mental health. Writing is a great way to describe these troubling emotions and get a clearer view. In addition, research has shown that writing down your struggles makes it easier to talk about them. Journaling is one great habit you should include in your daily activities. It helps clear your mind.

2. It helps you become more self-aware—

Writing is not always about your mental health struggles or troubling emotions. Writing about day-to-day events can be very beneficial in improving self-awareness. You can get a clearer perspective on your likes, dislikes, and even some stress triggers in everyday life. Journaling about everyday life allows you to get a clearer view of life. Write about the things you are thankful for, the things that pissed you off. Writing about how you feel may help you better understand why you think the way you do.

3. It's a great way to practice mindfulness—

Writing is a great way to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness means being fully present and aware of our surroundings while not being overwhelmed by the things around us. Practicing mindfulness is a technique that helps improve and manage mental health. Mindfulness calms your mind and soothes constant worrying. By focusing on how you feel at a particular time and writing it down, you can calm your mind, fully feel your emotions and release the anxiety that may be coming from these feelings.

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Of course, one can not depend on writing as the sole means of managing your mental health. Many other habits on the page promote self-care that you should consider daily; movement, meditation, exercising, taking walks in nature, eating right, spending time with loved ones, and even watching a good movie.

Still, while specific research has shown that writing can benefit your mental health, some researchers strongly disagree—especially regarding creatives. More on that in the next blog post.