Date: 01/01/22
Author Name: Bhavya P
Qualifications: BSc. Psychology, MA. Applied psychology, (specialization in clinical psychology)
Designation: Consultant psychologist, ACRO Mental Health Services.
Word count: 643
Reading time: 5 minutes
Reviewed by: Aishwarya Krishna Priya
Debates, for that matter, keeping a journal or maintaining a diary, have been "popularised" in recent decades. However, being professional and writing our thoughts and feelings is advocated for not being "popularised" but having its therapeutic benefit. When thoughts, ideas and a specific range of emotions are conveniently put onto a paper or a journal, thereby giving it a language, the process might ensure the ability to better focus on a task.
By engaging in this practice, clients tend to get a clearer picture instead, an alternate perspective in viewing their concern, and getting a holistic approach to work with it.
In a study exploring the benefit of expressive journals, writing about a particularly uncomfortable experience or past events has reduced intensity in the recurrence of thoughts, undoubtedly evident in anxiety and depression (1).
WHY SHOULD I ENGAGE IN THIS, AND WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?
Writing about anxieties has improved cognitive performance, such as better concentration, decision-making, and finding strategic alternatives to concerns (2). In addition, expressive writing for a writer is personal, as it allows them to choose their writing style, be it in the flow and have the freedom to explore ideas as they write (3).
IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE OF WHY EXPRESSIVE WRITING IS A FORM OF CREATIVE APPROACH?
Research on expressive writing has its literature from theories. The first is based on the general idea of inhibition.
Studies showed that people who had experienced one or more traumatic experiences in their lives over time were more likely to report health concerns when they chose not to confide in others to express "what they feel about their traumatic experience" (4).
Controversially, it might not have to be just restricted to confiding in others; it’s rather about being provided with a safe and empathetic space to express ourselves.
Concerning this idea and supporting it, a study revealed that adopting an experiential approach to change through emotional validation and unconditional acceptance may prove to have a psychotherapeutic change (5).
EXPRESSIVE WRITING AS A PROCESS
Usually, while writing a journal, we may separate it into sections where different brainstorming ideas and racing thoughts are jotted down, only to structure it as a narrative. A study verbalises the constituents in expressive writings (1).
Topic/Thought/Concern- Briefing the concern and giving it a framework helps us recognise our emotions.
Brainstorming - is about recollecting to identify the shreds of evidence that may or may not support it.
Expressing our emotions- involves breaking the more profound concern into small parts, giving us insight into it and permitting us to have an alternative perspective.
Refinement, rethinking and reworking come under expressive writing, where we develop suggestions for ourselves.
Expressive writing can be used as a creative process to brainstorm, make connections, and offer clarity to our thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
STORIES, THE SOURCE OF EXPRESSIVE WRITING
Diary keeping is putting our thoughts, articulating them and organising themes and stories. These can be compiled as autobiographies and essays constructed and used for ethnographic research. Stories, however, are when our thoughts are structured and organised by giving them a holistic picture. Building a narrative around it can be critical in building self-awareness and insights on "what we feel" and how we feel" (6).
So, to be concise, this understanding and self-awareness might allow us to stand back and take a moment to look at ourselves from a different perspective. Keeping aside its therapeutic benefits, personally, it ensures the idea of being "listened to and a sense of shared identity".
In conclusion, although many therapists recommend journaling to express yourself, their method to make you inculcate this habit purely depends on your concerns and how well you respond to a particular suggestion, as every suggestion or therapeutic tips have their benefits and drawbacks. You can visit your nearest therapist or mental health service provider for more information and clarifications.
Audio-Visual Credits
Writing with a fountain pen, Aaron Burden, Unsplash
Laptop near white wooden mug and notebook by Nick Morrison, Unsplash
Creative space, Toa Heftiba, Unsplash
Black flat screen, Eietinne Giradet, Unsplash
Vintage teal typewriter, Retrosupply, Unsplash
REFERENCES:
1. Smyth J, True N, Souto J. Effects of Writing About Traumatic Experiences: The Necessity for Narrative Structuring. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. 2001;20(2):161-172.
2. Kacewicz E, Slatcher R, Pennebaker J. An alternative to traditional methods [Internet]. Research gate. 2006 [cited 14 December 2021]. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/227206033_Expressive_Writing_An_Alternative_to_Traditional_Methods
3. Gary C. Educational value of expressive writing. Department of Education, US. 2021;:11
4. Pennebaker J, Susman J. Disclosure of traumas and psychosomatic processes. Social Science & Medicine. 1988;26(3):327-332.
5. Ullrich P, Lutgendorf S. Journaling about stressful events: Effects of cognitive processing and emotional expression. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. 2002;24(3):244-250.
6. Klein K, Boals A. Expressive writing can increase working memory capacity. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. 2001;130(3):520-533.
DISCLAIMER
Although the articles published on our website are not scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles, we aim to provide readers with authentic information on mental health and the daily problems of the 21st century. All content specifically caters to the South Asian population living in India and other countries. We do give references to other population groups and ethnicities but do not discriminate against any individual or group.
You would notice that some of the articles are not monologues but academic-style essays that would cite scholarly articles. Additionally, our content is for all age groups to read. If we have articles that require parental advisory, we will put up a cautionary statement before accessing our content.
The above information has been written by a qualified mental health professional or journalist. It has been reviewed by a panel of experienced, qualified, skilled and trained news editors, journalists and mental health professionals. All precautionary measures have been taken to ensure that these articles are not just casual write-ups from youngsters. This is an informal method of sharing important information on the web. One must seek the positive side of the articles shared on our website.
We also understand that not everyone will be happy to read our information or have qualms about the use of our language. However, we can assure you that our intentions are not to hurt anyone. Moreover, if you have any valuable feedback that you would like to share as a member of the audience or avid readers of our blog posts, please write back to us at info@mentalhealthservicesacro.com.
All articles are purely for information and educational purposes only. Please remember that everything we share is to promote positivity, but not everything shared on our website may work in your favour. All tips and tricks to tackle your issues may have negative outcomes, so please be mindful when you try something on your own without proper guidance or professional supervision. If you happen to be facing a mental health issue or disorder, we request you to seek professional help from the nearest mental health service provider available in your city.
We, the authors or publishers, do not claim responsibility for any harm caused to viewers due to our choice of words or published posts. Furthermore, we will vehemently disregard any abusive language or comments shared by some readers for any given reason and take necessary steps to curb such uncivil behaviours.
COPYRIGHT INFORMATION AND INFRINGEMENT
All contents of the website, blog posts, main texts, captions, and ideas are the intellectual property of ACRO Menta Health Services and individual writers. We have taken special care in trying to reference all our work to avoid plagiarism or online trolls. We have used references of audio-visual content that does not infringe anyone’s IP and nor belong to us in some cases, but have given due credit to every individual and site that we referred to before writing our articles. Any unauthorised copying, publishing, or circulation of this content is illegal and will be subject to legal consequences as per the jurisdiction of the Indian Copyright Act.