Solo Mother

I need you more than you need me

by christina on October 11th, 2006

I often wonder how it is that I’m so effing SANE, considering where I am in my life. The secret might be in this, and other more personal writings.

 Apparently, we do ourselves a world of good when we write about the things that are bugging us. Writing is good therapy. I stumbled across an old article on CNN, about writing for therapy. Dr. Pennebaker’s studies have proven that writing is good for what ails you. Or to quote Shrek, ‘Better out than in, I always say’:

Pennebaker’s interest in the potential of writing therapy was sparked by conversations with government polygraph operators. A criminal’s heart rate and breathing, he learned, is much slower immediately after a confession than before. Since then, he’s spent much of his career proving that we can all feel better after confronting the past through writing.One of his studies, published in the “Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology” in April 1988, found that college students had more active T-lymphocyte cells, an indication of immune system stimulation, six weeks after writing about stressful events. Other studies have found that people tend to take fewer trips to the doctor, function better in day-to-day tasks, and score higher on tests of psychological well being after such writing exercises, he says.

So, the next time you’re feeling down, overwhelmed, and/or miserable, sit down with some paper and pen and write it out.

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POSTED IN: Selp-help, depression, emotional pain