Write it down! For better health

The therapeutic benefits of writing

Voltaire was on to something. Writing is one of our outlets. Words, and how we use them to formulate sentences and express ourselves is a major part of our personal growth. The therapeutic benefits of writing, particularly when inspired by introspection, are powerful. Usually, our thoughts and feelings become tangled and incomprehensible. We may feel a certain way for a very long time, and never try to sort through it, or give a voice to it.

Writing about these emotion-fuelled thoughts allows the whole process to be truly realised and clarified. Sometimes, subconsciously, we drown out our inner selves, layering it with bullshit and denial. Focusing on unimportant issues that are hiding the real ones. Pretty soon, we find ourselves completely lost, unable to get a hold of what we really want and need in life.

Anybody who knows how to place letters together to form words can write. Thinking that you can’t write, for whatever reason, is complete poppycock. Think about it like this: If we had access to a tool which helps us discover our creativity and heighten our self-awareness, it’s certainly worth exploring, isn’t it? By allowing ourselves to be known to ourselves, we can maximise our overall efficiency (and happiness).

Writing is a personal, effective and intelligent form of venting and processing the things that happen to us in life. It’s a simplistic way for us to sharpen our understanding of our thought patterns, our emotions and ourselves as individuals.

The underlining purpose of this blog, is to motivate you, the reader, to entertain the use of art as therapy. It may be, you already do this in some form or another, so you may know exactly what I’m on about. For those who have not yet explored an artistic outlet in their adult lives, I implore you to just try it. You might like it. You might be surprised with what you find.

Cara actually inspired this subject, and delivers a very powerful message on the pursuit of happiness. Cara Delevigne, who is a world-famous model, actress and celebrity, talks about her journey of self-discovery through the utilisation of writing therapy. During her 2015 Interview for Women In The World Summit, she shares with us her struggles with depression and learning disorders such as dyslexia. Even through her near debilitating disorders, she decided to persevere and teach herself how to write properly, express herself, and reach a place of enlightenment.

Luckily for us, this moving interview has been posted to YouTube, and is currently inspiring people to practice being honest with themselves, to accept themselves, and ultimately, to love themselves.

We came across this fantastic infographic on Introvert, Dear – How to Heal Yourself Emotionally Through Writing –  and thought it was great, well worth including in this blog. Click on the image to see it full size.