“Write hard and clear about what hurts”: Ernest Hemingway. Ernest Hemingway is one of the honoured American novelists. The American novelist might not be aware of the recent research. Most psychologists agree that people who write their expressions on painful topics gain better mental health. Over two hundred studies reflect that writing is linked with improving mental health. Human behaviour changes from one person to another. Psychologists across the globe agree that most people have consistent psychological structures. Researchers do not agree on a single agenda: how or why writing helps psychologically.
Psychological theories state that mental pressure is associated with keeping emotions and thought secret. The theory helps state that writing helps individuals reduce their mental pressures. It allows people to express their feelings that were hidden. Reduction in mental pressure can improve mental health. It will also lead to improving mental performance. There are four kinds of writing tips that can improve mental health. These kinds include expressive writing, reflective writing, creative writing and journaling.
Expressive writing
People’s feelings, emotions and thoughts in writing are called expressive writing. Expressive writing is the word of the human mind and heart. It mainly focuses on emotions and feelings. Psychologists in therapeutic settings, people write their hidden feelings, emotions and thoughts. The purpose of a psychologist is to help express untold feelings and thoughts.
Numerous research works have been completed on expressive writing. The tool of expressive writing helps in self-awareness. This writing leads to decreased stress, anxious thoughts and depressive symptoms. Modern studies found that sharing secret feelings helps to improve mental health. Hiding their feelings and emotions will eat them inside, whereas expressing the hidden feelings will help individuals to improve their mental health.
The purpose of expressing one’s feelings is to make one aware of giving attention to oneself. With the process of self-attention, one can achieve a higher level of self-awareness. In this way, the person will be able to bring improvement in personality.
Reflective writing
Reflection of knowledge that people attain from something is known as reflective writing. It is based on experience, knowledge and events. Reflection cannot be determined as wrong or right, it is based on a set of queries. Professional settings tend to use this writing style. Major professions using this skill include social workers, psychologists, teachers, doctors and nurses. In reflective writing, the person needs to ask self-questions in a series. This series of questions are analytical, curious and open.
In this way, the person will be able to analyse themselves effectively. Self-assessment leads the person to identify strengths and weaknesses. Identification of weaknesses and strengths helps people in grooming themselves. This writing method helps in improving information and knowledge. It is also useful to clarify random thoughts, imaginations, and ideas. Reflective writing leads people to minimise their curiosity and provides psychological calmness and hence, the person can improve mental health.
Creative writing
Creative writing is the writing style where a person creates imagination. Different forms of creative writing include novels, tales, short stories, and poems. Creativity comes from within humans. It is a merger of literary art and imagination. Creative writing aims to share ideas, thoughts, opinions, and imagination. This writing style is in literary pieces that may influence people. This writing style helps in stress management, while this practice people start to feel wellbeing and break the circle of mental distress.
There is no boundary to creative writing. It can be based on any subject matter or topic. Creative writing is the process of unique thoughts, imaginations, beliefs and ideas. Imaginations lead novelists to write on the topic of science fiction. Scripts of animated movies are also part of this writing style. Developing characters other than humans are also a part of this writing style. Nobody in the modern age knows about dinosaurs. But the filmmakers produced films on it. Jurassic Park is an example of it.
Creative writing helps people express their hidden feelings and imaginations. People use written expression as they cannot express themselves directly. Expressing hidden and complicated thoughts provide people with mental peace. It also leads to relaxing their soul. Eventually, the person can improve mental health and create self-awareness.
Journaling
People in their teenage used to write daily dairies. They prefer to hide notes written in their diary. In this way, people give words to their fears and struggles without any pressure. Most people stop writing diaries when they reach adulthood. The purpose of writing diaries is to give clear words to feelings and thoughts. It is called journaling. The benefits of journaling apply to adults too. Journaling helps in controlling emotions and provides mental health.
Writing for self-awareness
Writing is one of the most effective tools for improving personal skills and abilities. It helps people to gain exposure to different things. People do have rough ideas, imaginations, thoughts, and feelings. People may widen their spectrum by exploring such imaginations. Hence, people become aware of the hidden truth. Eventually, it will lead to a higher level of awareness. Self-awareness is associated with mental health. Expressive writing is a tool that helps people to express their hidden feelings.
By expressing hidden thoughts, people get to relax. It eventually improves mental health. Reflective writing is a collection of a series of questions for analytical analysis. It helps in minimising curiosity and provides internal human peace and satisfaction. Creative writing tools lead people to share their imagination in words. Journaling is the habit that adults need to adopt. In this way, people can think out of the box. Brainstorming on a wide spectrum lead human mental abilities to grow.
Conclusion
Writing is the tool that helps people in capacity building. Some people are afraid of expressing their views publically. The hidden thoughts cause internal damage. In contrast, people need to eject those hidden thoughts in order to ensure that the internal damage may remain low. These major writing tips help in stress management. Writing is an indirect therapy of stress management. Four writing styles help in stress management, that are expressive, reflective, creative and journaling writing. These writing styles are not classified as formal writing styles. These informal writing styles help people to write hidden thoughts.
Author Bio:
Robert Fawl is a professional Content writer & Content Marketer. Based in London, Robert is an author and blogger with experience in encounter composing on various topics including but not limited to Essay Writing, Dissertation Writing, Coursework Writing Services, Thesis Writing Services and Assignment Writing etc.
