Do you deal with a mental health issue? Do you often look for a way to cope with said issue? Let me ask you this: have you ever thought of writing something about the issue?
Writing anything, from a story to a poem, is an outlet for a surprising amount of people. Ever since 3200 BC, writing has been used to express the many different snippets of writer’s minds. Each poem, each story, each word the writer uses tells a tale that is unique to the author herself/himself. With that being said, consider all the different things people have written about. A lot of people tend to write about the issues going on at the time, or the issues that they experience.
As the centuries pass, new issues arise, such as political and economic issues. In today’s times, one of the biggest issues of society is mental health. So many people deal with it, and since there is no definite cure, people are left to deal with their issues. While there are things that can help, such as medications and counseling, nothing can really defeat the illness itself completely. People are left to develop coping mechanisms on their own. Some are good, and some are not so good.
So why should writing be a way to cope? The answer is quite simple, actually. Writing is a form of self-expression, which is the expression of one's feelings, thoughts, or ideas. Self-expression is one of the best coping skills out there, especially if it’s in the form of writing. For example, people have the unhealthy tendency to bottle up their emotions, and keep them all inside. Expressing yourself helps get these emotions out, which overall will help you feel better.
Writing a story or poem also gives you a voice. It makes you a creator, and it gives you full power to do as you please. Being heard is something that every human being craves, as it’s a part of human nature, and you can acquire that feeling of being heard by expressing yourself in the form of writing. If you choose to share your work, you can experience being heard further by hearing their feedback and interpretations of your work.
Now, writing your own story or poem about your mental illness will help you, but that isn’t the only thing it’ll do. One of the most common things that people say to those dealing with a mental illness is this: you are not alone. While some people may feel like that isn’t true, facts easily disprove this. Not only will your writing help you through your problems, but there’s a good chance it’ll help others who are dealing with the same thing you are.
So, what’s there to lose? Why not give it a try, and see what happens? If you have a mental illness, I personally challenge you to write a story or poem about your illness, and share it with at least one other person to see what they think. Who knows what could happen?
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