Dear Diary: The Benefits of Writing about your Feelings

Research is starting to shed some light on the thorny issue of talking about trauma. Does it help to talk about traumas you've experienced or not? Is it a good idea for someone to write about traumatic experiences? It turns out, like most things in life, that it depends on how and in what circumstances.

> When is it right to express your feelings?

Research is uncovering how and why talking helps and when it doesn't. Sometimes, the phrase "Get it out" is appropriate. Other times, the phrases "Just don't talk about it" or "It'll only make it worse if you dwell on it." fit the bill. These are some of the responses that were given to Dr. Thomas Bell by his patients, and represent a range of thoughts people have - whether it be about discussing feelings in therapy or when writing them down.

There is now a body of research which is begining to shed further light on how writing about traumas and resolving them might help or hurt someone.

Although writing as therapy actually has an ancient history, a model was developed for research purposes. The method consists of several writing exercises with an emphasis on expressing one's emotions. It has been shown in numerous experiments conducted by the University of Texas, that this simple procedure leads to improvements in physical health.

We do not know exactly why this improvement can occur. However, scientists speculate that the energy expended in holding in a trauma has effects on physical problems such as asthma, problems with immune function and more. If energy is not spent on "holding it in", the energy can be used in more healthful directions.

A recent study reported at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association looked at the role of jounal writing in helping people cope with job loss at mid-life. Persons who wrote out their feelings about job loss for a period of 20 minutes a day for five days were more likely to be working again when followed up eight months later, in comparison to those who did not do the writing exercise. These findings suggest that putting feelings down on paper may help to get rid of feelings of anger or other negative emotions and allow a person to move forwards towards constructive actions.

Although research has found writing to be helpful, under some circumstances "getting it out" might lead to re-traumatization, where the person experiences all the original negative feelings again at the time of the writing. There may also be instances when the actual effects of "getting it out" might not be enough to make a noticeable difference.

> Line up support before you start

If you are thinking about writing out your feelings, expecially those that have to do with negative events in your life - it's a good idea to do so under the guidance of someone who's experienced in doing this and who will be able to assist you if any problems arise. A trusted friend or family member is one possible ally. If you think this might be very upsetting for you, but still want to go ahead and give it a try, then be sure to consult with a trained mental health professional before going ahead. A mental health professional can provide adequate follow-up care if problems arise unexpectedly.

> Be genuine

The benefits of expressing your feelings are only of value if you do so with a genuine and sincere attitude. "Token" expressions may not bring you much relief.

* Let your hand and the pencil or pen guide you

* Set aside a time each day for a series of days - for example, high noon for the next 5 days.

* Find a place where you feel alone and comfortable - sit on your favorite chair in your favorite spot.

* Put on your favorite music

* Take a deep breath and relax. Take another.

* Write out how you feel. Don't use big words and don't talk about it. Show - don't tell, as they say. "I feel ___________that________."

> Now that you've written, what to do?

OK - now you've written out your feelings on paper. What should you do next? What you do depends on the kind of person you are, and your personal preferences. If you are daring, you might go so far as to send it out for publication. But if you are like most of us, you may want to keep what you have written private. Some people may go over the material and discuss it with a friend or relative. If you write something that, after consideration, you don't want to share with anyone, it's probably best to destroy it. You may want to consider some kind of "letting-go ritual". This may mean tearing it up, burying the writing, burning it...

While such acts aren't required, they seem to help some people gain a sense of "closure", and allow them to move past the trauma or other unhappy event they addressed in their writing.

While writing out your feelings may not be for everyone, there's enough evidence to support the physical and mental benefits of this activity. If you feel burdened by a trauma, negative event or other kind of unhappiness, you might want to consider writing about it. If you do, make sure you have support and guidance. Writing can be a useful way of helping yourself feel better and happier.

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