Writing in a Stressful World

      When I was growing up and something made me stressed or upset, my grandma would always tell me to write a letter expressing my thoughts and feelings about certain situations and problems. The first time she told me to do this, I thought she was crazy, and I disregarded her suggestions. The next time I stayed with her, I noticed that she was not her usual, joyful self, and I also, I noticed that she was writing a letter. My grandma was writing a letter to my grandpa because he had done something to make her mad, and she was too flustered to talk to him about it. Later that day, I noticed that my grandmother’s disposition had changed completely, and she was now in a fantastic mood. After observing this, I went and talked to my mom about my grandma’s unusual habits. She explained that my grandma always wrote letters to people in order to relieve stress, but she would never send them. The method intrigued me, and while I am still not sure why she never sent any of these letters, the concept she used is what inspired me to start keeping a journal of my own thoughts.

      Stress is something that every person deals with on a daily basis. Family problems, work issues, school overload, or a number of other personal issues can cause stress. So often people search for a “quick fix” solution to their stressful lives, but it often leaves them dissatisfied. People try meditation, physical activities, eating, smoking, alcohol, and various other methods to reduce the stress in their lives, but so often people forget that writing can also relieve stress. After witnessing the effects of writing to relieve stress in my own life, through keeping a journal, and in the life of my grandmother –through her letter writing –I think that people should use writing to relieve stress and other conflicting emotions that preside in their lives. Whether it be by writing a letter that will never be sent, such as my grandma, writing in a journal/diary, keeping a blog, or some other type of public or private forum –writing can and is used to rejuvenate peoples’ state of mind.

      Many people feel the need to express themselves in a non-violent manner, and what better way to do so than through writing. Writing has the ability to unlock doors in a person’s mind that contain repressed emotions and feelings. When these emotions compile together, they result in a hectic, stressful state of mind. Writing has the ability to open one’s mind to new perspectives on life, love, and general happiness. It frees the spirit of the mental pressures of this world, and allows people to place their thoughts into a pool of literary confessions and solutions. 

      A study, performed by the National Center for PTSD, was conducted to observe the stability of positive health effects connected with expressive writing. Denis M. Sloan, Brian P. Marx, and Brian A. Feinstein preformed this study using 68 freshmen undergraduates. These students were required to complete both physical and psychological health assesses at the beginning of their first year. Next, they separated the students into either an expressive writing or a control writing condition in order to observe any changes made two, four, and six months later. Findings in physical and psychological health, and academic performances indicated that students who participated in an expressive writing condition reported less depression symptoms (509). The study continues by stating, “No significant changes were reported for physical health complaints, stress symptoms, anxiety symptoms, or academic performance” (Sloan, Marx, and Feinstein 509). This study suggests mixed results about the effects of expressive writing, but one thing is certain: there are positive results proving that writing has the ability to heal the body. After reviewing the results of the study, Marx, Feinstein, and Sloan all concluded that due to the limited amount of people who participated in the study, it therefore “is not possible to determine whether beneficial outcomes associated with expressive writing is sustained.” (510) Yet, according to Frattaroli, Frisina, Borod, and Lepore, “several meta-analysis have reported that, overall, expressive writing is associated with psychological and physical health benefits” (510). These two contradicting reports can only mean that there are other variables not taken into consideration when these studies were preformed. Whether it was for the reason, the participants were too healthy to get accurate results from them, or the fact that not enough people partook in the study for there to be a definite outcome; there are still positive results that came from these studies. 

      After years of extensive research to see whether writing really does heal was preformed, there is still little evidence neither confirming nor denying the fact that writing heals the mind. Yet, I firmly believe that people can use writing to relieve stress and other mental disorders. As a writer, reader, and a student, I feel it is important to inform and persuade people of the ways writing can relieve stress because many people often disregard the connection made between writing and stress reductive healing. Most people do not value the importance of writing; therefore, they are ignorant to the alternative uses of writing, and how many other affairs require the act of doing so, such as using it to release tension and stress. Thus, I want to send out a challenge to anyone who either needs a way to relieve stress, or doubts the results which writing brings to people. In addition, I believe that if more people were to use writing as a stress reduction method, then the less bogged down people would be by stress, and they would ultimately become better writers because they would constantly be writing.

















Works Cited



Sloana, Denise M., Brian A. Feinstein, and Brian P. Marx. "The durability of beneficial health effects associated with expressive writing." Anxiety, Stress & Coping 22.5 (2009): 509-523. Academic Search Premier, EBSCO. Web. 3 Dec. 2009.