Jun 24, 2021 06:00:00

What are the 'three sentence types' that can improve mental health by writing?

Writer

Ernest Hemingway wrote in his book , 'Write hard and clear about what hurts.' Studies have shown that is improved. So, Christina Thatcher , a writing instructor at Cardiff Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom, summarizes 'three sentence types that can improve your mental health by writing.'

Writing can improve mental health – here's how
https://theconversation.com/writing-can-improve-mental-health-heres-how-162205

According to Thatcher, there are more than 200 research results in which writing a sentence has a positive effect on mental health, but there are various theories as to why writing a sentence is useful for mental health. According to one theory, suppressing emotionsleads to psychological distress, so it is said that releasing the suppressed emotions by writing a sentence leads to improvement of mental health.

However, in recent years, it has been shown that 'improvement of self-awareness ' rather than release of emotions is the key to improving mental health, and Mr. Thatcher said, 'Because writing sentences enhances self-awareness, it is mental. It insists on the theory of 'improving health.' Self-awareness is the directing of one's attention to one's inner self, which allows one to be clearly aware of one's characteristics, emotions, behaviors, beliefs, values, motivations, etc. By improving self-awareness, self- confidence can be strengthened, satisfaction with work can be increased, and self-control can be cultivated.

Thatcher argues that self-awareness can be strengthened by training, and that writing can provide insights into one's thoughts, actions, feelings, and beliefs and enhance self-awareness. Therefore, we introduce 'three types of sentences that can strengthen self-awareness and improve mental health'.

◆ 1: Expressive Writing

Treatments that describe thoughts and feelings associated with stressful events often require writing in the style of 'expressive writing.' This is to write down what you think as it is, without assuming that you will show it to others, and without worrying about mistakes in sentences or words.

Express writing has been shown to be effective in dealing with difficult emotions, helping to increase self-awareness, as well as reduce depressive symptoms , anxiety , and (PDF file) stress , Thatcher said.

◆ 2: Reflective writing
'Reflective writing' describes a specific situation or memory, and then describes the content, 'What did you notice?' 'How did this event change you?' 'If you were acting differently.' It is a writing style that focuses on points such as 'What happened?' And writes down your thoughts and reflections. In some cases, medical professionals, teachers, and social workers look back on their work and perform reflective writing, find what they can use next, and evaluate their own behavior.

Reflective writing requires asking yourself questions, always having an open mind, curiosity, and an analytical attitude.

Thatcher argued that people can improve their self-awareness by learning from their own experiences and interactions, which can also improve their mental health and relationships.

◆ 3: Creative writing
As the name implies, creative writing is the creation of sentences such as poetry and novels (including short stories, middle stories, and long stories), and uses imagination as well as memory to write literary styles such as metaphors and mental expressions. Thing. Creative writing provides a unique way to explore thoughts, feelings, ideas and beliefs: 'Sci-fi novels that show concerns about climate change,' 'Fairy tales that show beliefs in friendship,' and 'Owl perspectives that convey the suffering of insomnia.' Thatcher claims that he can write poems and the like.

In addition, there are cases where things that are difficult to express directly, such as deep sadness and anger, can be expressed to others by the method of creation. In addition, creative decision-making that selects appropriate words and metaphors in creation is said to have the effect of increasing

self-awareness and self-esteem, and improving mental health.

'Self-awareness is an important factor in having good mental health, and writing is a great place to start,' Thatcher said. I encouraged you to write down your feelings about your worries and anxieties in expressive writing, look back on difficult events with reflective writing, or do creative writing.