Stress
Tip:
Write off Pain
and Stress!
Pouring out
bottled-up feelings onto paper may ease physical as well as emotional
discomfort!
According to recent research, 70 people with asthma or rheumatoid
arthritis wrote about their most stressful experience for 20 minutes a day,
for three consecutive days. Nearly half found that their physical
discomforts had eased significantly.
This was according to a study from the State
University of New York at Stony Brook (Journal of the American Medical
Association).
No one is quite sure why writing helped, but it’s
possible that the participants immune functioning improved after they
unburdened themselves on paper. Alternately, that they may have coped better with
the current stresses in their life after the exercise.
This was noted by lead
researcher Joshua M. Smyth, PhD, now an assistant professor of
psychology at North Dakota State University in Fargo.
Pain to Paper:
Try this Writing Exercise
● Choose a significant, stressful event in your
life. Remember that no one else will, or should read this. In fact, it
may be preferable to tear it up and throw it away afterward.● Work in a place where you
will be undisturbed.
● Write for 20 to 25 minutes a day without
stopping, on three consecutive days.
● Don’t worry about spelling, grammar, or
punctuation. What counts is getting it off your chest, not perfection.
● Continue seeing your doctor and taking your
medicine. This exercise is not a substitute for medical treatment, and
it comes with no guarantees, researchers say.
(You may want to tell your
doctor that you’ve tried it, so he or she can help note any changes in your
health.)
This experience will likely bring difficult
memories or emotions to the surface. It is best to have some support, such
as a counselor or a trusted friend, in case you have difficulty handling
the issues raised by writing.
By David Butler
Prevention Magazine
Read "NOTE" on the right hand sidebar for a
better understanding of the process.
