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Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Hi all,

I have found throughout the course of my life that writing has been a constant companion to me. It has provided me with a way to vent my frustrations, to grapple with the eternal verities of life that confound and delight me, to explore ideas and concepts, and to try to put into words the often chaotic moods and thoughts that result from having a mind that's a little bit odd...

I have written lots of poems, especially in the last 3 or 4 years, dealing with depression and bipolar. They help me to process and understand some of the things that are happening in this twisted little noodle of mine. As such, writing has become one of my main forms of therapy.

One of the best things that I find about writing is that it can act as a kind of mood diary. I can read things that I had previously written, and it will quite often map out where I was at during the time of writing. The words I spread across the page act as signposts of my progress, too. As my self knowledge increases and my life journey progresses, I find that it affects how I write and what I write...

Often, we do not see the thousands of tiny little changes to our selves that our life experiences cause over the years. It can be very helpful to re-read old writings, in order to see how far we have come, what we have improved, where we have fallen back into old harmful habits, and the things that we have learned.

The language that we use in our writings and in our thoughts and in our speech is very important. It can reveal a lot about our selves, our states of mind, and our moods...

That language, it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. I believe that we attract certain kinds of people around us, and create (or at least influence) life situations based on our choice of language. It helps define who we are as a person.

Negative thinking, self-deprecation, self-hatred, these sorts of dangerous life traps are often revealed in our choice of words. So too are the positive things. It all starts with a glass. How we describe the glass and the quantity and quality of its contents, that's where language comes into it, and it can shape our very lives and the lives of those around us.

Writing... it is my solace and my main tool of self-analysis. It is my favourite form of therapy...

2932 replies

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In response to: Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

@Appleblossom Thank you my friend, I'll check it out xx BB 🐰💙

In response to: Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Love your poems @bipolarbunny 🤗🙏

Oh that L, not the one I had in mind @Appleblossom but even still relevant as unfortunately ✔️

In response to: Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Motions of the Soul

She told me to push the chair

While she clutched a bundle of

Twisting transparent tubes

We had been doing this

Nearly every week

Since she arrived.

The perfect continuous

infinitive verb that is

Palliating.

In play had been an Allegro, an Adagio,

Transcriptions from Hildegard, and a set of

Variations on an Italian Ground.

We trundled back from her piano

In an alcove of the Aged Care home

A nurse passed by and smiled.

"You two play well together"

Mother and I laughed, nodding

My handbag, blockflute and scores

Lay in her lap while the

Oxygen tank trailed behind

Big and little wheels rattled and rolled.

Easily down the slope, but I

Hold the handles tightly

In case we career out of control.

Its over now

Truth be told

We made a racket.

Edited. Does it make sense? @bipolarbunny

In response to: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Hi @bipolarbunny

Just thought I'd let you know that you inspired me today to pick up the pen and do some writing of sorts - a poem isn't the right word, more like thoughts written in lines - on coronavirus that was in my mind. I'm in Melbourne and I'm scared in what is happening with the new case and the possibility of another lockdown if it gets serious enough. I think I write like 3 pages describing my thoughts and feelings on the topic- way too long to type and print here and definitely not up to your standard or quality in eyes! Anyway, I found that writing my thoughts and feelings down was very therapeutic and helped make things less scary so I was proud of myself for doing that.

Once again, thank you for sharing your poetry and for inspiring me to write today.

Take care.

Judi9877

In response to: Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

@Appleblossom Oh it does my friend. It's absolutely beautiful, I love it. Please share more! xxx

BB 🐰💙

In response to: Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

@Judi9877 Oh that is so wonderful to hear my friend! I am so happy for you, that you found it therapeutic is wonderful! And I'll let you in on a little secret, anything you write is always perfect the way it is, because it comes from within you. There are no rules. I think that's where people get stuck, they think they have to write a certain way for it to be correct, but that's just not true. If the words come from inside you they are always the right ones and the fact you wrote 3 pages and found it therapeutic proves that. Keep going my friend and please do post some of what you write on here. I would love to read it! And it doesn't need to have rhyme and meter to be a poem. Words on paper ARE poetry. I just write like that I think cause I read a lot of Banjo Paterson growing up and I guess my brain latched on to it. I envy people who can write spoken word! Some of my favourite poets write that way.

And yes I hear you re the coronavirus situation in Melbourne. I'm in central Victoria so it's not been as bad here with lockdowns but they do take their toll. Just please look after yourself and continue to write as it will help a great deal. xx

Bb 🐰💙

In response to: Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

@Shaz51 @Anastasia @Meowmy @HenryX @Dimity @Mazarita @rivergal @Appleblossom @Judi9877 @frog @Always-hope @Olga @eth @Bunniekins xxx


I often write in the third person to myself. I find it very difficult to give myself sound advice sometimes and so writing as though it's someone else often helps the advice and self love sink in. So today's thoughts are in that frame of mind. xx

BB 🐰💙

Stop

Stop looking for an answer,

Cause it just does not exist,

The search for the impossible,

Will send you round the twist,

And just when you feel confident,

It isn’t such a farce,

Another thread unravels,

And it bites you in the arse.

Stop striving for perfection,

Cause it cannot be obtained,

The search will leave you empty,

And your passions too restrained,

Accept the little victories,

When failure’s at your door,

Do not invite the bastard in,

Just settle up the score.

Stop trying to impress the world,

It really does not care,

The more you want celebrity,

The less your heart is there,

To treasure things important,

Shallow wants and needs are dim,

Embrace your altruistic self,

Reject the brother’s Grimm.

Stop longing for salvation,

From a life you did not want,

If destiny is muddled,

Simply try a different font,

And write your story warts and all,

Then maybe you will find,

The life you thought you wasted,

Was a figment of your mind.

Stop hating your affliction,

It’s a part of who you are,

It’s wrath may not define you,

But it’s got you here so far,

Your character and strength,

Cannot be built by joy alone,

You need the struggle’s tempest,

To turn weakness into stone.

Stop hoping for a hero,

To come save you from your life,

You have the power deep within,

To combat any strife,

So saddle up and rise beyond,

The hopelessness you feel,

Will soon be marked by bravery,

And battle hardened steel.

Stop searching for a magic fix,

To tame your weary mind,

Embrace the crazy journey,

Hidden treasures you may find,

Lurking amongst the shadows,

Courage lighting you a way,

So lace up, show up, bring it on,

And boldly seize the day!

© BB - 13 May 2021

In response to: Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Love it @bipolarbunny especially the rhythm.

In response to: Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Love your piece @Appleblossom quite brilliant and poignant. Have you heard of the Grieve Competition - it closes quite soon but you might want to look into it, I think some of your stuff would go well in it. xxEth

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