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Writing As A Form Of Therapy

SilenusSenior Contributor12 Apr 2016, 3:14 pm AEST

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: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

StuFSenior Contributor14 June 2021, 11:04 am AEST

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

@bipolarbunnyand others
Wow, a lot to catch up on! I won't go back and respond to each post. But it's been a great discussion and exhibition of poetic works. Thanks all for sharing!!

@bipolarbunnyI just had to reply specifically to you- I think maybe we have the same psychologist! Mine says the same thing 🙂

In response to: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

bipolarbunnySenior Contributor14 June 2021, 1:24 pm AEST

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

@MDT It's an honour to have you here my friend, the more the merrier! xx

BB🐰💙

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

bipolarbunnySenior Contributor14 June 2021, 1:29 pm AEST

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

@StuF That's awesome Stu, they are sneaky in their tactics aren't they, lol. If I haven't written for a week, the first thing that comes up in session is, "I missed your poetry this week everything okay?" and then if I write ten poems in a week he says the same thing knowing I'm probably manic, lol. He doesn't miss a beat! Hope you have a great day my friend, keep sharing your wonderful works xx

BB 🐰💙

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

StuFSenior Contributor14 June 2021, 2:04 pm AEST

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

@bipolarbunny

I hope you're having a great day too 🙂

In response to: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

MDTSenior Contributor14 June 2021, 9:05 pm AEST

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

I can't just accept who I am now. There's much more to my story and where I am at now does not reflect it. I was also talking to a nice girl through a dating app and it seems like she has deleted me off whatsapp. Meeting people is so hard these days. It depresses me that no one gives each other time or a go. Everything needs to be in a custom made, fit for purpose box that can comfortably encompass everything. There seems to be no more room for error.

I am increasingly at odds with so much of my own generation and I dunno if that is good or not

But maybe life is too complex to be categorised and good or bad. Maybe there is a lot of grey in a world not so black and white

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

FizzSenior Contributor16 June 2021, 10:55 am AEST

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Hi @bipolarbunny and @MDT and all
Given I'm a former journo - probably no surprise I'm a fan of this technique - though admittedly my journalling days started when I was 16 and in the last two years of school - a few years before I moved to Bathurst to study journalism at Charles Sturt University

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

bipolarbunnySenior Contributor16 June 2021, 1:11 pm AEST

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Hey @MDT

I hear you my friend. I have been there and still am to a certain degree (52 & single). But one thing I found that has helped me is this. I was always a people pleaser and it caused me so much grief because the effort I put in with people was never reciprocated and I always felt lost and miserable. But one day something clicked. I finally stopped trying to become someone I thought people wanted to be around and I just started being unapologetically me. It didn't change my situation, but it did change how I felt about myself and that lead to an exploration of my authentic self. From that point on, I have been much happier in my own company and if I meet people that like me great, if not, that's fine too. Take care xx

BB 🐰💙

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

bipolarbunnySenior Contributor16 June 2021, 1:14 pm AEST

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

That's awesome @Fizz !

I love where it says, "It gives you a safe container for your feelings, experiences & emotions." So true!!

Hope your day is going well! xx

BB 🐰💙

In response to: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

bipolarbunnySenior Contributor16 June 2021, 1:23 pm AEST

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Hey everyone,

@greenpea @Shaz51 @Silenus @StuF @Mazarita @Appleblossom @Judi9877 @rivergal @frog @Always-hope @HenryX @Meowmy @Anastasia @Daisydreamer @EOR @TAB @Fizz @AussieRecharger @TideisTurning @Peonies @BlueBay @Meggle @The-Hams and anyone else passing by...

So today I decided to share this poem with you all. It was written especially for my clinical psychologist who is the one who encouraged me to start writing again. This is my 100th poem since I started back writing after a 20 year drought and so I wanted to honour Jeff. He absolutely loved it and asked me if he could share it with his colleagues. 🙂

For Jeff..

A Hundred Thanks

It seems like many moons ago,

When life was caught by undertow,

And all I saw for years ahead,

Were broken dreams and bitter dread,

I happened on a call by chance,

That led me to a hopeful dance,

Of words and wisdom, random choice,

A hundred thanks, you heard my voice.

So there you sat in front of me,

Your calm demeanour set me free,

This gentle soul with smiley eyes,

My broken wing had won the prize,

And so we talked and so we learned,

The depth of which my spirit yearned,

To understand my wayward brain,

A hundred thanks, you heard my pain.

And too I found you love to play,

Guitar and bluegrass strings allay,

Discovering I used to write,

We soon renewed poetic flight,

And fly I did with broken wing,

I learned my weary heart could sing,

And words within cannot be wrong,

A hundred thanks, you heard my song.

The Complicated Bunny wrote,

For endless verse and rhyming quote,

Homework brewing thick and fast,

Unravelling my damaged past,

And still you sat with gentle calm,

Empowering with all your charm,

Challenging the depths I stroll,

A hundred thanks, you heard my soul.

And often raucous banter struck,

The funny bone by way of luck,

An F bomb here, an F bomb there,

My cop mouth aptly poised to blare,

And stories of my days in blue,

You know the bullshit’s always true,

I never did a thing by half,

A hundred thanks, you heard my laugh.

But too were toxic moods unwound,

Of deep regret and hurt profound,

You never wavered in your stance,

Supporting me with just a glance,

You pushed enough to make me think,

Whenever I would start to sink,

I never felt I had to hide,

A hundred thanks, you heard my side.

It seems like many moons ago,

When I was drowning, don’t you know,

I met this cool accomplished dude,

Who taught me crazy fortitude,

A little moxie rhyming here,

For there is more to me than fear,

I’m climbing like a budding rose,

A hundred thanks, you heard my prose.

So here we are, almost a year,

With madness still a bitch to steer,

But sure enough we know the game,

No longer will I be the same,

From diving down that rabbit hole,

I’ve found an everlasting role,

It’s you that taught me strength from strife,

A hundred thanks, you saved my life.

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

MDTSenior Contributor16 June 2021, 3:00 pm AEST

Re: Writing As A Form Of Therapy

Well said @bipolarbunny
I agree completely

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