The Health Benefits of Expressive Writing

Storytelling | True Life Stories

Stozzys.com has been lucky enough to work with the great team at University of Plymouth, through the European Regional Development Funded project, EPIC (eHealth Productivity and Innovation in Cornwall and The Isles of Scilly)

Research Fellow Nicole Thomas became interested in some of the key ideas behind Stozzys.com, and she helped us move forward by carrying out research on the health benefits of ‘expressive writing’ – also known as autobiographical storytelling, expressive writing, real life stories, and a sharing experience.

The Literature Review starts with two great quotes:

“Expressive writing is writing that is used to delve deeper into your thoughts, opinions, and emotions rooted in experiences, memories, and trauma. Expressive writing is done in the first person using personal pronouns, such as ”I.” It can be self-reflective and meditative and employed as a therapy aid, or it can be something that is published and put out there for people to read what you wish to impart to others. Expressive writing is not ruled by grammar, mechanics, or correct spelling and is more free-flowing, coming from your gut and heart. Emotions and sensory details (hearing, tasting, smelling, seeing, and touching) make the writing come alive. It is about how you feel about things that you have experienced, witnessed, or thought about.” – Study.com

“There is no greater agony that bearing an untold story inside of you.” – Maya Angelou

 

Evidence suggests people of all ages and backgrounds benefit from expressive writing [1-6]. Studies exploring the benefits of expressive writing have been carried out with young children to deal with stress and trauma, with those recovering from operations and cancer survivors to aid healing, both physically and mentally, and with dementia sufferers to reconnect with who they are.

The benefits of expressive writing to help process experiences has been researched and is  recommended by mental health charities [9, 10]. However, expressive writing may not always need to be about traumatic events. One study talks about how using expressive writing to describe a good experience enhances the positive emotions felt during the event which has benefits to wellbeing [11].

One of the more interesting benefits which is emerging within the literature is the how expressive writing can increase physical healing. Studies have shown that using expressive writing to process upcoming events and to write about it afterwards has significant impact of wound healing and recovery [4, 12, 13].

One group shown to particularly benefit are those within the LGBTQI+ communities, especially those living in remote and rural areas [1, 7, 8]. Expressive writing was used as a way to help deal with depressive symptoms associated with traumatic heterosexual events, such as lack of understanding about a person’s sexuality when visiting their GP.

As expressive writing is a low-resource and low-risk exercise that can be carried out anywhere, for anyone feeling ostracised by society and their health service providers, it can serve as an outlet for traumatic emotions.

The benefits of reading expressive stories are also well documented, which include enhancing connections through empathy and compassion, and breaking down stereotypes [17-20]. This has been shown to be particularly important for vulnerable and/or marginalised groups of people. It is also becoming more valued as part of the training within health occupations, to enhance the health service provider’s understanding of the lived experiences of their patients [20]. 

Thank you Nicole for this fantastic and inspirational  insight into the potential benefits of Stozzys.com!

 

 

Sources

 

  1. Collins, K.M. and H.M. Levitt, Healing from heterosexism: A discovery-oriented task analysis of emotion-focused writing. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health, 2022. 26(1): p. 2-23.
  2. Maroney, D.I., The Imagine Project™: Using Expressive Writing to Help Children Overcome Stress and Trauma. Pediatric Nursing, 2020. 46(6): p. 300-311.
  3. Martopullo, C., et al., “In the same boat”-a mixed-methods exploration of reasons why male gastrointestinal cancer patients joined a professionally led men-only cancer support group. Journal of Cancer Survivorship, 2020. 14(3): p. 261-272.
  4. Robinson, H., et al., The effects of expressive writing before or after punch biopsy on wound healing. Brain, behavior, and immunity, 2017. 61: p. 217-227.
  5. Whitmore, L., et al., Efficacy of expressive helping in adult hematologic cancer patients undergoing stem cell transplant: protocol for the Writing for Insight, Strength, and Ease (WISE) study’s two-arm randomized controlled trial. Trials, 2021. 22(1): p. 1-15.
  6. Young, A., E. Ferguson-Coleman, and J. Keady, How might the cultural significance of storytelling in Deaf communities influence the development of a life-story work intervention for Deaf people with dementia? A conceptual thematic review. Ageing & Society, 2020. 40(2): p. 262-281.
  7. Collins, K.M., H.M. Levitt, and M.R. Maroney, Peeling Back the Layers: How Expressive Writing about Heterosexist Events Benefits Sexual Minority Adults. Journal of Homosexuality, 2022. 69(3): p. 445-473.
  8. Pachankis, J.E. and M.R. Goldfried, Expressive writing for gay-related stress: psychosocial benefits and mechanisms underlying improvement. Journal of consulting and clinical psychology, 2010. 78(1): p. 98.
  9. Headsup.org.au. Telling Your Story.  [cited 2022 March].
  10. Mind.org.uk. Your Stories.  [cited 2022 March].
  11. Reis, H.T., et al., Are you happy for me? How sharing positive events with others provides personal and interpersonal benefits. Journal of personality and social psychology, 2010. 99(2): p. 311.
  12. Koschwanez, H., et al., Randomized clinical trial of expressive writing on wound healing following bariatric surgery. Health Psychology, 2017. 36(7): p. 630-640.
  13. Koschwanez, H.E., et al., Expressive writing and wound healing in older adults: a randomized controlled trial. Psychosomatic Medicine, 2013. 75(6): p. 581-590.
  14. Bartlett, Y.K. and N.S. Coulson, An investigation into the empowerment effects of using online support groups and how this affects health professional/patient communication. Patient Education and Counseling, 2011. 83(1): p. 113-119.
  15. Das, A. and A. Faxvaag, What Influences Patient Participation in an Online Forum for Weight Loss Surgery? A Qualitative Case Study. Interactive Journal of Medical Research, 2014. 3(1): p. e4.
  16. Eysenbach, G., et al., Health related virtual communities and electronic support groups: systematic review of the effects of online peer to peer interactions. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 2004. 328(7449): p. 1166-1166.
  17. McKinney, A., The value of life story work for staff, people with dementia and family members. Nurs Older People, 2017. 29(5): p. 25-29.
  18. Morrisby, C. and A. Young, Development of skills and attitudes through telling life stories: Reflections on work integrated learning. Gerontology & geriatrics education, 2020: p. 1-12.
  19. Valliappan, P.R., People in Between: The Value of Life Stories in Exploring the Needs of Colombian Asylum Seekers. 2011, University of South Florida: Ann Arbor. p. 100.
  20. Wicks, A. and G. Whiteford, Value of life stories in occupation-based research. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 2003. 50(2): p. 86-91.