Lived Experience Forum

[AspieGirl]

I was just wondering does anyone else write down their feelings and thoughts to release negative energy and tension as well as to think clearer? What do you like to write?

[Nearly80]

A great idea!  It's long been recognised that keeping ones personal ledger has personal value and benefits.  What you write is private.  Nearly80

[Alone]

I've been keeping an online journal for over a decade now.  It started as something to keep in touch with friends, but then facebook was invented and my journal became a private dumping ground for my thoughts.  I find it really helps to put your thoughts down on paper.  It gets them out of my head and clears my mind.

It's also interesting to go back and read what I was writing, it shows where my head was and what I was doing!

[Doc_Gonzo]

I used to write avidly and had numeorus pieces of poetry published in my teens and early 20's. I continued writing poetry until my late 20's where I shifted to journal writing. I stopped writing for quite some time in my thirties (due in part to my commitments to uni). I tried to get back into it and found that it was too structured and didn't flow like it used to so I switched to recording my voice using a voice recorder ( I find this helps me to freely articulate what is going on , whereas when I write, I write with purpose and intent). I have recently relaunched my blog and am slowly easing back into writing about living with mental ill-health, life, the universe and everything.

These days writing has taken a very pruposeful educative role in my life and even in this mode I still find it very therapeutic.
I have been running a creative writing group for adults living with mental ill-health since feb of this year. However regretfully today was my last day as the facilitator as I am moving into a different orgnisation. So as you can probably tell I am a strong advocate for writing as a form of self care and support 🙂

[mrkotter]

I have a growing collection of diaries going back to 2010. I have no idea what to do with them. I'm not sure if I want to look at them either but no way am I going to get rid of them.

I also tweet about bipolar. Good little bit of relief.

[BlueBay]

I have been writing in journals for 6 years.  Most of it was the memories of my childhood abuse. A lot of it is negative, releasing my emotions, my memories and the hate for a lot of people.

Some times I do write poems in my journals but the problem with me is i end up writing very negative and dark thoughts.  My therapist has recommended that i don't write in my journal for these reasons.

So i haven't written in my journal for a little while.  Actually when i was in hospital in July i wrote every night but it was negative to the point that i was getting so worked up and emotinal and angry.

[AspieGirl]

Is the group still running or do you know of any online?

[AspieGirl]

I wrote alot when I was in hospital mainly poetry for the staff as a way of keeping myself occupied and also a way of explaining my feelings to the doctors/ specialists as i couldn't verbalise it, i have been writing every night since I got out to try make sense of things

[Doc_Gonzo]

The group is still running however much to my disdain it is closed to service users of Life Without Barriers and United Care Wesley Pt Adelaide. I played a small part in opening up the group to UCWPA as well, however it is till a closed group as much as it pains me to say so.

When I started it was closed to anyone excpet LWB clients and it took a lot of work for my supervisor to gain permission to open it up. Hopefully over time it will be open to all.

As for online I can't think of any off hand. It might be worth asking this question ont he forums as other people may be able to help.

[BettyBop]

I write a sort of diary. My psych said I should/could list the level of depression/various feelings and note how it felt in different areas of my body to keep track/understand what was going on in my head and body. It sort of turned into a list of the things that had happened during the day and a way to ponder and self sort out what's going on. 

I'd definately recommend it, you don't have to do it everyday, just when you feel you need to.

Random short stories are awesome as well. Just remeber to make a note to yourself that they are for you and not for anyone else when you're writing them, it seems to help me get to the heart of the issue if I keep reminding myself that it's just for me. It's up to you if you want to share it after.

Good luck with everything and I hope this helps 🙂