{"id":24022,"date":"2021-04-09T03:00:30","date_gmt":"2021-04-09T10:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=24022"},"modified":"2021-04-01T09:27:48","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T16:27:48","slug":"writing-like-our-mental-health-depends-on-it-by-pamela-zuber","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2021\/04\/09\/writing-like-our-mental-health-depends-on-it-by-pamela-zuber\/","title":{"rendered":"Writing Like Our Mental Health Depends on It by Pamela Zuber"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_24023\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Writing-Like-Our-Mental-Health-Depends-on-It-by-Pamela-Zuber.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-24023\" class=\"wp-image-24023 size-medium\" title=\"Writing Like Our Mental Health Depends on It by Pamela Zuber\" src=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Writing-Like-Our-Mental-Health-Depends-on-It-by-Pamela-Zuber-300x300.png\" alt=\"Writing Like Our Mental Health Depends on It by Pamela Zuber\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Writing-Like-Our-Mental-Health-Depends-on-It-by-Pamela-Zuber.png 300w, https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Writing-Like-Our-Mental-Health-Depends-on-It-by-Pamela-Zuber-80x80.png 80w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-24023\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo by Jan Kah\u00e1nek on Unsplash<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Today we welcome a new guest writer to Writer\u2019s Fun Zone, Pamela Zuber who is stopping by to chat with us about \u201cWriting Like Our Mental Health Depends on It.\u201d \u00a0Enjoy!<\/p>\n<p>***<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>If you\u2019re like me, COVID-19 and the global pandemic haven\u2019t just been threats to our physical health<\/strong>, but our mental health as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On any given day, we might be:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Worrying about our health and the health of others. We might also be grappling with concerns about our jobs, finances, children\u2019s educations, and other worries.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feeling anxiety. We could be wondering if certain activities will be safe, whether we took proper safety measures in the past, and when we\u2019ll receive a vaccine.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Experiencing depression and loneliness because we haven\u2019t been able to see loved ones, engage in activities, or do normal things in normal ways.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using alcohol or drugs to cope with our anxiety and depression and considering whether we need <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sunshinebehavioralhealth.com\/resources\/how-are-creativity-and-mental-illness-substance-abuse-related\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mental health rehab<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or other assistance.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Facing repetition and monotony, where one day seems to bleed into the next like a real-life version of the movie <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/geni.us\/VLs8LDc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Groundhog Day<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Struggling with uncertainty and trying to make sense of everything, even while situations continue to change.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In short, we\u2019ve been dealing with a lot and we\u2019re continuing to face new, strange, and challenging stressors. But we can do things to fight back.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Writing is one of them.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For writing activities, we might consider:<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writing for Your Mental Health: <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Journal writing (Journaling)<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writing in a journal, also known as journaling, is a practice that can provide mental health benefits and help us examine our lives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>This practice requires us to write regularly.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If we do that, we can read past entries to determine if there are common themes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We might notice that certain situations stress us out, for instance, so we can use this information to try to avoid such situations in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>While it\u2019s best to write often<\/strong>, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.urmc.rochester.edu\/encyclopedia\/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&amp;ContentTypeID=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">journaling doesn\u2019t have to be detailed or elaborate<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writing a few sentences or a paragraph every day can be enough.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Don\u2019t worry about your grammar<\/strong>, spelling, or structure because you\u2019re using your journal to document and track your thoughts and feelings.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Of course, you can also convert these thoughts and feelings into future works. Everything is potential material, right?<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Blogging for Your Mental Health\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You might want to care about your spelling and grammar a little more if you\u2019re blogging, however. At the very least, those conventions can make it easier for others to understand you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Contributing to a blog on a regular basis might be a good distraction if we\u2019re bored<\/strong>, can\u2019t leave home as often because of closures and safety reasons, or need a break from watching all those streaming shows. If we blog about a certain subject, we can write about ourselves a little and focus on something outside ourselves a little, which can provide a good balance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Researching and writing about focused topics can engage our brains and make us feel good while we\u2019re learning and discussing this newfound information.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>As a bonus<\/strong>, blogging about our passions can help us connect online with others who share the same enthusiasm. By virtually interacting with people, we\u2019re <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.qld.gov.au\/news-events\/news\/staying-connected-while-social-distancing-isolation-loneliness-technology-physical-connection-community-family-friends\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">less likely to become lonely, depressed, and anxious<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And again, communicating with interesting people can ultimately help us enhance our blog and other writing.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Writing Fiction: Good for Your Mental Health\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are you reluctant to write about your feelings in a journal or discuss real people and events in a blog? Consider writing some fiction.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>For example,<\/strong> I\u2019ve been working on a story that features a judgmental old woman as one of its characters. She\u2019s by far my favorite character to write, and others have also responded positively to her as well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This character might be popular because she\u2019s so mean when the rest of us have had to be so patient and understanding during these tough times. She doesn\u2019t censor herself, and to feel this type of freedom ourselves, we might be living vicariously through her.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Thousands of years ago<\/strong>, Greek philosopher Aristotle stated that the arts can be cathartic.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Scholars note that the Greek word <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">catharsis<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can mean both <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/iep.utm.edu\/aris-poe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">purging<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">purifying<\/span><\/i><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, so maybe writing can be a way to squelch negativity by producing something more positive. Even if it\u2019s a work of fiction about some nasty old lady.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Editor\u2019s Note: For more on bringing Aristotle&#8217;s ideas about the arts, check out the book, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/geni.us\/7zgQ96\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wonderworks: The 25 Most Powerful Inventions in the History of Literature<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">COVID-19 and Our Mental Health\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">COVID-19 and the pandemic have made life weirder and more difficult for most of us. There are still things beyond our control.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But while we can\u2019t influence some conditions, we can control the way we respond to them. Writing about our emotions, interests, and desires is one such way.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>***<\/p>\n<h2><b>About the Author\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Pamela-Zuber.png\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-24025 size-full\" title=\"Pamela Zuber\" src=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Pamela-Zuber.png\" alt=\"Pamela Zuber\" width=\"165\" height=\"165\" srcset=\"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Pamela-Zuber.png 165w, https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Pamela-Zuber-80x80.png 80w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 165px) 100vw, 165px\" \/><\/a>Pamela Zuber writes nonfiction and fiction and has explored health and wellness, addiction and recovery, human rights, gender issues, and other topics. You can find some of her work <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blogoneer.com\/our-writers\/pamela-zuber-portfolio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">on this page<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and can contact her at pamelaz@sunshinebh.com.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>***<\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sources\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sunshinebehavioralhealth.com\/resources\/how-are-creativity-and-mental-illness-substance-abuse-related\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sunshinebehavioralhealth.com<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; How Are Creativity, Mental Illness, and Substance Abuse Related?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.urmc.rochester.edu\/encyclopedia\/content.aspx?ContentID=4552&amp;ContentTypeID=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">urmc.rochester.edu<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; Journaling for Mental Health<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.qld.gov.au\/news-events\/news\/staying-connected-while-social-distancing-isolation-loneliness-technology-physical-connection-community-family-friends\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">health.qld.gov.au<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; Staying Connected While Being Physically Apart: Well-Being in the Time of Social Distancing<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/iep.utm.edu\/aris-poe\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">iep.utm.edu<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; Aristotle: Poetics<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our mental health is just as important as our physical health. As we continue to face new, strange, and challenging stressors during these times, we can do things to improve our mental health and fight back. Writing is a powerful tool to handle what comes our way. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":24023,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[515],"tags":[4346,4243,4597,4598],"class_list":["post-24022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guest-columnists","tag-covid-19","tag-mental-health","tag-pamela-zuber","tag-sunshine-behavioral-health"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Writing Like Our Mental Health Depends on It by Pamela Zuber &#183; Writer&#039;s Fun Zone<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Our mental health is just as important as our physical health. 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