Is blogging a therapy ?
I came across this post form Lorelle on her wonderful Blog, where she assumes ironically that “After all, we blog for therapy, don’t we”. I thought it was quite a good question for 365questions.
Writing has already acted as a therapy for many people before the Internet even existed, but traditional diary or novel writing isn’t like blogging. With blogs you share instantly with potential hundreds of people.
In my case, at this stage, it is still a very lonely activity. I have no readers yet, so I asked our mighty friend Google.
I found out that “Blogging for Therapy’ was already a common place.
Yuki Noguchi in this Washington Post’s post leads the rank. Half of all bloggers are said to consider it as a therapy : “Mary, a patient at the High Point Regional Health System, started blogging about ups and downs following her mini-gastric bypass surgery in March.”?
Interesting.
From the 122 google results on “Blog for therapy”, there are also people who are here to help us with tips : Leanne for example gives us her “list of things NOT to do that directly relate to me and maybe you, but not definitely you”. We won’t. Her readers love smileys by the way. She says nothing about that so I think it’s OK with her. Are smileys the future of interpersonal expression ? Could be a good post.
For those who need support but who are too lazy to start blogging here is A free, online self-help book to answer your questions on depression, anxiety, relationships, sex, and more!
For my first blog, I imagined I was a guy with mental illness locked in a hospital, posting his “thoughts” in the web. So I guess I know the answer to this one :
Is Blogging a Therapy ?
July 3rd, 2006 at 3:15 am
I found some other articles a while ago about blogging as therapy that I’ll have to dig out of my brain and notes.
Writing is therapy for many, and taking journaling and writing to the public stage of blogging is a huge step. Some think it through very carefully, while others just don’t give a rip who reads their babble.
As for attracting traffic to your blog, whether that serves the therapy aspects or not, is a different matter. Consistent and growing readership is created by worthwhile reading and content worth linking to. It’s created by a need to share with others, a give and take, and establishing a relationship with your audience that keeps them coming back for more.
For some, this is therapy, as they spend more time thinking about others than themselves. For others, it’s self assuring to see the traffic numbers go up, since it helps their self-esteem and worth.
It’s a complex thing, blogging. As for mental health aspects, it can get even more complicated.
My comment was meant to be satirical, but I love that it inspired you to ask and answer the issue. Let me see if I can find those articles that might help you tackle this subject.
July 3rd, 2006 at 11:54 am
Thanks a lot Lorelle. You are the first to comment on my Blog. I have to celebrate this. I notice you are not just prolofic for yourself but also for others. Good comments make the value of posts. That’s what 365 questions is about.
July 3rd, 2006 at 6:13 pm
Very true. And congrats! Welcome to the interactive world of blogging!
July 4th, 2006 at 4:07 pm
Of all of the posts I’ve written, that one you earmarked is one in a handful where I’m much more emotionally vested in my blog than usual. In that sense - you’re absolutely right, it was written as therapy and as you could tell from the comments it was pretty healing for me to record those emotions as I was having them.
The smileys are a bonus, indeed!
July 4th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
Thank you Leanne. Keep on the good posts.
There is a lot of truth and good sense in what you wrote that day. I think it appealed to many of your readers. Maybe the lesson here is : always write with your heart..
Cheers.