Oct 13, 2008 2:26 pm US/Eastern
Journal Writing Shows Positive Health Benefits
(KDKA)
New findings give credence to the healing power of journal writing.
A cancer study shows how putting thoughts down on paper has a positive effect on your health.
"Believe me when, when pen goes to paper, you forget where you are. Your spirits lift," said writing clinician Nancy Morgan.
Now, a new study shows it also has a healing effect on the body.
Georgetown researchers asked patients in a busy cancer clinic to write about their disease – not factual stuff, but deep-down emotions.
"What we found was, of the 63 people who wrote, 60 felt that the writing changed the way they thought and felt about their cancer, for the better," said Morgan.
In follow-up visits, the patients reported an improvement in their physical quality of life.
"Our studies have shown that writing about the way you feel about something, your thoughts that come as a result of this experience, make a huge difference in your quality of life, both emotional and physical," said Morgan.
Morgan has incorporated writing as part of the therapy at Georgetown's Lombardi Cancer Clinic.
Every Tuesday patients in the infusion area receive a writing exercise.
She plans to do larger studies on the effects of writing in the future.
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