woman thinking while writing

How Writing Can Help You in Recovery

By

Sober Recovery Expert Author

woman thinking while writing

If you happen to be on the road to recovery, tending to a myriad of emotions is something you are probably familiar with. One day you might feel pretty hopeful and proud and the next you may feel down and out. Learning how to process and sort these feelings out is helpful in order to live each day in good spirits. Fortunately, there are some valuable tools you can utilize to make the process go much smoother.

An Emotional Recovery Tool

Scores of men and women have found that writing is an ideal way of battling emotional issues, especially during the recovery process. It is common for some people to feel empty and uncertain after many years of abusing alcohol or drugs. Other people may finally feel a sense of hope when they decide to stop the abuse. Irrespective of what you feel, the most important thing is to find ways to be consistently on track and ensure that your progress continues.

It is crucial to discover what works for you in order to stay clean and sober. For some it is attending 12 step meetings. For others it might be therapy or going to church. For most it is a combination of things and experimenting. Included in the list of “possibles” can be writing or journaling.

Journaling, creating poetry, songs or starting a blog are among the various ways you can vent, process emotions and inspire others.

You may think right off the bat that you are not a good writer; however, this should not discourage you. Sometimes, when it comes to putting pen to paper, you may find out that you have a lot to write about. Writing does not have to be complicated and you certainly shouldn’t worry about whether you are good at it or not. Unless your desire is to be a professional writer, you should not be too concerned about grammar and so on.

Finding What Works

When writing, it is important to experiment with different formats and choose one that best suits you. You can opt to have a diary or journal and write in it whenever you wish. Or you can set up a blog and write about topics of your choice. People find it quite therapeutic to pen their progress, setbacks, victories, etc. and encourage others at the same time.

If journaling and blogging do not appeal to you, perhaps you can write poems or songs. Short to medium length articles are also ideal. The length does not matter; it can be small bits or a whole chunk of what is really on your mind. Time does not have to limit you either. You can take hours, days or even years—as long as you are writing.

What to Write About

You may think that this sounds like a great idea—until you sit down to write and go blank. Writer’s block will certainly try to get you from time to time but you can persevere through. One thing you can always write about is anything to do with your addiction and recovery process. It may be the things that led you into addiction in the first place or the major hurdles you faced once you started recovery. You can also talk about the support from friends or family and how it helped you get to where you are today.

You really can write about anything concerning your experiences, intimate feelings and emotions regarding your journey. No one else has to see what you write unless it is your desire to publish your writings. Besides the therapeutic value of writing for yourself, others who happen to read your writings can be encouraged as well. You may inspire others who find themselves in a similar situation as you.

Writing is a near perfect tool for the recovery process, as it allows you to speak your mind without fear of judgment or retribution from anyone. It helps you take pride in your achievements and allows you to make peace with yourself. In addition, you are able to have more confidence in your emotions to an extent that you can freely share them with other people.

Now, grab a pen or open up an empty Word document and give it a try.

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