I remember the day I had my breakdown, I can see it vividly in my mind, the racing thoughts, the utter desperation and massive physical stabbing pain in my heart, shivering body and sweating brow. It was the worst experience of my life as I lay there on my living room floor unsure of what to do next.
Not wanting to cause my family any more pressure in their lives I was hesitant in telling them how despondent I was but decided to contact them and when they discovered my current mental state I was taken to my family home where it was suggested I see a GP ASAP.
Once there my family saw how ill I was as I spilled out my negative thoughts and agony that I had kept inside for years, it was then when they suggested that I write down all my feelings.
If you too are feeling depressed and very low I suggest you write down what you are feeling and why. If you don’t know why then not to worry, that is fine, there is no judgement, just put down how you are feeling or whatever comes to mind.
By writing down how you feel you : –
- Removing your heavy thoughts from your mind onto paper – When you have a build up of negativity in your mind it can be overwhelming, by writing it down on paper it makes it helps organise your thoughts and stops your carrying it inside alone.
- You won’t miss any important points when discussing your problem to your GP – important feelings and thoughts can be missed when speaking to a GP, we tend to put on a strong face when we meet strangers rather than show truly how we feel. By writing it down it ensures that your GP knows everything going on inside your mind.
- Have a starting point for your healing – writing it down allows you to see your problems which gives you a point to work from on how to cure.
- Be useful for your GP to get you the help you need – depending on your problems your GP can ensure you get the right help and suggest other therapists that may help you find normality again.
- Once you are healed, burn the paper – this can be a hugely powerful symbolic statement. By burning the paper that once contained all your negative thoughts and experiences it can be closer to letting the past and the pains go letting you move forward and live life again.
Writing down how you feel may seem trivial and actually quite difficult to concentrate when your mental pain is overwhelming but as you can see there are many benefits to doing so.
If you are a carer, friend or family member reading this and know of someone who is very depressed and they can’t write down their feelings then maybe you can, with their permission, take notes and ask if they require support when they go to the GP.
Writing your feelings down can be the starting point of your healing. Things can improve no matter how bleak it feels right now, life can get better.