World Wellbeing Week: How writing supports wellness

Over one in five UK adults say writing has been their most beneficial mental health aid to date

• 17% of Brits say that they have picked up writing over the course of the past two years to help with their mental health
• 22% concur that writing has been the most beneficial aid to their mental health to date
• 17% agree that writing has had the biggest impact on improving their memory

In light of World Wellbeing Week, observed in the last week of June, StoryTerrace, the leading personal memoir-writing service, emphasises the profound connection between writing and wellness. With its mission to preserve and share personal stories, StoryTerrace recognises the therapeutic benefits of writing as a means to promote emotional, mental, and overall wellbeing. It was found in their national study that over one in five (22%) of UK adults say that has been the most beneficial aid to their mental health to date. Rutger Bruining, CEO and founder of the international service believes that writing, particularly in the form of memoirs and personal narratives, plays a crucial role in this process. By encouraging individuals to reflect on their lives, articulate their experiences, and share their stories, writing becomes a transformative tool for personal growth and healing.

Research suggests that putting pen to paper is a reliable way to boost your health and happiness with its ability to relieve stress and anxiety, improve depression symptoms, enhance memory retention, and increase optimism. Bruining says writing helps us work through difficult thoughts and feelings, as well as provides us with effective strategies for coping with stress and managing difficult times.

Often connected to similar practices seen in mindfulness, journaling has received much attention in recent years as psychologists and therapists underline its ability to help us reframe how we talk to ourselves – shifting away from a narrative that can inherently be self-critical to one of increased compassion. Booming over the course of the pandemic, research from StoryTerrace shows 17% of Brits say that they have picked up journaling over the course of the past two years to help with their mental health, with Google reports showing a 110% increase in searches for journalling ideas over the past year. Moreover, over a third (31%) of respondents concur that writing about their mental health experiences in a creative way has allowed them to understand themselves better.

Now prescribed by doctors and healthcare specialists to begin addressing mental health issues, along with meditation, this practice has become the hallmark of the so-called ‘self-care revolution’.

Key stats:

• 17% of Brits say that they have picked up journaling over the course of the past two years to help with their mental health
• 31% say writing about their mental health experiences in a creative way has allowed them to better understand themselves
• 31% feel more comfortable writing about their troubling experiences than talking about them
• 22% concur that journaling has been the most beneficial aid to their mental health to date
• 17% agree that journaling has had the biggest impact on improving their memory

Rutger Bruining, CEO/founder of StoryTerrace, comments on the healing powers of journaling as seen in memoir-writing:

“Through the act of storytelling, we are able to express ourselves, make sense of our experiences, and find solace and clarity in the process. StoryTerrace is committed to harnessing this power and providing a platform for individuals to preserve their stories while simultaneously nurturing their own wellness.

“Not only is journaling extremely therapeutic, but it also allows us to preserve and reflect on how we think and feel at certain times in our lives. It is a personal archive of our experiences and how our experiences shape who we are. Going above and beyond the likes of social media that only portrays one side of the story, the written word lends a self-reflective mirror that allows us to process and make sense of our experiences. 

“Hundreds of the memoirs that we see at StoryTerrace start from an individual’s journal – we see it all the time. They represent a capsule of one’s thoughts and feelings at a certain point and allow reflection on that experience for years to come. People cherish their journals and keep them as keepsakes, and that is what is so beautiful about StoryTerrace.”