Problogue

Feeling stressed out lately? Having trouble sleeping? Do attempts at expressing yourself usually end in fits of rage and hostility towards friends and family? Upon leaving a pub one night I got into a heated argument over where I parked. I was just about to knock my friend out when I hit myself instead, with an idea !... 'Maybe I should start Blogging !' That's right folks. Blogging!! The new self help, do-it-yourself psychotherapy of the 21st century. Research has shown that expressive writing such as blogging has psychological benefits. It can aid in stress coping, improves memory and sleep, and even boosts immune activity [1],[2]. Cancer patients who engaged in expressive writing even felt better than patients who did not. [3] Furthermore, bloggers were found to develop increased social integration and perceived social support as compared with non-bloggers [4]

In a digital age where people are spending more time with inanimate objects than they are with real people, its no wonder they are stressed out. In a way, digital communication tools such as forums, instant messaging, e-mail and blogging all help to fill that gap left behind by our use of technology. We are finding new ways to satisfy a basic need to express ourselves using new tools. So get to it. It just might make you feel better. Your friends will be thankful you did. I know mine were!

[1] AIDS Behav. 2006 Jan;10(1):13-26.
[2] J Exp Psychol Gen. 2001 Sep;130(3):520-33.
[3] Oncologist. 2008 Feb;13(2):196-204
[4] Cyberpsychol Behav. 2008 Dec;11(6):747-9

Blogging--It's Good for You: Scientific American