If you spend any amount of time on the Internet, you probably follow a least a few people who are very successful bloggers. Every blog is unique and normally has a different topic, theme, or goal in mind for its followers. You can find blogs about sports, mental health, fashion, politics, religion, parenting, and more. While there are an endless number of blogs and bloggers in the world, there will always be room for more. If you’ve never given blogging a chance, you should consider getting involved. It could be the perfect opportunity to share your life with the world, offer solutions to problems we all face, and make a difference in your own and others’ lives. Blogging provides practical benefits but can also greatly improve your mental health for a variety of reasons.
Sharing with Others
Blogging serves as an outlet for the writer, and you can choose to reveal your identity or remain completely anonymous to your readers. Sometimes you go through things in life that feel too hard to share even with the people closest to you. You may be in therapy but find some topics too hard to discuss with your therapist just yet. Anonymous blogging allows you to share what’s on your heart and mind without the added stress of people’s reactions (or lack thereof). If you want input from others, you can turn the commenting feature “on.” If you don’t want others’ opinions, simply turn the comments off. You hold the control as a blogger and sharing things online first can make it easier to share them in person down the road.
Cultivating Memories
If you become the type of blogger that consistently shares your thoughts, feelings, and day-to-day experiences, you’ll have an entire online journal of memories to look back on. This is especially helpful for mental health because you can go back and see the ways in which you have improved or grown as a person. If you’re ever needing a pick-me-up, simply go back through your posts and find a day where you were particularly happy or wrote about something good in your life. Blogs remind us that happier days are ahead even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Feeling Less Alone
Sometimes people we’ve never met can make us feel less alone than even our closest family members and friends can. This isn’t to say that you should withdraw from sharing with your friends and family because you should confide in those who care most for you. However, blogging allows you access to people who may be going through the same struggles as you. For example, you may not have any friends who live with depression or anxiety like you do. Writing about your experiences with depression and anxiety online will show you that there are many others out there going through similar experiences as you are. This is an instance in which turning on comments on your posts is a great option. Then, you’ll be able to receive supportive messages and encouragement from others online.
Normalizing Mental Illness
When you blog about mental illness, you’ll quickly find there are many others also experiencing various forms of mental illness. The more that people talk about and write about mental illness, the less stigmatized it becomes. While there has been a lot of improvement in this area in recent years, there is always room for more discussion and acceptance. Never be afraid to share your true thoughts and feelings because you never know who you could be helping.
Sense of Purpose
Blogging isn’t at all about how many followers, likes, or reactions you get on your posts. It’s more about how it makes you feel and the community you develop along the way. Blogging can give you a sense of purpose as you help others through similar struggles. When someone relates to one of your posts, they can comment and let you know. Blogging is an activity you’ll be able to look forward to and hopefully, one that will bring you (and others) joy and hope alike. Even if you help just one person feel less alone, that is enough to make blogging worth it.
While being a blogger can be fun, helpful, and relaxing, you may also consider trying to connect with and follow other bloggers online. Just as you can help make others feel less alone through your own posts, you can also help other bloggers by commenting when you relate to their posts, encouraging them, and following them to keep up with their daily experiences. The online blogging world is a community that can be helpful for anyone struggling with their mental health. It’s up to you to decide how little or how much you’d like to be involved. Remember that the experience is for your benefit, so only you can determine what helps you the most. Happy blogging!
