Nevertheless, Steve Toepfer, a professor at Kent State, wondered if writing letters by hand would change how his students felt and behaved. His study, done in 2007, showed that hand written letters provide positive psychological benefits for the writer. Depression was lifted and relationships were strengthened, and that was just two of the outcomes. Other studies show that the receiver also gains benefits. Therefore, writing can be a twofold, valuable tool when used for self care while managing mental illness.
WHAT IS SELF CARE?
Take a few moments and think about owning a car. The better you take care of it, the greater it looks and operates, and the longer it lasts. You will need to keep it clean. It will consistently need gas. It will need tires rotated, balanced, and eventually replaced. You will need to take care of things like radiator fluid, oil, and wiper blades. There are many obligations, each different yet important. In order for it to run well, you must care for the car as long as you own it.
The same is true for you. You own your mind and body, and always will. Unfortunately, at least one study has shown persons with bipolar disorder can expect a shorter life span than those without. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) states good treatment, when followed, expands that life span. Self care is part of good treatment. Writing a letter can be just one of the ways you take care of yourself while living with mental illness. It's an easy form of self care because it doesn't require a scheduled event, like seeing your doctor or therapist. It's one that you can do when you feel up to it. And, takes less than an hour. All in all, it is a low maintenance effort with high benefit! Keep reading and give it a try!
WHAT YOU NEED
- About 30 minutes of uninterrupted time
- Paper
- Pen or pencil
- Envelopes
- Stamps
- Access to a copier
- One person that you can trust to follow your directions
THEME
Here are a few suggestions for themes. However, you can certainly write about anything that comes to mind!
- What would you say if you could talk to yourself as a small child
- What do you want to remind yourself to do when you experience hardships
- What are your strengths
- What are your goals
- What are your good qualities
- What are your passions
- Tell the story of a negative experience, what you did to overcome it, and what it meant to your life
- Why are you valuable as a person
WRITING THE LETTER
Decide upon a theme for your letter. Find a comfortable and quiet spot conducive to writing. Take a few minutes to clear your mind and prepare to let your heart dictate your thoughts. Do NOT skip these few minutes. Concentrate on the theme and what you feel. Then, write!!! Don't worry about neatness, spelling, grammar, or creating the next great literary work. Write what comes to mind. Remember, write only one letter in your 30 minute time frame. When you are finished, you are ready to move on to the steps to send the letter.
SENDING THE LETTER
First, decide how many times you would like to receive this letter, and when. As an example, let's assume today is January 1. You decide you want to receive the letter three times, at one month (February 1st), two months (March 1st), and three months (April 1st).
Second, take the amount of envelopes that corresponds with the amount of times you want to receive your letter, and label the back of each envelope with the interval dates. Consult a calendar if needed. Using our example, you would write 'February 1st' on the back of the first envelope, 'March 1st' on the back of the second envelope, and 'April 1st' on the back of the third envelope.
Third, make photocopies of your letter so the total end amount of letters is the same amount of times you want to receive your letter. Using our example, you would make two photocopies so you have a total of three letters (two photocopies and the original).
Fourth, stuff your letter into the envelopes, add stamps, and seal (with a kiss is acceptable...after all, it is a labor of love!). Use your address in both places on each envelope. This ensures that as long as your postage is correct, you will receive your letter.
Finally, hand over and entrust your letters to a person you can depend on to follow your directions. The directions are not hard. Ask them to simply drop each letter in the mail on the date that you wrote on the back of the envelope! Have the person add the dates to their calendar, planner, and/or alarms so they don't forget.
Pen in hand,
Laura
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY!
TIP FOR THE DAY!
Mix it up! Write more than one letter. Follow all instructions except do not stuff your envelopes. Hand your letters and your envelopes to your friend and ask them to pick which letter you will receive on your chosen dates.
