A recent study conducted at the Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts reveals that cancer patients who write about their experiences may lessen their pain and agony.
Dr. M. Soledad Cepeda, who led the study, states that patients who spent twenty minutes per week writing about their physical and emotional experiences experienced a decrease in pain and an overall “greater well-being” in the longterm.
The research team believes that it is the “emotional release” that accompanies writing that aids the overall healing process. It also allows the patient to better express their needs to their physician.
The benefits of narrative or “emotional” writing have been a topic of psychological study for many years, and many cancer patients choose to implement “alternative” methods of treatment, including writing, massage, and aromatherapy into their overall treatment plan.
Related article courtesy of MSNBC.com.
For further reading related to the emotional effects of cancer, please visit the LIVESTRONG website.
Nicolette Kuff is a freelance writer from Upstate NY.
No comments:
Post a Comment