DEAR DIARY, YOU MAKE ME SICK

The above story reminded me of research from a few years ago which discovered that people who regularly write in diaries are more likely to suffer from headaches, sleeplessness, digestive problems and social awkwardness. Dr. Elaine Duncan of Glasco Caledonian University carried out the study to test the common belief that writing can be cathartic. “We expected diary keepers to have some benefit,” said Dr. Duncan. Instead, they found that the diary writers had significantly more health problems than non-writers, and those who wrote about traumatic events were the affected most negatively. Duncan speculated that by constantly writing about the negative events of their lives, diarists may never get over those events, and so they manifest in various health disorders. “It’s probably better not to get caught in a ruminative, repetitive cycle,” she explained, adding that “you’re probably much better off if you don’t write anything at all.” (New Scientist)