Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Why I Do It

Sometimes I wonder why I write this blog - why I started it in the first place; why I kept it up during some very difficult days, when I hardly felt up to it; why I keep doing it, more than 5 years after my diagnosis and more than 4 years into watch-and-wait so-called "treatment."

An answer has turned up in Britain's Guardian newspaper, as a psychologist speculates on why people write illness blogs. Here, a fellow cancer blogger, Sue Eckstein, quotes Dr. Tom Farsides:

"I'm just one of many hundreds of people who blog about their illness or trauma, and, according to Dr Tom Farsides of Sussex University, this is not surprising: 'Writing is an effective way of processing and coming to terms with challenging and potentially traumatic events,' he says. 'But blogging is more than the mere act of writing. It also fosters senses of both control and social connection, each of which is crucial for psychological wellbeing.'"

Oh, yeah. That's why.

4 comments:

Andy Ward said...

You and me both Carl, you and me both! :-) Carry on Blogging Sir.Nice blog by the way.

Whidbey Woman said...

You are not only helping yourself, but helping countless others.
God bless you. Merry Christmas!

Kerry said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kerry said...

I read your blog often and take a lot from it. Just more of a reader then a commenter.
Our stories are important sharing them, putting them in writing is getting control back and sharing hope with others. Those are all positive things as we travel this journey.
Merry Christmas