Thanks to my RSS feeds, I ran across a story at Scientific American about a study that suggests that blogging might be therapeutic, even “self-medicating.”
Now, I don’t really have any serious medical issues I’m dealing with, such as cancer (those undergoing cancer treatment were the focus of the study), but it does seem to me like often just writing something down will help me deal with it. I don’t really blog — most of the time — about things I might want to complain about or stressful things, but sometimes venting those concerns in writing (such as by email or IM with a friend, or maybe writing/typing in a personal journal) does help me clear the air or at least clarify my thoughts about something.
The difference for a blog to a single conversation or journal entry, however, is that it can foster more widespread feedback on whatever it is you’re writing about. From the SciAm article:
Unlike a bedside journal, blogging offers the added benefit of receptive readers in similar situations, Morgan explains: “Individuals are connecting to one another and witnessing each other’s expressions—the basis for forming a community.”
What blogger doesn’t like to see a few comments to her post?
CapitalBabs
yeah, comments back are good – but most of us get them pretty rarely. Likely because we don’t say things that really illicite much return comment!
I see posts that go crazy with commenters and then realize that most of the commenters ARE crazy and the poster likely says things deliberately intended to arouse passions.
Those of us who have random commentary blogs (or for posting photos like mine) don’t really “connect” to others in the process.
I wonder what kind of blogger category you and I would would fall into since we aren’t really looking to broaden our social network through blogging.
Kristie
Heh. Mostly I find myself in the category of “doesn’t post as much as she’d like.” Or “forgets to finish up posts that she’s started.” I could have sworn I had posted at least a couple things this month (still not nearly as much as I’d like), but it turns out they’re still drafts I haven’t taken the time to finish. *sigh* My to-do list just got a little longer.
And while I’d agree that my goal (whatever it might actually be, because I’m not really sure) is not to expand my social network, I certainly wouldn’t mind doing so. But I do hope to at least participate a bit more in the community of blogs I read and hope whoever reads mine will find something intriguing to comment on from time to time.