Writing Your Alzheimer’s Thoughts

Journaling
As a writer, I usually can write down my thoughts in my journal regularly. This also is something often recommended when people are going through difficult times, as well as joyful ones.  Sometimes, too, you simply want to chronicle events in your life so you can recall them later.

However, as I look back, I find that sometimes during challenging times, I’ve found it difficult to write my thoughts immediately about the events.  My journal goes through a dry spell. This happened when my brother committed suicide, my mother died, and our daughter went through a grave illness.  Perhaps I’m too involved, my emotions too sensitive, my life too busy.

“I’m a writer,” I’d think.  “Why can’t I write about these things…at least jot notes in my journal?”

Then after the pattern repeated, I realized perhaps I needed to step away from writing for a period of time so I could eventually write about these situations to help others.  (I kept up with my professional writing commitments during these times, but not the extremely personal.)

Do you find you can write about crisis situations when you’re going through them?  Or do you need to step back and gather your emotions before you can put pen to paper?

Writing and sharing your experiences often helps others to cope and realize they’re not alone.  However, don’t feel badly if you can’t write immediately…or don’t even want to write/journal your experiences.  Even though I wrote later about my journey with Mother and Auntie as they experienced Alzheimer’s, I sometimes didn’t have the time nor inclination to do so at the time.

Are you journaling about your experiences…either in a notebook or in a blog, perhaps even a newspaper column?

(Basic Living image at Amazon)