The Therapeutic Power of Poetry
A recent study from the Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing (JPMHN) showed that poetry helps people understand their feelings and emotions to enhance emotional and mental well-being.
Poetry is a type of literary work that conveys feelings and emotions through style and rhythm. It is often a common outlet of expression.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, poetry exhibited a modern resurgence. According to research by the University of Plymouth and Nottingham Trent University, those who used poetry as a means of expression showed a positive impact on their wellbeing. 51% of respondents found that reading or writing poetry helped deal with the feelings of isolation and loneliness while another 50% found that it helped with anxiety and depression.
According to the Academic Journal of Nawroz University (AJNU), researchers have found that poetry can help younger individuals understand and cope with their own emotions.
Abdulrahman Shingali, a Kurdish writer, said that sharing emotional poems allows readers to truly relate and feel connected with similar feelings. “Expressing one’s feelings and sharing it among the readers may affect many readers who explore the same situation whether it’s a joy or a pain,” Shingali said.
Poetry impacts people in all age demographics. A study done by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that poetry intervention for hospitalized children resulted in increased energy levels and improved mood.
Additionally, a study done by the National Library of Medicine found that poetry reading for elders can result in improved mental health and help those with dementia.
Poetry is now used as a prominent therapy method to improve mental health. It relies on the use of poetry to promote personal growth, self awareness, and healing.
“There is a place where you will find that you are not alone, that your story is not the only story. That we are all part of the same verse, the universe of words. That poetry heals and makes us whole. Come, we’ve been waiting for you.” said Richard Brown, a member of the Nation Association for Poetry Therapy.