I read recently that writing in the 3rd person in one’s journal helps one to organise ones thoughts.  3rd person is to say Leah or she did this rather than I did this which is first person.

It also found that by silently talking to yourself in the third person during stressful times may help you control emotions without any additional mental effort than what you would use for first-person self-talk - the way people normally talk to themselves.

Talking or writing in the 3rd person may help people get some distance from their experiences, which can often be useful for coping with  emotions.

This research makes sense to me as I have often talked to my self in the third person and over the years have written letters, now emails to myself. I have written a blog about it.

I have found that writing to myself in the 3rd person especially when I am upset makes it easy to explain how I feel and to try and work out what is happening.

Sometimes I am amazed by what I discover when I use the 3rd person. Since the fires I have used writing letters to myself as a way of expressing myself. Sometimes issues that I thought did not worry about come up and I realise I have not really coped with them but just buried them.

The results suggest that third-person self-talk may constitute a relatively effortless form of coping with emotions.

I realise some people will feel uncomfortable with writing this way so it is not for everyone.

I thought it was interesting that there was research into something I had been doing for years but felt it was maybe a bit weird!

I wonder if you have ever tried talking  and or writing to yourself as if you were another person? Did it help or did it feel uncomfortable? Would you consider trying it?

Leah

A Moodscope member.