Can Blogging Be Therapy?

WATCH  VIDEO

In the past, anxious or depressed teenagers often wrote their thoughts in a diary. These days, many are turning to blogs. Is blogging as therapeutic as a diary? Is it healthy for distressed teens?

A new study conducted by university professors in Israel found that blogging does provide positive therapy for many young people. The researchers selected high school kids who had demonstrated emotional difficulties and divided them into groups. Some blogged about their problems, others about anything they wanted. Additional control groups kept diaries or did nothing. Two out of four of the blogger groups were required to let people post comments.

Overall, the bloggers seemed to gain more benefit than those who wrote in diaries. Surprisingly, the bloggers who allowed comments gained the most from blogging therapeutically. Almost all comments were positive, and they provided emotional support to the teens. 

practice TH sounds in this report