- The first study to examine the effect of sending emails
shows it has psychological and health benefits.
-
- University students who wrote emails about traumatic
experiences, such as the September 11 attacks, were healthier in the weeks
that followed than those who wrote about non-emotional topics, or did not
send email.
-
- The research, conducted by the psychology department
of Texas University, shows that those students who wrote about their
feelings
and sent the emails reported being sick for significantly fewer days than
those who did not, and were less likely to miss class because of an
illness.
-
- Erin Brown, a psychologist at the university, said that
writing, even if it was only by email, helped foster greater self-clarity
and stopped a person internalising stress.
-
- It boosted health and mood, even among pessimistic
individuals,
and helped a person cope with the stresses of life.
-
- "Sure, email is a fast and convenient form of
communication
and even a method for proliferating corny jokes and outrageous
hoaxes,"
Ms Brown said.
-
- "But results showed that even when administered
through email, emotional writing still produced positive health outcomes.
People have always known that talking or writing about their problems helps
them feel better psychologically.
-
- "This study provides empirical evidence that written
emotional expression is beneficial to physical health, even when conducted
through email."
-
- http://www.telegraph.co.uk
|
