Stories Matter: They allow people to express their emotions and experiences. By Kei Lizama
There are several different ways to get a story out of someone’s head and out into the world. Verbal storytelling, poetry, lyrics, journal entries, and much more can be used to tell a story. It doesn’t matter if it’s fictional or nonfictional, it can all be used to convey what people really feel.
According to healthline.com, “repressed emotions can also factor into mental health conditions, such as stress, anxiety, and depression.” Suppressing emotions can also lead to things like self-harm and suicide, as well as possibly increasing the chance of premature death. Though there are several ways to get in touch with people that will listen to an emotion-filled speech, many are unable to do so or feel uneasy when talking about their emotions directly. It is possible that disguising experiences and showing emotions in a story can help a person get their feelings out. Even if a story is never shared with the public, a person is still able to show emotion in their work. Some people can be extremely uncomfortable when sharing stories, but they can always talk about their feelings in a personal journal or something similar.
Stories are a way to let others know about different circumstances people have to deal with. Stories give people a voice and allow them to share experiences with corruption, assault, discrimination, and more. Though sharing stories can help people relieve themselves of their emotions, stories can also provide a place of comfort. Knowing that you aren’t the only person struggling with a certain situation can be considered solace.
Stories matter for several reasons, but I believe that a huge reason stories matter is that they allow people to share emotions and experiences. A story is something that can help people through several different types of situations. Since mental health is such a drastic part of our overall health, stories allow us to overcome some difficulties to an extent.