Last updated on 05/04/2025
On weathering life with a pen in hand
On this episode of Prompted! we’re digging into the messy, beautiful connection between mental health and creativity — and how writing can sometimes be more than just storytelling. It can be survival. It can be clearing space. It can be therapy, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Personally, I use writing as therapy. It helps to clear the voices, as well as calm them. And when life gets loud — when anxiety spikes, when moods swing, when the world feels too big or too fast — writing becomes a way to breathe again.
Ever have a day when your mind just won’t quiet down? Thoughts racing, emotions crashing into each other, like a thunderstorm with no end in sight.
On days like that, it’s easy to feel like writing is impossible. But sometimes? Those are the days when writing matters the most.
You don’t have to wait for the storm to pass. You don’t have to be “okay” first.
You can write right through it—messy, raw, unfiltered. And in the process, you might just find a little more space to breathe.
Today, we’re talking about how the storms inside us shape our writing—and how writing, in turn, can help us weather the storms.
We’ll also look at how writing prompts can be a surprisingly powerful tool when your mind feels too cluttered to even know where to start.
Why Writing Through the Storm Matters
Mental health is chaotic, but it’s also part of what makes us human. Whether we like it or not, those mental struggles—anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and others—often seep into our writing. They shape our characters, fuel our plots, and sometimes even become the story itself.
And that’s okay. In fact, it’s more than okay. Writing can be your safe space, your quiet refuge when everything else feels loud.
Writing through the storm isn’t about pretending everything is fine. It’s about acknowledging that you’re not “okay”—and letting that be enough to write something real.
Sometimes the best stories come from a place of struggle. The best poetry can’t be separated from the pain that inspired it. The most powerful moments on the page often come when we allow ourselves to be messy. To write through the storm, instead of waiting for the clouds to part.
When you write through the storm, you aren’t trying to “fix” your mental health. You’re simply giving yourself the permission to exist in it. You let the chaos speak through the words, and in return, you often find a little clarity.
Writing can become a tool for understanding yourself—your feelings, your triggers, your raw emotional state—and in doing so, it offers a sense of release. Even if it’s just for a moment.
How Writing Offers Therapy
It’s not about making everything perfect, or about “solving” anything. Writing through the storm doesn’t mean you’ll come up with a neat, tidy resolution. But it does give you space to express, to release, and to process what’s going on inside.
Think of writing like a conversation with yourself. When things get loud in your mind, writing becomes a way to stop the noise for a second. To put the chaos into words, and maybe even feel heard—even if it’s just by yourself.
In those moments when the voices get overwhelming, or when your anxiety is running at full speed, writing can be that moment of pause. It can offer a break from the emotional noise, a chance to step outside the storm for just a moment.
You don’t need to have everything figured out. You don’t need to have a clear direction for your writing. The most important thing is that you’re giving yourself permission to write anyway—no matter how stormy the mental landscape might be.
How Writing Prompts Can Help
When you’re stuck in your head, writing can feel impossible. Everything’s jumbled. Everything feels huge. But writing prompts? They can serve as a kind of anchor.
Writing prompts can offer a way to channel that chaos onto the page. They can give you something to hold onto, something to start with when it feels like you’re drowning in your own thoughts.
Sometimes, you don’t need a perfect idea to begin writing. You need a starting point, something simple that doesn’t ask you to figure everything out all at once.
Let’s break it down:
1. Give Yourself Permission to Write Without Judgment
When you’re writing through the storm, there’s no need to be perfect. Writing prompts can help you drop the expectations. You don’t need to write a masterpiece. You just need to write.
Start small. One line, one thought, one sentence at a time.
2. Use Prompts to Get Out of Your Own Head
Sometimes, the best way to break out of a mental spiral is to get outside yourself—by focusing on something other than your inner noise.
If you’re stuck, try a prompt like:
- “Write about a storm from someone else’s point of view.”
- “Describe a character who’s struggling with a decision—but doesn’t yet know why.”
- “Write a scene where someone is trying to calm themselves, but they can’t stop thinking about their worries.”
These kinds of prompts take the focus off your personal experience and give you something to play with. It’s like stepping outside of your mind and putting your emotions into a different context.
3. Let the Prompt Lead You
Don’t worry about where the prompt will take you. Let it wander. The beauty of prompts is that they give you the freedom to follow the rhythm of your thoughts without needing to know the end before you start.
A lot of times, writing through the storm isn’t about having a clear destination. It’s about following the flow of the words, seeing where they go, and allowing the story to unfold in a way that feels true to the moment.
Putting It Into Practice + Quick Tips
Writing through the storm is messy. It’s imperfect. It’s raw. But that’s what makes it real. And in many ways, that’s what makes it healing.
Here’s a challenge for you this week:
Pick a writing prompt and let it take you somewhere unexpected. Let it guide you into a place where you can let your thoughts flow freely. Don’t worry about making it neat. Don’t worry about making it “good.” Just let it be what it is.
Quick Tips to Keep in Mind:
- Let yourself be messy: Sometimes the first draft is all chaos, and that’s okay. Writing through the storm doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to happen.
- Use prompts to break the cycle: When you’re stuck in your own mind, prompts can help you break free and shift your focus.
- Be kind to yourself: Writing through mental health struggles can feel heavy, but remember—this is your space to express, not to perfect.
- Let your emotions lead: If your mind is all over the place, don’t force it into order. Let your feelings take the reins and see where they lead.
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