Can writing help with grief?

Writing can indeed help with grief, though its effectiveness varies among individuals. Andrew Huberman discusses a study where participants were divided into groups that either engaged in emotionally intense writing about their attachments or performed a neutral writing task. Initially, no differences were observed between these groups concerning their psychological state. However, further investigation revealed that individuals with higher vagal tone, which relates to the body's ability to regulate its physiological state, gained more from the emotionally intense writing exercises. These individuals were better at accessing somatic feelings of attachment while writing, which proved beneficial for processing their grief 1.

This suggests that writing about one's attachment and memories, and thereby connecting with the emotions associated with the lost relationship, can activate meaningful physiological responses that help in coping with grief, especially for those capable of deeply connecting with their internal emotional states.