Can blogging benefit troubled teens?

There is a general notion that teenagers do not enjoy reading or writing much, so they find blogging boring. But mental health research has shown that blogging may have psychological benefits for teens suffering from social anxiety. It helps to increase their self-esteem and bond better with peer group as well as adults. Research published through 2018 to 2020 in various journals including the American Psychological Association points out that blogging helps teens and they resort to it as almost a form of therapy. Here is how blogs impact young minds. 

Personal blogs function as digital diaries  
Writing a personal diary, maintaining a journal or even drafting letters to the self are a great way to release emotional distress. Their present-day variation is the blog. Many teens are shy, frustrated or bitter, and not so keen to talk even to counsellors. But writing a blog, even in their own name, has an element of anonymity as it is going out into the world, neither as an answer to anyone nor addressed to someone they know. So it works as a good form of releasing stress and speaking their mind.   

Blogs are good for connecting with peer group 
A study by Professor Meyran Boniel-Nissim of the University of Haifa, Israel, found that blogging enables free expression and easy communication with others. Professor Nissim noted that among the respondents in the survey, teenage girls came up with more serious mental issues than boys. The findings also suggest that girls are more open to peer group response on their blogs and it has a therapeutic effect on them.  

Blog comments are more valuable to teens than social media   
Comments can be nasty, provocative and mean, but despite cyber bullying and online abuse, blog messages are often supportive and positive in nature. Many teens reading the blog empathise with the writer, creating a support group automatically. Unlike social media, blog comments are taken more seriously, but also in a more constructive spirit by the author.  

Blogs connect teens to interest groups  
An angst ridden teen musician, a struggling student or a lonely geek are more likely to find friends through blogging. So finding kindred souls is another strong community-oriented ebenfit of blogging for teens.