People blog for money, for fun or as a hobby, or for business, with many blogging for companionship and for writers, as a way for an audience of thousands, to read their work. Blogging is now becoming part of everyday life for some with blog awards popping up left right and centre. Some stories have even made the front page news and there are endless platforms where you can start a blog.
But I wonder how many have tried blogging for PAIN?
Well, I for one, started this back pain blog to help others who were suffering from chronic back pain like myself. At first I had just one to two readers a day but now have over 200 regular readers every day. I hope this means that I have helped some people with their pain or just given them a link to something that might be of use to them.
When I first started it I had no idea about the 'social scene' within the blogging community where I have amassed some amazing friendships with people from all over the world, not just in the UK.
My blogging friends have been there for me on my lowest of days and on my highest of days when I could celebrate with them something I had achieved or seen. To me the friendships I have gained here are quite different from any other friendships that I have.
The friendships are, I think, quite unconditional, in that they don't question your illness as some friends do. I hear from many readers who say no-one believes how ill they feel 'as they look so well', whereas friends you develop within the blogging community get to know the real person and know without even needing to look at you that if you say you are going through a bad time, then you obviously are going through a bad time.
Being questioned about whether or how much pain you are in by someone who actually has no idea how much pain you are in, can be, and is very 'degrading'. I know, I've been there, done it and worn the T-shirt (as the saying goes).
The love, and understanding that I have from here when I'm at my lowest has 'always' lifted my spirits. I do truly believe that 'blogging' should be introduced as a form of pain relief within the 'Pain Management Programmes' that are available to us all today.
I am also quite sure that there are a number of other aspects to everyone's lives that have been helped in one way or another within the blog community, as I am sure many of my blogging friends would agree?