Psychology Today | 12.05.2026 09:47Grief is a universal human experience, yet it continues to make many people uncomfortable. We may repress its expression in ourselves for fear of being too messy; we may avoid discussing other people’s losses because we “don’t know what to say.” Writing can be a powerful tool when it comes to articulating and processing painful emotions, and reading stories that deal with taboo subjects openly can increase our empathy for and comfort with difficult topics.