A recent study, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council and conducted by researchers from the University of Plymouth and Nottingham Trent University, reveals that involvement with poetry—whether reading, creating, or sharing—can aid individuals in coping with loneliness, anxiety, and grief.

The investigation, based on responses from over 400 participants on poetryandcovid.com (now archived as poetryandcovidarchive.com), highlights a significant positive impact during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than half of the respondents noted that poetry helped alleviate loneliness, while an equal percentage found it beneficial for managing anxiety and sadness.

Additionally, participants reported feeling less anxious, better equipped to handle problems, and assistance with bereavement and ongoing mental health symptoms. Professor Anthony Caleshu, the lead researcher, emphasized the substantial power of poetry in supporting well-being and providing insights into its role as a mode of discourse during the pandemic, ultimately creating a historical archive of how English language poetry was utilized globally to navigate the crisis.

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