Dialogism in action: talking fact and fiction

Mental health is maintained through our discourse with society. Whether one talks fact or fiction, it is not only a mode of expression but also a way of constructing reality as perceived by those suffering from psychiatric problems. Therefore, what a mentally ill person says has meaning although it may not seem so to the carers. In this study, seven patients' dialogic journals, used for capturing their thoughts during their illness over a period of 8 months, are critically analysed. The writing shows that writing can help patients to (i) have a personal conversation to make sense of what is happening to them, (ii) assess whether fact or fiction is at work, (iii) keep flow or lack of ideas in context, instead of 'being confused' and (iv) value the dialogic journal as a tool for emancipation.