Coping mechanisms are key to helping us regulate and tolerate our emotional fluctuations (yes, fluctuations in our emotions are normal!). The key here, though, is choosing coping thoughts and behaviors that are healthy for you — not ones that offer temporary numbness or distraction.
Want to get started with a supportive, accessible option? Try journaling as a coping mechanism.
The benefits of journaling
Journaling is simple. It means writing to reflect on how you think and feel.
We’ve done a deeper dive into how journaling can support your mental health. The key takeaways are that journaling helps with:
- Having a safe place to express yourself
- Identifying your patterns and triggers
- Giving you perspective on the situation you’re going through
- Letting things go (it’s generally easier once you’ve captured it on paper)
Beyond that, journaling can help to lessen symptoms of anxiety and depression and reduce stress.
All told, if you’re going through a difficult time, exploring journaling as a coping mechanism can do a lot for you. When we put words to things, it can help us to put order to what feels unorganized.
Getting started with journaling as a coping mechanism
What’s your preferred way to write? Start there. Maybe you get out a notebook and a pen, or maybe you pull out your laptop and open a new document you can type into.
The trick with journaling is consistency. Try to make it a point to journal each day. Even a few minutes of sitting down and sorting out your thoughts helps.
Use your journal however it feels most supportive. Maybe you write a stream of consciousness, giving yourself the opportunity to get thoughts out of your head. You can write whatever you want to. This is a safe space to express what you’re feeling.
Journaling prompts to try
Or maybe you want a little more structure when you sit down to write. Here, some prompts help. Here are a few that might be useful when you’re using journaling as a coping mechanism:
- What makes you feel happy and healthy?
- Write a letter to yourself 10 years ago, telling yourself things you wish you’d known then.
- What are the five qualities you like best about yourself?
- Write a letter telling someone who hurt you what you wish they knew.
- What coping mechanisms do you most often use? Do they make you feel better long-term, or do you suffer from leaning on them too much?
- What coping strategies did you use as a child?
- Write a letter to yourself, forgiving yourself.
If you’re going through a specific situation — like the death of someone you love or a breakup — you can tailor your prompts. Everyday Health has a guide that provides more information on using journaling as a coping mechanism in particular scenarios.
Or, sometimes, we just need what we call “a brain dump.” This means getting out that piece of paper or notebook and dumping whatever you want on it. Skribbles, random words, a drawing — you name it! The key is to allow yourself the freedom and permission to externalize in whatever way feels soothing for you.
Journaling is an excellent tool to have in your back pocket when you’re going through a difficult time. You may need additional support, though.
Therapy can be a huge help, both giving you a safe space to talk and connecting you to a professional who can help you develop healthy coping strategies. To meet with a therapist, contact us at the Ventura Counseling & Wellness Center in Ventura or the West Valley Counseling Center in Tarzana.
