We often recommend journaling for mental health — and we’re not alone. Studies show that journaling can reduce stress, minimize symptoms of anxiety and depression, and help you process and heal from a traumatic experience.
Trying it for yourself can be easy, too. All you need to do is set aside a little bit of time (maybe 10 minutes) each day. Sit down and write or draw what you’re feeling. You can use a traditional journal or you could type on your computer. You could grab a sketch pad or whatever scrap of paper you have nearby. Don’t complicate it. Just do what works for you.
Need a little extra motivation? Let’s take a look at what regular journaling can do for you.
It gives you a place to express yourself
As we just alluded to, journaling is time you get for yourself. You shouldn’t have any expectations or requirements. This is your opportunity to do what feels best.
That might mean ranting about something that’s been frustrating you. It could mean getting the thoughts that keep circulating in your head down on paper. You might even be honest with yourself about what you’ve been feeling for the first time that day.
A lot of us walk around with a lot going on in our heads that we never get out. Sitting down to journal is your chance to finally express what’s going on internally in an external way.
You can learn your triggers and patterns
You may want to flip through your journal periodically. Notice what comes up regularly. Do certain situations or people tend to contribute to a low mood? Do you always feel more anxious before a specific event?
Looking back over your journal can help you identify the patterns in your life. That empowers you to change them. If you find out that a certain thing tends to make you feel bad, you can take strides to eliminate or have less of that thing in your life.
This can be tricky. If it’s a person who’s close to you or a situation in which you feel stuck — like a job you need — it’s not easy to cut the trigger out. But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless. Our team of therapists can help you develop boundaries and coping tools. Armed with more resources, you’ll be able to better care for yourself in the face of the challenging things that continually come up in your life.
It can give you some perspective
As you go back over your journal, notice your tone. This is your place to express yourself, so don’t get down on yourself if your pages are filled with complaints.
At the same time, though, notice if you always seem to view things in a similar light. If you look at everything like a problem, you’ll usually find one. Journaling can give you a bird’s eye view of your internal narrative so you can more clearly see how you look at the world. From there, you can make any adjustments that you think would benefit your mental health. You might make it a point to always close your journaling session by listing three things that make you feel grateful, for example.
It can help you let things go
When you’re stuck in a state of brooding or ruminating, journaling gives you a way to break the cycle. The thoughts that you keep turning over and over in your mind might benefit from having somewhere to go.
Sit for a few minutes and write down what you’re feeling. Then, put your journal away. Physically walking away from those thought patterns can give you the space you need to come up for air.
Ultimately, journaling can be a useful tool in your mental healthcare arsenal. Try it for yourself for a few weeks and see if you benefit.
Or if journaling isn’t your cup of tea, chat with us. Our therapists have a wide range of tools we can recommend to help you monitor and care for your mental health. If you want to learn more, get in touch.
