Benefits of Journaling for Mental Health

You might have kept a secret diary during your childhood or teenage years. It offered a safe space to confess your fears and struggles, allowing you to express yourself without judgment.

Did it feel good and relieving to let out disturbing thoughts and bottled emotions? Writing down your thoughts and feelings can help clear your mind and perception. Regardless of whether or not you have a diary now, the concept and benefits of journaling remain the same.

Journaling is an effective technique for understanding your thoughts and feelings clearly. It is a recognized method that involves keeping a record of your feelings, thoughts, insights, opinions, etc. Research reveals that journaling can reduce anxiety and stress levels while improving symptoms of mental health disorders, such as PTSD and depression.

Continue reading this piece to learn the wonders journaling can do for your mental health.

Common Journaling Styles Used in Therapy

While writing is most common, journaling may involve other exercises, such as drawing or painting. It is an easy and low-cost approach to improving mental health. Keeping a journal helps individuals gain greater control of their emotions.

Expressive Writing and Gratitude Journaling

Expressive writing and gratitude journaling are among therapy's most common journaling styles.

Expressive Writing: Therapists encourage this journaling technique for the first few sessions. Expressive writing involves letting one's emotions and thoughts guide the writing. It allows individuals to delve deeper into their thoughts, emotions, and opinions rooted in different aspects of their life- trauma, past experiences, and memories.

Gratitude Journaling: A gratitude journal is a diary of accounts for which one is grateful. This journaling style focuses its attention on the positivity in life. In therapy, gratitude journaling allows clients to reflect on and appreciate good events and outcomes. Gratitude journals are like physical reminders of things that make life worth it.

Does Journaling Help with Mental Health?

Reflection is among the most significant components of psychotherapy. Think about it; how can you keep up with your thoughts throughout the week if you do not keep a journal? You typically only meet your therapist once a week, after all.

Therapists strongly encourage the skill of journaling during therapy sessions. Taking the time to reflect on your life is invaluable; it helps guide your life in a direction that benefits your emotional and mental health.

Journaling can look different for everyone. You can start by writing a list, for example. Other simple ways of journaling include making bullet points, composing poetry, or simply writing down your feelings throughout the day. The exercise should take at most ten minutes of your day.

Bringing a journal to your therapy sessions is excellent for discussing the things you experienced during the past week. Similarly, you can note the insights you gain from your therapy session. Soon, you will find that journaling is excellent for creating awareness, reducing symptoms of depression, managing anxiety & stress, regulating your emotions, and speeding up your healing journey.

Create Awareness

Understanding the situation is difficult when you are going through a stressful or challenging time. Translating your experience into words gives it a visual structure. As such, journaling about difficult circumstances creates awareness that can help you form a new and more evident perception.

Reduce Depression, Anxiety & Stress

According to research, writing down your feelings is linked with decreased mental distress. Scientific surveys reveal that journaling for a few minutes can help mitigate the symptoms of several mental health conditions.

Journaling can instantly make you feel calmer in anxious situations. Besides reducing stress, it can increase feelings of overall well-being. Journaling has also been shown to improve symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Similarly, it can help with body image and grief.

Regulate Your Emotions

Journaling your emotions is the same as talking about them with a friend.

Discussing your feelings with another person can help remove the emotional burden. It can make you feel relieved and more at peace. However, you may only sometimes feel secure about sharing details about your personal life with someone else. Usually, many people fear judgment or punishment.

Journaling allows you to talk about your feelings without being judged. It makes you feel safe while aiding emotional regulation. In essence, journaling your emotions can help you understand them better.

Speed Up Your Healing Journey

As mentioned, journaling can help manage grief and reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety. These positive effects make it clear that journaling can support and speed up your mental and emotional healing journey.

For example, writing about an argument with your parents or spouse can provide you with non-judgmental emotional support. As such, it can aid emotional healing. Similarly, journaling about a stressful experience or upcoming event can clear your head of fears and doubts, supporting your mental health.

Besides, journaling may also impact your physical health. It can keep you from falling sick due to anxiety or stress. Not forgetting, improved mental health positively impacts overall health.

How to Journal

How to Journal for Therapy and Counseling

If you need help figuring out where to start, here are a few journaling tips to help you.

Be Consistent

Journaling regularly ensures a consistent mental health journey. You should set aside minutes from your daily schedule to write down your thoughts and feelings. Pick a time that suits your lifestyle; most people prefer early morning or bedtime.

Write or Draw How You Feel

Many people assume they need to follow a specific structure when journaling. However, journaling is about feeling safe with self-expression. Your journal is your safe space to express your feelings and thoughts. You write them down if you are comfortable with words. Alternatively, you can paint or draw to let your thoughts flow freely. You can handle errors or flaws in your words or drawings.

Keep It Private or Share It with Trusted People

As already mentioned, your journal is your private space to express your thoughts and feelings. You do not have to share it with anyone unless you are comfortable doing that. Similarly, use your journal to express yourself to your friends and loved ones.

Conclusion

In therapy, journaling is an excellent meditation tool, allowing patients to let go of things bothering them. Therapists encourage their clients to keep a journal to help them gain better focus and organize their lives.

If you're looking for a trustworthy, compassionate, and non-judgemental couples therapist, book a consultation to get started today!

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