Journaling for mental health

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By Kristen A. Schmitt

This January, consider journaling for your mental health. As we enter a new year with new goals, dreams, aspirations and challenges, journaling can be a beneficial tool to check in with yourself about your emotional and mental health on a daily basis.

Journaling is the act of writing down your thoughts and feelings to better understand them. This can mean using a pen and paper — or opening up a blank document on your computer to note your daily ups and downs. Putting these feelings and thoughts into words can help you gain control of your emotions, particularly if you struggle with stress, depression or anxiety, according to the University of Rochester Medical Center.

“Journaling can be a great pressure releasing valve when we feel overwhelmed or simply have a lot going on internally,” said Amy Hoyt, PhD, founder of Mending Trauma.

A 2018 study found that journaling for 15 minutes daily significantly reduced stress and feelings of anxiety. Other research has shown the benefits of journaling for those suffering from PTSD and depression.

“Thoughts left unchecked or untested in our brain can go almost unnoticed by us, leading us to just naturally assume their truth. If those thoughts are toxic, that can be a dangerous scenario,” said Dr. Kathy HoganBruen, a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of District Anxiety Center in Washington, DC.

“Putting the thoughts on paper is like giving them air to breathe — like having an audience to test them out on. But the beauty of a journal is that there is actually no audience at all. It’s totally private, an opportunity to think and talk without worrying about being judged.”

If you’re using a journal to help you achieve your goals, writing them down can help you better visualize your plan and progress, according to CNET. Tracking your daily habits and feelings through journaling can also help you identify patterns and things that might be causing your stress or anxiety. Knowing what these triggers are can help you improve your mental health.

Getting started.
Your first writing session doesn’t have to be a difficult one. You can write about your day, list what you are grateful for, describe a favorite memory or, even, detail a future goal. The idea is to make journaling a daily habit, which allows you to create time for self-care, reflection and understanding of where you are emotionally and mentally each day. And remember: it’s about creating a consistent pattern – it’s not about what you decide to use as your writing medium. You can write in a blank book, on your computer, on your phone — wherever you are most comfortable keeping a daily log.

Some days will be harder than others. Maybe you don’t have the motivation to write or are afraid to face what you’re really feeling. Set a timer for five or 10 minutes, suggests the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Write with intention and try to write at the same time each day. No one else needs to read your words except you. Limit self-judgment and try not to self-edit as you write. “Just release and enjoy the time,” according to NAMI.

Need some help getting started?  Check out these resources.

Mental Health America has some great tips on getting started that include keeping your journal as a “judgement-free zone.” Write whatever you need to write without fear of anyone else reading it or commenting on what you say.

Journaling can be a rewarding way to explore and express feelings and, as this Harvard Medical School article also points out, it can also help dissipate loneliness and help forge some social connections.

Gratitude journals let you focus on what you appreciate in the moment. They can be a helpful way to assess the good instead of dwelling on the bad. Check out the Jed Foundation’s list of questions to ask yourself.

NAMI has also compiled a list of prompts that focus on your mental health. Try answering one of these during your daily journaling if you are feeling stuck or need a little nudge.