Summary
Journaling can be an excellent aid in your battle with depression. Through journalling, you will uncover events from the past that are stored behind walls/barriers that have been created to keep you safe.
Typically, we respond to the aftermath of unpleasant events/feelings by pretending they don’t exist. If you don’t think about it, it can’t hurt you. In reality, however, this is not the case. Although hidden from our consciousness the unconscious mind holds onto these events until it is unable to do so, and the result may manifest itself as a mental disorder. By journaling, we seek to bring these events forward and analyze them, not ignore/suppress them.
Below you will find the following journal topics discussed:
Why Journal
Journaling allows you to express yourself. This in and of itself can be cathartic. Expressing bottled up pain points (experiences, emotions, and feelings) in your life can be a relief.
The act of journaling will allow your mind to discover experiences from your past. These experiences and the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that they invoke will allow a person to gain insight into not only the past but also will allow insight into what has shaped them into becoming the person they are today.
Journaling allows you to express your thoughts, feelings, and emotions in a non-judgmental environment. As the past is examined, forgotten experiences are recalled. The act of acknowledging them will provide you with insight. It is through this insight that depression symptoms may be acknowledged and improved.
How to Journal
Routine
First, you need to develop a routine. Try and set a time for your journaling practice and block it off in your calendar.
Set a Time Limit of the minimum amount time you will journal. During this time, you should be writing even if past experiences, feelings and emotions are not coming to light. In the event that nothing comes to mind, you can free-write. Write about the present or even start a to do list. Write about whatever comes to mind. Just by writing, you will have a greater chance for memories to be discovered than if you try and force it.
Try not to miss a day. You want your journaling to become a habit. The goal is to flush out all those memories that are buried behind those walls that you have put up over the years. You may have a different word than ‘walls,’ whatever that may be, bring those memories into the present.
Journaling for Anxiety and Depression
While there are many types of journals such as gratitude journals, travel journals, fitness journals, etc. We will focus on a ‘depression or mental illness’ journal.
The following 6 tips can be used as a starting point for your writing practice.
- Write about your experiences, thoughts, feelings, and emotions.
- Journaling can be a challenge for those who keep their thoughts and feelings to themselves. Through repetition, it will become easier.
- Write about good memories/experiences you have in addition to the negative ones. Focusing on the negative day in and day out can have a damaging effect on you. If you find it challenging to come up with good events to write about, you can look for the good in a negative situation. Depending on the severity and source of your depression, in all likelihood, as you examine past events, you will be able to find a positive given your current perspective of the event.
- Again, focus on feelings and emotions of the experience. How you felt about the experience at the time and how you feel about it today.
- Journaling doesn’t have to be about prior experiences. It can also be about things that are affecting you in the present. As with past experiences, be sure to include your thoughts, feelings and emotions surrounding the event.
- Don’t think that you are confined to your daily journalling time. If something comes up during the day and you feel the need to vent, journalling can be a good outlet.
Additional Tips
You want the thoughts to come from the deep recesses of your mind. They should come to you. You shouldn’t have to search for them. If you search for them, you may meet with resistance. You don’t want the writing to be stressful. Just note anything that comes to mind. You’ll be amazed at what comes out. If a memory comes during the course of your day and your journal is not handy, jot it down and write about it during your next journaling session.
You can write about anything. Be sure to incorporate your feelings and emotions related to the event in your writing. This is the key. Your journal should not be statements of experiences alone. It must include how the memory made you feel both during the time of the experience and how you view the situation today. By doing so, you will gain insight into how the experience has shaped you into the person you are today.
Try to see, taste, and smell the event. In other words, GO ALL IN!
Do not hold back. No one needs to read what you write unless you would like to share. With that said, it may be beneficial to bring your journal of discoveries to your next therapy session. This will allow you to examine the event in more detail while working with your therapist.
On a personal note, you will be amazed at what you discover outside of your therapy sessions through journaling.
Benefits of Journaling
- May reduce depression symptoms and stress
- Unleashes old (suppressed) memories
- Allows for the expression of past events and their impact on your life through the years
- Self-discovery – allows you to see patterns of events through today’s eyes
- Used as a Tool for Therapy
Reduces Depression Symptoms
The act of journaling to include positive experiences in addition to the negative (harmful) ones allows the writer to feel hope. It is important that there be a balance between good and bad memories. Focusing only on the negative can lead to further darkness/depression. It is this balance that may lead to a reduction in depression symptoms.
Another way to bring forth a reduction in your depression symptoms is the simple act of writing itself. Writing allows for the expression of emotions and feelings which in and of itself allow for the improvement of your mental health.
Finally, journaling can put experiences into perspective. By diving into your thoughts and the associated experiences, you will be able to view the experience in a different light which can also aid in healing.
A Tool for Therapy
Journalling is a great tool for you to incorporate into therapy sessions. It is a way of bringing your past into the here and now. You will be surprised at what you find. Thoughts from long ago that are imprinted in your mind are brought to light as you revisit events and pain points.
Your subconscious holds a treasure-trove of memories that have been squirreled away deep within you throughout the years. By bringing these memories to light, it can help you see and deal with past traumas.
It will amaze you how much junk clogs the mind. By examining this junk with your therapist, you will be able to dig deeper into your thoughts and emotions, making discoveries along the way. Doing so will not only provide additional insight into the event but will also allow for the development of coping methods, reframing the event, and healing.
Recommendations to Get You Journaling
If journaling is new to you, let’s shake things up a bit and go old school with some of the recommendations below:
- Get a notebook. This will strictly be for journaling. It’s easier to carry with you than lugging a computer around. Using your phone is another option, however, it might be cumbersome depending on how much you intend to write. The notebook allows you to jot down things that come to mind throughout the day even if it’s just noting an event to write about later.
- Get a pen or pencil.
- Set a time to Journal and put it in your calendar. This will get you in the habit of journaling. This is the goal, creating a habit. Put pen to paper.
- Don’t force it – Thoughts of experiences should come on their own.
- If Nothing comes to mind – Free Write – Write something. Anything that comes to mind. Maybe you’ll write about your day or the weather. Just start writing. You will find that simply the act of writing may trigger past events and feelings/emotions to come into the forefront.
- Be open. Don’t judge your feelings and emotions of past experiences. They are what they are. Just note them and write.
- The more detail you can write about an event the more insight you will gain.
DISCLAIMER: The information provided above is for informational purposes ONLY and should NOT be taken as medical advice.
