Journaling, or writing down your thoughts and feelings, has been recognized as a way to minimize stress and reduce depression and anxiety. Also, if you struggle to stick to a routine or want to get better at setting goals, journaling can help you organize your mind, identify your thoughts and emotions, and build positive habits.
If you’re looking for self-guided tools for managing mental health symptoms, you might be wondering about the science behind the benefits of journaling, and which symptoms it’s most helpful for. You may also want to know how to get started, and whether there is a “right” way to journal. Read on to learn more about the research-backed benefits of journaling and how to integrate it into your routine.
What is journaling?
Journaling is the act of recording your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It’s typically done by hand in a notebook or journal, though some people prefer to type on a computer because it can be faster and more accessible. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), journaling is a therapeutic tool that allows people to reflect on and analyze their lives and the events and people surrounding them. Generally, these events and experiences are noted in journals, with an emphasis on the writer’s reflections and the personal meaning assigned to them.
In journal writing, interplay between the conscious and unconscious occurs, allowing for connection between thoughts you’re aware of and those that you keep in the back of your mind, according to the APA. That’s because dedicated time to writing takes you out of autopilot and helps you connect to thoughts that may get buried in everyday life.
How to journal for mental health: A step-by-step guide to getting started.
You don’t need fancy equipment or specialized training to start journaling. Anyone with access to a pen and paper, a computer, or a smartphone can start writing. Usually, the hardest part is finding quiet, dedicated time to do it. Here are a few tips for integrating journaling into your routine:
- Make space and time for writing. Set aside a time during the day or week to journal. This might look like a few minutes in the morning every day, or a larger chunk of time once a week. You may add it to a structured calendar, or bring your journal along on your commute so you can fit it in before or after work. It might also help to have a specific place where you write, so that you can come back to a peaceful, productive setting each time.
- Cater to your individual work style. Some people benefit from using a specific journal, or listening to music, while others like to write on their tablet or in a quiet room. Think about the conditions that help you feel the most focused during other tasks, and try to incorporate those into your writing routine. “It’s about what works for you, rather than something methodical,” says Dr. Patrick McGrath, psychologist and Chief Clinical Officer at NOCD.
- Write freely, and don’t overthink it. Everyone suffers from “writer’s block” from time to time, especially if you haven’t written regularly in a while. The key is just trying to write something, even if it’s not structured in a specific way. Let your ideas and words land on the page freely, and don’t worry about spelling and grammar mistakes. It might also help to write using bullet points or short phrases, rather than long paragraphs. Remember, journaling is for you: don’t worry about impressing an audience.
It’s about what works for you, rather than something methodical.
Journaling for your mental health: What are the benefits?
For decades, clinicians have recommended that patients write down thoughts, feelings, and behavior patterns as a way of processing their emotions or setting goals. Recent scientific research has proven the mental health benefits of a journaling practice, including reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
In one study, positive affect journaling, a writing practice that encourages individuals to focus on positive aspects of life experiences, was associated with decreased mental distress and increased feelings of well-being relative to the outcomes of people who didn’t journal. It was also associated with less depressive symptoms and anxiety after one month and greater resilience after the first and second month. Gratitude journaling, which also focuses on positive emotions, was proven to help reduce suffering and psychological distress and enhance the quality of life of patients with advanced cancer.
A separate research study on people with major depressive disorder (MDD), showed that expressive writing, a technique that involves deep and meaningful writing about a traumatic or troubling event, significantly decreased depression scores after less than one week.
Journaling may be particularly helpful for people experiencing anxiety, either as a result of short-term stress or a broader mental health disorder. Researchers in Canada found that journaling was most effective at decreasing reports of anxiety, followed by post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.
Dr. McGrath says he sometimes prescribes writing exercises to patients who have trouble accessing their emotions. “There are people who are afraid of emotion or expression and we might have them do some journaling just to get in touch with that and learn that they can handle and get in touch with their feelings,” he says.
Creative expression of any kind, including writing, can put you in what’s called a “flow state,” in which you are completely focused on the task and can tune out other emotions or distractions. For this reason, journaling may help melt away feelings of stress or anxiety—at least temporarily—while you focus on your writing practice.
While research on journaling is relatively new, and the full scope of benefits is still being determined, the good news is that journaling is cost-free and easy to try at home. It comes with few side-effects compared to other experimental treatments like drugs, and, as the research shows, the benefits can kick in after just a few days.
What mental health issues can journaling help with?
By itself, journaling is not a treatment for mental health conditions, but it can help reduce the severity of symptoms that result from a variety of disorders. That’s because journaling gives people space and time to process emotions that they might not otherwise. In general, it’s best to pair journaling with an evidence-based treatment plan from a licensed mental health professional.
“There can be a lot of self discovery in writing,” Dr. McGrath says. “But I’ve never found writing to be helpful for anyone on its own. When you’re trying to figure out the root of a mental condition, like OCD, you’re never going to get anywhere alone. It’s also important to get help.”
When you’re trying to figure out the root of a mental condition, like OCD, you’re never going to get anywhere alone. It’s also important to get help.
Journaling for depression
When paired with therapy and other forms of treatment like medication, daily journaling can help reduce symptoms of depression. It serves as a tool for identifying repetitive, distorted patterns of thinking that can lead to depression, and allows you to refocus your viewpoints.
Positive affect and gratitude journaling are particularly effective for depression because they help shift your outlook away from negative feelings or emotions.
Journaling for stress and anxiety
Stress and anxiety often arise when things feel overwhelming or out of control. For that reason, writing your priorities or a list of the things you can control is helpful when you feel weighed down by tasks or start to worry too much about the future.
“Sometimes it’s helpful to have a half-hour of dedicated worry time each night so you can document the things that are worrying you and then let them go,” Dr. McGrath suggests.
Journaling for obsessive-compulsive disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by two main components: obsessions, which are intrusive, unwanted thoughts or feelings, and compulsions, behaviors or mental acts used to neutralize obsessive thoughts. On one hand, journaling can help people with OCD to identify what triggers their compulsions and make notes about topics they want to discuss with their therapist. But making lists and writing things down also can become a compulsion for people with OCD. For example, some OCD patients compulsively write things down because they think they’ll lose the memory of it if they don’t, Dr. McGrath says.
“Too much of a good thing isn’t always great for OCD,” Dr. McGrath says. “I’m not here to stop someone from doing it when it’s helpful, but if doing it becomes the focus of your day and you can’t get through the day without it, you’ve crossed the fine line of beneficial to not beneficial.”
Journaling for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Limited research on narrative writing, which involves repeatedly recounting a traumatic event through writing, has found the practice to be an effective treatment for PTSD when done under the supervision of a clinician. That’s because it helps people process trauma in a supervised and safe environment. In addition to narrative writing, a less targeted daily journaling practice may also help people with PTSD, who also commonly suffer from depression and anxiety.
Other daily habits that help your mental health
In addition to journaling, there are a handful of other habits you can focus on at home that come with benefits to your overall mental health. “What you do for your body is good for your brain, because your brain is part of your body,” Dr. McGrath says.
- Sleep: Getting enough sleep—typically between 7 and 9 hours a night for adults—has a direct impact on mood. Lack of sleep results in irritability and tiredness, which over time can lead to depression and anxiety.
- Good nutrition: A healthier body is a lot less strained in general, including mentally, Dr. McGrath says. That’s why following a diet rich in fiber from fruits and vegetables, as well as protein and whole grains, is important for regulating mental health.
- Exercise: Exercise releases chemicals in the brain that have mood-enhancing properties Even moderate exercise, for that reason, can help individuals improve their overall sense of well-being.