The Power of Journaling for Our Mental Health

One of the hallmarks of childhood and adolescence is keeping a diary. You might not have felt comfortable or safe telling people in your life what was going on, so you turned to express your emotions in a written and private manner. You knew that your diary was somewhere you could confess your darkest secrets while evading judgement. Most of us part ways with our diaries once we reach adulthood, not realizing the very real benefits they could still have.

Journaling simply refers to writing your thoughts and emotions down in order to process and understand them more clearly. This can be done informally by just writing whatever you feel, or in a more structured way by using prompts. Using a journal can help you track your thoughts, emotions, and symptoms, allowing you to make connections between how you feel and your triggers.

Journaling can be effective in:

• Reducing stress and anxiety
• Coping with negative emotions
• Analyzing thought patterns

So how do you journal?

Be consistent

The most important part about journaling is consistency. Try to set aside a couple minutes everyday to write about your day and how you feel. You want to make journaling a habit.

Don’t worry about content

Write about whatever you want to. You don’t need to follow prompts or have goals every time you journal. Let your thoughts flow freely and write in an authentic, personal way. Remember—your journal is yours, so you don’t have to worry about outside judgment.

Make connections

Once you have a few entries written, read over them. See if you can make any connections between symptoms and triggers. Look for patterns in both thoughts and feelings.

Using a journal is a great way to organize your thoughts and emotions when you are feeling overwhelmed. It is also a great tool for analyzing and understanding our mental health and triggers. By setting aside time everyday to journal, you can improve your day-to-day mood. (This article was contributed by UCF Clinical Psychology student, Mileydy Morales)