By simply writing down your thoughts and feelings while you're having therapy, this will help you to understand them more clearly. And if you struggle with stress, depression, or anxiety, keeping a journal is a great idea. It can help you gain control of your emotions and improve your mental health.
Keeping a journal helps you create order when your world feels like it’s in chaos. You get to know yourself by revealing your most private fears, thoughts, and feelings. Look at your writing time as personal relaxation time. It's a time when you can de-stress and wind down. Write in a place that's relaxing and soothing, maybe with a cup of tea. Look forward to your journaling time. And know that you're doing something good for your mind and body.
Benefits
· Manage anxiety
· Reduce stress
· Cope with depression
· Helping you prioritise problems, fears, and concerns
· Tracking any symptoms day-to-day so that you can recognise triggers and learn ways to better control them
· Providing an opportunity for positive self-talk and identifying negative thoughts and behaviours
How to keep a journal
· Try to write every day. Set aside a few minutes every day to write. This will help you to write in your journal regularly.
· Make it easy. Keep a pen and paper handy at all times. Then when you want to write down your thoughts, you can. You can also keep a journal in a computer file.
· Write whatever feels right. Your journal doesn't need to follow any certain structure. It's your own private place to discuss whatever you want. Let the words flow freely. Don't worry about spelling mistakes or what other people might think.
· Use your journal as you see fit. You don't have to share your journal with anyone. If you do want to share some of your thoughts with trusted friends and loved ones, you could show them parts of your journal.
