How Journaling is good for Mental Health

Sometimes, in life we need a person or a friend with whom we can just freely open up and share our thoughts and feelings which we have kept hidden for a long time. But in reality, it is not always possible to do so.

But we can develop a habit of maintaining a diary or a notebook in which we can write anything we think/feel/want/desire and let everything out that is there in the mind. It will help in processing forthcoming situations in life that will need lots of efforts as our mind will be free from long kept thoughts and feelings.

That diary/journal will be a great place for confession where there are no judgments and punishments. Also, whenever we write something, it feels good and everything becomes clearer.

We take care of our physical health by going to gym; eating healthy food and taking supplements but what about mental health? How can we take care of it? Journaling is a great way to take care of our mental health. To deal with overwhelming situations in life, one should first find a way to express themselves efficiently. Some benefits of journaling for our mental health are explained below:

1. Identify and solve problems

Journaling helps in developing problem solving skills and decision making skills. Whenever you face any problem in life, write down everything about it. Like how and when it started, now what are the options, analysing every option and deciding the final outcome. Journaling allows transferring of all the thoughts from mind onto the paper so that everything is clear and one can solve problems without overthinking. With journaling, one can organize all the thoughts in a manner that is needed to solve the problem.

2. Keep a track of emotions

Mood swings which generally interfere in our proper day to day functioning can be resolved by journaling. In a Mood Journal, one has to notice and write experienced feelings over several days and weeks therefore to observe a pattern which will help in managing our emotions. Thus, we can also enhance our Emotional Intelligence.

How to start:

• Name your emotion
• Cause of emotion
• How you reacted to that emotion?
• Is it appropriate or inappropriate?
• Is it causing stress or is it tolerable?
• If causing stress, then develop a plan to deal with it.

3. Increase positive thinking

Whatever we write on paper, it gets imprinted on our mind so by writing positive things our mind will be forced to think positive. It will help to reduce negative thinking and negative self-talk. It makes one able to find happiness in things that they do on everyday basis and do rightful behaviour that is good for them and for others also. Your Positive Journal will be a source of positivity that you can look into whenever you feel low in life and need positivity and support by words written by you only.

What to write:

• Things you are grateful for
• Things that makes you happy
• Good things about yourself
• Your achievements
• Write about your Support system
• Things that you did right

4. Strengthens Memory

One writes everything that happened in the journal on the daily basis which brings back all the memories again in mind and gets restored properly in long-term memory. Also, working memory works efficiently when we trace moments of the day and write about it on paper.

Journaling also helps in solving problems and making decisions almost every single day which enhances our cognitive processing as we look at a situation from different perspectives and analysing every single possible solution available. This makes one able to do multi-level processing in the mind.

5. Bring unattended thoughts in consciousness

Sometimes, we have a lot of things to process in mind and therefore due to the limited capacity, only few get the attention in the consciousness and the rest are put into unconscious. Overtime, when the burden on unconscious becomes high, problems like overthinking, negative thinking, stress, anxiety and lack of focus and attention arises.

So, by following the method of free writing, person has to write in journal whatever is there in mind doesn’t matter important or not important. Thus, all the stuff in unconscious will come into light and will be processed in conscious so that it is no longer a source of mental health issues.

6. Reduce Stress and Anxiety

Journaling thoughts, challenges and emotions is proven to reduce anxiety, stress and many other mental health issues. Writing about them on paper helps to see the cause and therefore solutions which provides clarity. It allows the opportunity to notice the triggers and patterns of the stress and anxiety and thus develop plans to resolve stress. People can prioritize fears and concerns that they have and write about them in journal to understand them better. Everything is done like being done in a counselling session, i.e., person expresses thoughts and fears in journal.

Journal turns into a safe space for a person who is stressed and anxious as this is a kind of place where they can open up about their distress. People can recognize their anxiety-causing triggers and associated unhealthy thought patterns in journal and then solve it. It helps in improving the overall well-being of the people.

Seek Professional Help at OnlineCounselling4U

Well, we have understood the benefits of journaling very well but taking counselling along with it has major significance in improving the quality of life as mental health is taken care of. At OnlineCounselling4U, Psychologists/Counsellors are available who have specialization in varied areas. You can book your appointment with us according to your time and mode of session. You even have an option to choose the Psychologist/Counsellor. Professionals at OnlineCounselling4U are Experts in their specific areas and are always available to help you with your problems in the counselling session.

Call us to book a session today.

Contact us at +91 9811335150

Email us – info@onlinecounselling4u.com

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