In many ways, a journal is a letter to your future self. It is also a way to process the feelings you’re having today and a tool to measure change. A journal can be a big part of a person’s recovery process. At Cottonwood, in Tucson, Arizona, we encourage our patients to develop a wide array of coping skills, one of which can be journaling.
Types of Journals
Many people have preconceived notions of what journals should look like, what information they should include, and how they should be written. In reality, your journal can look however you want and include whatever you choose. Some ways people journal include:
- Stream of consciousness. Let the thoughts flow without structuring them in any particular manner.
- Lists. Choose a topic and write things related to that, such as feelings, choices, loss, joys, triggers, and coping skills
- Thanksgiving. Anything that makes you grateful
- Affirmations. Write down positive things about yourself and your goals
- Intentions. What do you plan to do today, this week, this month, etc.
- Prayers or blessings. This can be a great way to connect to your higher power and send positivity into the world around you
- Daily inventory. Take a moment to reflect on the various things that happened to you in a given day and what you learned from those experiences.
- Art. Some people express themselves better with pictures than with words. There is nothing wrong with keeping a journal that is more visual, if that’s your preference.
- Pros and cons. This can be a great way to reach a decision when you’re not sure what choice you want to make.
- Search for writing prompts online. You’ll find questions like: What does your perfect day look like? What do you wish more people understood about you? What brought you joy this week? What are your best qualities? Or even, what challenges have you faced recently, and how did you work through them? These prompts can help you reflect, process emotions, and put your thoughts into words.
Benefits of Journaling
When you already have so much going on, you may wonder why you would add one more thing to your plate. There are many reasons why journaling can be a positive addition to your recovery routine:
- Reduced anxiety symptoms
- A way to help your brain move past something it is stuck on
- Increased awareness of patterns you might miss otherwise
- Enhanced emotional regulation
- An opportunity to practice expressing emotions and asking for help
- A place to track your daily mood and symptoms
- A way to put more thought into your beliefs and decisions
Journaling Considerations
You are journaling for yourself, so the only rules are the ones you make. That said, there are a few things to consider that may make it easier to form a habit of journaling:
- Spelling and grammar don’t matter. This is about getting your feelings on paper.
- Some people find that they process their thoughts better if they write their journal by hand. If you prefer to type your journal, you can do that instead.
- Some people prefer typing their journal because it’s easier to read later or because it is easier to keep it secure from prying eyes.
- You don’t have to write once per day, every day. Some people write multiple times per day or only when they are struggling with their emotions. If you want it to become a habit, however, it would be best to connect it to something you already do at the same time every day. For example, you could do it immediately after you do a morning reading, right before you go to bed for the night, or while you are eating lunch.
- Don’t judge yourself for what you write, how much you write, or how often. Feelings are always valid, and you’re allowed to express them. The better you are able to understand your feelings and master them, the more likely you are to deal with them in a productive way.
- Even if you don’t want to go into details about your mood on a given day, you can use stickers or symbols to note how you’re feeling or a scale to rate the severity of symptoms.
Why Journaling Is a Good Addition to Recovery Plans
Journaling doesn’t replace therapy, medications, or treatment, but it can be a great enhancement or aftercare option because journals are:
- Affordable
- Portable
- Not going to interact with your meds
- Something you can choose to share with your counselor
- Not very time-consuming
At Cottonwood, we have been treating behavioral health disorders for 35 years. We look at the whole person, including their mind, body, and spirit, when developing a treatment plan, and we use holistic methods that promote peace, balance, and healing.
