How It Helps
Makes you more aware. Journaling helps you get to know yourself better.
Expressing yourself in a journal can bring your thoughts and feelings to the surface. Many people are surprised by what they write, says Denver psychotherapist Cynthia McKay. You may discover you're worried about something you didn't know was upsetting you until you wrote it down.
You can keep your journal private or share it with your therapist. She can help you see what's important and use it to help you move forward.
Lets you take control. When your thoughts and worries swirl around, putting pen to paper can cut down the chaos. "When we write things down, they feel more manageable," says clinical psychologist Perpetua Neo, PhD.
Suchon agrees. She says writing helps her get things into perspective and puts a damper on feelings of worthlessness. "It brings me back to reality."
Journaling helps you take an active role in your treatment. It empowers you to do something to help yourself feel better. It also helps you recognize when you feel worse and need extra help.
Shifts your viewpoint. Keeping a journal gives you a chance to use positive self-talk.
"I like to use gratitude journals and affirmation journals with my clients," says Charlynn Ruan, PhD, a licensed clinical therapist. Ruan says writing about happy memories is especially powerful because depression tends to bring up negative feelings. "It's like retraining your brain."
Lets you notice patterns. A journal can help you track your symptoms. If you log how you feel every day, you may spot things that trigger your depression.
For example, you may notice symptoms get worse at a certain time of day, when you're under stress, or when you're in a challenging relationship. If you know your triggers, you can avoid them in the future.
Journaling may give you insight on how you're doing over time. If you look back at older entries, you may notice trends. You'll see if you're feeling better, worse, or the same.
It can be a red flag that you need more help or reassurance that you're doing OK. "It has helped me to go and look back at past entries and realize at how far I've come in treatment," Suchon says.