Writing to Relieve Anxiety: How (and Why) you should keep a journal for your mental health

Have you ever had a diary where you wrote everything that was going on in your head and heart? You probably haven't kept a notebook hidden under your pillow with your most precious secrets since you were a teenager.

However, increasing research and mental health specialists suggest that journaling can be surprisingly cathartic, reducing feelings of distress, decreasing anxiety, and increasing overall well-being.

Therapeutic journaling, as this practice is called, is no longer something for teenagers... writing a diary can be tremendously beneficial for the thousands, millions of people who daily deal with anxiety, depression and intrusive thoughts and in this blog we will explain how and why you should start your journal as soon as you can.

Release and reflect with pencil in hand

Therapeutic journaling is nothing more than keeping a diary to write about events that cause anger, pain, stress, anxiety or joy and that occur in daily life. It can also be used more therapeutically to deal with specific life events that are upsetting, stressful, or traumatic.

The Journaling technique is primarily used with people in therapy to increase awareness and insight, promote change and growth, and further develop their sense of self. However, it does not have to be exclusively prescribed by a specialist so that you can incorporate it as part of your routine.

The act of writing things down often relieves tension and can bring clarity to issues that may be causing stress and anxiety.

How can journaling help me manage my anxiety?

Journaling is an effective way to examine and shift your mindset and thoughts from reflective and anxious to focused and empowered. Journaling helps improve your mood and manage anxiety symptoms by:

• Help you prioritize your fears, problems and concerns.
• Track your daily symptoms so you can better recognize and control what triggers anxiety and stress.
• Allow yourself to identify negative behaviors and thoughts and replace them with positive self-talk.

The more you know about yourself and your stressors, the more you can begin to work on a plan to reduce stress and solve problems.

The benefits of journaling for anxiety are:

You recognize your patterns and habits : Since people can only write one thing at a time, it forces them to slow down, organize their thoughts, and focus on them one at a time. It makes you aware of unhealthy thought patterns.

Helps you set goals : Keeping a journal can help you deal with life's ups and downs and achieve your goals. Writing down your goals keeps you accountable and helps you measure your progress over time. It allows us to prioritize and plan ways to solve problems.

Develop a deeper understanding of yourself : Expressive writing about your thoughts, feelings, and emotions can help you better understand the way you see and react to the world around you. As you explore your feelings, you will develop a deeper understanding of yourself and ways to describe and express how you feel.

Where do I begin?

There are different formats that we can use to start and this will depend on which one you like best or which one works best for you. The way you journal, or the method you choose, is not as important as the act of journaling regularly.

The best thing about journaling is that it is very flexible and personal. There are no rules or guidelines, it's just a matter of expressing ourselves and putting our thoughts and emotions on paper (or in a mobile app).

1. Paper or digital?

Writing by hand is the most traditional way of journaling and can help you process your thoughts better. But it is better to opt for a format that is more convenient for you. If you prefer to keep a digital diary, there are dozens of applications that currently offer possibilities to practice journaling on your cell phone with notifications, alarms, the possibility of including photos, and recording notes. The important thing is to start and maintain the practice.

2. Write what worries you

Start by writing for about 5 to 20 minutes at a time. Just write whatever comes to mind. You can write about your day, your feelings at that moment, or any other topic. Continue writing until you can't think of anything else and feel like you've written everything you needed to say.

3. Reflect on what you have written

Once you have finished writing, take the time to read and reflect on what you have written. Are you able to understand why you felt a certain way? Are there things you could do differently? Is there a way you can change your thoughts or circumstances right now? Challenge your thoughts in an understanding way, it will relieve anxiety and help you feel empowered and in control.

4. Write daily

Writing in your journal daily will allow you to experience the greatest benefit. Choose a convenient time when you can write every day, calmly, and schedule that time to journal alone. Take it as a time of self-care.

5. Use journaling prompts or guiding questions

Key questions or guiding questions can be used when journaling if you don't know what to write or how to start; They give you a path to follow on a particular topic that you want to put into perspective to free your mind.

Some example guiding questions: What is the best thing that happened to you this week? What lessons have you learned this week, month or year? When was the last time you felt disappointed and how did you overcome it? What is the biggest challenge you have overcome? Search the internet for journaling prompts and hundreds of ideas will appear.

Practice journaling with CBD

When initiating the use of a new therapeutic tool, it is always beneficial to document progress and findings; This is especially important when our well-being is at stake.

We always recommend practicing journaling when you start using our CBDZen to calm anxiety, sudden mood changes and control stress. Keeping a diary helps us measure and reflect, take into account why we decided to start and document the changes.

Tracking any improvements in how you feel, any new emotions or physical sensations can be especially helpful when it comes to determining your CBDZen oil dosage .

Keeping a journal will help you structure how to get the most out of your CBD oil, and documenting it will help you identify the dosage, timing, and environmental factors that make you feel better and experience improvements.

Writing down the reasons why you decided to start using our CBDZen p oil can be a great reminder to stay motivated and on schedule and a great way to track your progress.

For example, if you decide to try CBDZen oil because you are experiencing menopause symptoms, you can use the diary to track hot flashes, mood swings, and other symptoms that concern you. Simply write down your CBD oil dosage so you can see any patterns that emerge.

This is your journey of self-care and wellness.

In short, journaling will help you create order when your world feels like it's in chaos. Writing every day can lead you to know yourself better by revealing your most private fears, thoughts and feelings.

Try to view your writing time as a time for personal relaxation and self-care. Your mental health can be in your hands.

Sources consulted:

How to journal for anxiety

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/es/how-to-write-a-diary-for-anxiety

https://healthmatch.io/anxiety/how-to-journal-for-anxiety#what-are-the-mental-health-benefits-of-journaling

Ready to Start a Journal? 6 Tips From Therapists to Get Started

https://www.thehealthy.com/mental-health/how-to-start-a-journal-tips-from-therapists/

Five therapeutic writing exercises to deal with problems

https://www.elpradopsicologos.es/blog/escritura-terapeutica-afrontar-problemas/

20 Journaling Prompts to start

https://psicologiaintegralpma.com/blog/blog/20-journaling-prompts-para-iniciar/

How to Reduce Anxiety with Journaling

https://psychcentral.com/anxiety/how-to-journal-for-anxiety#benefits