The benefits of keeping a journal for your mental health

Did you know that writing a diary or journal as a child had the same benefits as an adult? Releasing emotions through writing, whether it's because of stress or feeling happy, is proven to be good for health. So, what are the benefits of writing a mental health journal?

The myriad of benefits of writing a mental health journal

Most people probably already know the benefits of writing for body health. Starting from restoring emotions to improving speaking skills.

In an era with sophisticated technology, it is possible to write directly in books to be something that is rarely done by people. Some of them may prefer to save things by taking pictures or writing them down on their cell phones.

In fact, venting emotions through journaling or diary offers a privilege to the mental health of the author. The following are some of the benefits that can be obtained for a person's mental health by writing a journal.

1. Pay more attention to daily habits

One of the benefits of keeping a mental health journal is that it helps you see what's going on in your life.

Sometimes, writing on paper about what went through that day makes you realize how you feel and why it happened. If you are upset at a certain time, a journal or diary may help you by identifying recent behaviors.

For example, lately you feel tired and irritable. Looking back at your journal over the past week can at least help you to track what events triggered these emotions.

In addition, seeing the events and symptoms that trigger these feelings will also help you learn how to better control your emotions.

2. Strengthen emotional function

Apart from making you pay more attention to your daily habits, another mental health benefit of journaling is that it strengthens your emotional functioning.

Reporting from Intermountain Healthcare, writing a journal according to the current mood can make writers connect their feelings with their needs. Keeping a diary can keep you aware of being “in the world” while looking at a different point of view.

That means a diary provides an opportunity for the brain to regulate emotions as the writing process occurs. In fact, letting go of your emotions in writing can also help boost your self-confidence by speaking positively to yourself and identifying negative thoughts and behaviors.

3. Reducing stress levels

Everyone has experienced stress, both adults and children. Stress cannot be eliminated, but at least it can be reduced so that it does not interfere with quality of life.

The benefits of journaling for mental health can also be used to reduce stress levels. When you have a problem that makes your mind confused, journaling helps identify what triggers that stress.

Once you have identified your stressors, you can begin to figure out how to solve the problem to reduce stress levels. In fact, according to research from Journal of Health and Psychology, writing full of expressions can lower blood pressure and liver function.

Therefore, you can try keeping a diary as part of meditation before going to bed. That way, you may be more able to relax and be less stressed about taking a break.

Tips for starting a journal or diary

The three benefits above can be obtained by keeping a journal and of course it is good for your mental health. The problem is that many people may be confused about where to start when writing a diary, aka a journal.

One thing to remember is that keeping a diary doesn't require you to be a good writer. You just need to be able to communicate through your own writing. It doesn't have to be reasonable, conform to grammatical standards, or have to be accepted by the environment.

Diaries and journals are spaces provided for yourself to be able to express what you feel at that moment. To make it easier for you to vent your emotions through writing, there are several things that might be applied, such as the following.

1. Try writing every day

Starting a journal for mental health benefits can be started by trying it every day. In childhood it may feel easy to write down what happened that day each day. However, with increasing age and responsibility, finding time to write can sometimes be quite difficult.

Therefore, try to set aside a few minutes each day for writing. Whether it's before bed or after a day of activities. That way, this method can help you keep a journal or diary regularly.

2. Keep pens and books at all times

In addition to writing every day, try to keep pens and books in your work bag or backpack. This method may make it easier for you to write down your feelings and vent your emotions at the right time.

You don't have to wait until you get home and rest until what you want to write down becomes less detailed. If this is not possible, recording events that occurred at that time on your cellphone is not a problem because you carry them with you more often than pens and books.

3. Write according to your heart's desire

As previously explained, there is no need to pay attention to grammar to get the mental health benefits of journaling.

This means that your diary doesn't have to follow a set structure or rules. Look, this journal is your personal place to vent your emotions and discuss whatever you want with yourself.

Try to let the words flow freely and not have to worry about spelling mistakes or what other people think.

4. Using the journal as you wish

Basically, the contents of the diary that you have written are emotional outbursts that might when other people read them, they can offend them. Therefore, you can use the journal as you wish.

There is no need to share the stories in the diary with other people. If you want to share some of your thoughts with a friend or loved one, showing parts of the journal is fine, too. The choice is in your hand.

Journaling has benefits for your mental health. However, this method is not a substitute for when you think you have a mental health problem. If it is very disturbing, consultation with a therapist or experts is the best way.