The Science of Journaling

Unlocking the Power of Journaling: A Journey to Mental Wellness 

Embark on a journey of self-discovery and mental well-being through the simple yet profound practice of journaling. Today, we delve into the compelling evidence supporting the therapeutic benefits of this age-old practice.

Journaling is used as a non-pharmacological, meaning non-medication, tool for anxiety, depression, and/or PTSD. It is also a type of meditation for all people regardless of diagnosis.

Two Paths, One Destination: Expressive Writing and Gratitude Journaling

There are two primary approaches to journaling in therapy - expressive writing and gratitude journaling. Expressive writing results in journaling your thoughts and feelings, while gratitude journaling is a diary of things you are grateful for bringing attention to the positive aspects of your life.

Evidence-Based Insights

A 2022 publication reviewed 20 randomized control trials on the impact of journaling in the management of mental health. The results were mixed, however many of the studies only included 2-4 journaling sessions while 2 studies in the analysis included 21 and 32 sessions of journaling. 

The NICU Study: A Glimpse into Journaling's Potential

One of the studies included in the larger analysis published in 2022 was called The Effect of Expressive Writing on Postpartum Depression and Stress of Mothers with a Preterm Infant in NICU. During this study, the mothers were instructed to journal using the expressive writing approach from the third day of hospitalization in the NICU and continue it until the tenth day. The mothers that journaled were compared to a group of mothers that did not journal to compare outcomes. The decrease in the postnatal depression scales for the mothers that journaled was clinically significant at days 3 and 10, and 1-3 months after being admitted.

Further studies are needed to better define the benefits of journaling, but this goes to show that it can be a valuable tool to manage stress which improves overall health.

Embrace the Journey

There are no rules in journaling; it's a canvas for self-expression and exploration. To put journaling into practice you can use prompts or just let the writing flow. Set aside 10 minutes today and let your thoughts flow freely. Envision your ideal life in vivid detail, from your surroundings to your daily pursuits and relationships. It's a powerful tool for self-discovery and transformation.

Discover the Power of Journaling

During this week’s strategy session, my patients and I completed a 10-minute journaling exercise together. There is power in bringing a small group of people or community together to hold space for each other.

The prompt we used was “What does your ideal life look like?”

Afterwards we discussed some of the things we discovered and also were able to work together to identify thought errors. For example, one of the comments was “I cannot put my plan into action because my husband is not on board.” I helped this patient see that this was a thought error. It is just an obstacle, not an end point. There are always actions that can be taken to achieve what you really want out of life. But to get to your perfect life, you have to decide what it looks like first. There are no rules here.

So try this exercise.

Pause now and set a timer for 10-minutes and just let the writing flow.

“What does your ideal life look like?”

Every single part of it. Where do you live, where do you work, what do you do for fun, what does daily life look like, who are the people in your life? 

This is an incredible discovery technique, enjoy it.

References:

Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8935176/

The Effect of Expressive Writing on Postpartum Depression and Stress of Mothers with a Preterm Infant in NICU: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10880-019-09688-2

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10880-019-09688-2