Journaling Can Help Reduce Anxiety
By Jessica Anne Pressler LCSW
Writing in a journal allows one to gain distance from one's thoughts and feelings, often resulting in clarity and catharsis. I frequently recommend journaling to my clients to gain insight into their beliefs and emotions. Journaling allows people to separate and observe their unconscious thoughts from their conscious thoughts, gaining a greater understanding of their patterns and coping skills. In addition, journaling is an outlet that can help reduce anxiety, depression, and stress simply by discussing one's thoughts and feelings instead of keeping them inside. It is also an excellent tool to use while in therapy and can be shared with the therapist to assist in understanding a person’s feelings, thoughts, and emotional responses when triggered and help minimize or eliminate a person's self-sabotaging thoughts as well.
Journaling has many benefits when coping with anxiety.
1. It can help a person focus on one thought at a time, which can be less overwhelming than being flooded with many.
2. It can help a person recognize what thoughts trigger their anxiety, become more aware of their emotional responses to their triggers
3. It can help identify unhealthy patterns and distorted thinking, and that knowledge can assist in reframing their thoughts.
4. It can help to cope with intrusive and avoidant thoughts.
5. Journaling can reduce stress, simply by a person writing their thoughts and feelings down, just as speaking about an anxious situation to another can be helpful. It can help prioritize and gain insight into a person's fears and concerns and begin to figure out ways to resolve these concerns.
6. Journaling encourages people to express their feelings and thoughts, thus becoming more aware of their thoughts and feelings. In turn, they may seek additional support, like professional help, if they still need to do so.
7. Writing can help you work through your thoughts, feelings, and emotions in a safe, non-judgmental environment. It allows you to look at things objectively and develop solutions that might not have been apparent before.
Many excellent journals are available on the market specifically designed for dealing with anxiety, which can be an invaluable tool for managing stress and improving mental health. Which journal to pick for whom would depend on the individual, their needs, comfort, accessibility, and goals. What works for one person may not work for another. Some will work well with blank pages, while others find prompts helpful. Some are more comfortable with the structure, and others will write what and when they need to. Some may prefer drawing pictures or recording their voice, while others prefer writing poetry or the written word. There are many ways to express yourself and it may take trying several different ones to find the right one.
When deciding what is best, a person should be mindful of how they feel using a particular type of journal. If they are uncomfortable, they should either discuss with their therapist why or make the necessary changes before it becomes a negative experience. There are many journals available. I would purchase journals that mental health professional recommends. For a guided journal, I would choose a cognitive behavioral journal. I like Worry for Nothing, Techniques to help deconstruct negative thoughts and rebuild them more productively. This journal is available on Amazon. The journal is designed to bring awareness and change negative thought patterns. It does so through its prompts that are designed to improve mindfulness, uncover, and gain insight into triggers, track emotional and physical senses, and evaluate a person's response.
Other recommended journals for anxiety include The Anxiety Journal by Athena Staik, Anxiety & Depression Workbook by Mary Ellen Copeland, Mindful Way Through Anxiety by Rebecca J. Brunner and Mark R. Petersen, Brain Lock: Free Yourself from Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior by Jeffrey M. Schwartz, and The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook by Edmund J. Bourne. All journals mentioned providing a comprehensive approach to addressing anxiety, with activities and exercises tailored to suit different needs and levels of distress. The Anxiety Journal, for example, provides users with a range of cognitive therapies and relaxation techniques to help them work through anxious thoughts or feelings. It also includes tools such as personalized journaling prompts that can be used to track progress over time.
Here are several studies to support the benefits of journaling. One such study conducted by Cruz-Saavedra et al. (2018) found that writing about stressful experiences helped to reduce stress and improve physical health symptoms associated with anxiety in patients with generalized anxiety disorder. Their randomized clinical trial showed that writing about one's emotions and experiences can be a powerful tool for managing anxiety. Another study by Greenberg JDU et al. (2008) focused on the effects of expressive writing on working memory capacity and affective experience. They discovered that participants who wrote about their emotions improved their memory function and emotional regulation. This suggests that journaling can help with anxiety and improve cognitive function. Furthermore, Dyer et al. (2016) found that writing about emotions was more beneficial than goal-oriented writing for those who were academically challenged. In their study, participants who wrote about their emotions saw an improvement in grades compared to those who wrote about goals or tasks they needed to complete. Journaling can be an effective tool for managing anxiety and improving mental health. Writing about one's emotions and experiences can reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and even better academic performance.
In addition to the journals, as mentioned earlier, numerous other resources are available on the web for dealing with anxiety. Websites like Calm Clinic offer articles, videos, and other resources that can help people learn about effectively managing their stress levels. There are also many online support communities where people can connect with others dealing with similar struggles and provide mutual comfort and understanding. When coping with anxiety, it is essential to remember that the journey is unique for everyone. What works for one person might not work for another, so finding the right tools and techniques to help you healthily manage your stress levels is critical. Using a journal specifically designed to address anxiety can be a great start, but many other resources are also available. With patience and dedication, you can learn how to cope effectively with anxiety and live a happier life.
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