“I can shake off everything as I write; my sorrows disappear, my courage is reborn”
Anne Frank
Expressive writing is a trending topic among psychologists, therapists, and self-help gurus alike. None can deny the benefits of journaling your emotions on paper. It reduces stress, helps you process emotions, elevates your mood, and helps you question negative emotions. Since it reduces fixation with suppressed emotions, it is unsurprising that you feel better afterward. Even a 10-15 minutes journaling session per day can make you happier. But why is journaling therapeutic? Is there scientific research that backs up its supposed benefits? Why do we feel better after journaling? We will address all those questions in this article. So, without further ado, let’s get into it!
Why Is Journaling So Therapeutic?
Writing can calm you down when you feel emotionally overwhelmed. It can help you feel more relaxed and content. Any individual who has resorted to journaling as a form of self-expression will testify to its efficacy.
But what makes it such an effective tool for mental stability? Exactly why is journaling therapeutic? Let’s find out:
Journaling Is a Safe Space
Generally, when we start opening up to other people, we might be subjected to criticism and unsolicited advice. For someone looking forward to feeling understood, this can feel like an attack instead.
Most people want to feel heard. But they might not be surrounded by people who are not good listeners.
It is also worth noting that our emotions are often irrational. For example, our feelings might clash with social, moral, and cultural norms. This might be confusing to navigate for an individual. Those around them might actively shut down their attempts to express themselves.
Journaling provides a safe place where you can connect with yourself without judgment or distractions. Journaling is therapeutic because it allows us to be authentic.
Check out these Amazing Planner Stickers to personalize your journal with empowering quotes and help you stay on track with your weekly goals. There are over 12 dozen stickers included in vibrant colors and styles.
An Opportunity To Self-Reflect
As humans, we have a natural disposition to draw comparisons. We compare our wealth, our progress in our careers, and even our relationships.
Journaling allows us to compare with our past selves. This allows us to see exactly how far we have come, making it easy to identify and change thought patterns.
This self-reflection can help us improve and easily dismiss things we cannot control.
It Transforms Our Perspective
We all have a side with which we are unfamiliar. Journaling allows us to approach situations from a different perspective.
Journaling allows you to comfort the unhealed part of yourself. By embracing yourself as a holistic unit, you can learn to be more self-compassionate.
And as your thoughts and feelings change towards self-love, so does your behavior. This inner change transforms how you perceive the world in the best way possible!
What Are the Benefits to Journaling?
We have already established that journaling can be a healing and transformative activity. But why is journaling therapeutic? Let’s discuss that in the light of its benefits.
Self Compassion
Journaling helps us understand more about ourselves. It can help us embark on a self-discovery journey and helps us create a positive self-image.
For example, maybe you need to work on your academic grades. You worked hard, but for some reason, the result was worse than you expected. Instead of bashing yourself, you could journal about how you feel.
Perhaps you could write, “I did the best I could, but I did not get the desired result. That makes sense because I got sick during examinations. My mind was not functioning well. Either way, this is not the end of the world. I know I am capable of so much more”.
This is a better method to soothe yourself and move on rather than feeling guilty or ashamed about something that was not in your control. Journaling provides psychological relief when we need it most.
Physical Wellbeing
Our mental and physical well-being have significant overlap. An example is lower energy levels when you’re depressed. You might not be able to get out of bed. You could feel tired and lethargic all the time.
Your mental state has a direct connection with your physical well-being. Another example is laughter yoga. It is known to release endorphins and lower stress.
So, coming back to our question: why is journaling therapeutic? Because it helps us stay emotionally and mentally fit. If you want to learn more about the science behind this, head to the “Is Journaling Scientifically Proven?” section, where we back this up with scientific research.
Achieve Your Goals
Journaling is known to increase productivity and will help you achieve your goals. The best way to achieve your goals with journaling is to create a vision journal. A vision journal is based on visualizing success and then writing about it.
This type of journaling is more visual with creative elements, but the goal remains the same. You must journal every single day to establish a routine. Remind yourself of your goals for the next week, month, or even year. This will help you stay on track.
Why Do Therapists Want You to Journal?
We’ve already discussed the benefits of journaling. We’ve learned why it’s therapeutic.
Now let’s briefly discuss why therapists recommend their clients to journal:
- Journaling is an effective way to delve into our minds.
- It can assist us in becoming aware of our thought patterns.
- Identifying problematic thoughts is the key to developing healthy coping mechanisms.
- It helps us in self-reflection and analysis.
- It helps shift the biased story we tell ourselves. Even if the world was unkind to you, that doesn’t mean you are not worthy of love.
- Mindful activism helps us shift the narrative from a negative perspective to an optimistic one.
- It helps us become more self-compassionate.
- Good mental health leads to physical benefits.
- Feeling good helps us stay physically active as well.
Is Journaling a Good Alternative to Therapy?
Journaling and therapy are both effective emotional outlets and are means of catharsis. Their efficacy in emotional expression, identification of behavioral patterns, and self-improvement are well-known. Both aid the ultimate goal of self-actualization.
But while journaling can be a low-cost way to relieve psychological stress, therapy is expensive. Moreover, one only needs a journal and a pen for journaling, whereas access to proficient therapists can be limited.
All this poses the question: “Is journaling a good alternative to therapy?”. The answer is yes, and no. Seems confusing, right? Let us elaborate.
Example:
You are young, and your mother just scolded you for something your sister did. It was misdirected anger on her part. But you are a child ill-equipped to deal with the anger and guilt it has inculcated in you.
You feel awful for a while, but a sense of relief overcomes you as you pull up your diary and start scribbling on its pages. Maybe you tell your mom that her behavior was hurtful, and she apologizes to you.
Journaling has helped in this scenario:
- You had the opportunity to express your feelings using your journal.
- You know that someone’s actions are not tied to your self-worth. Your mother’s anger does not diminish your value as a person.
- You were able to find a healthy coping mechanism.
So, can journaling be regarded as an alternative to therapy? Yes, it can be helpful. However, there is no shame in seeking professional help. We believe in destigmatizing mental health issues to create a safer environment for ourselves and others.
Journaling is a relatively unstructured method of self-reflection. While it may help relax emotional strain, it can also lead to cyclic negative thinking. You do not have the expertise of a trained and licensed professional.
It could be that you merely walk in circles, unable to set realistic and executable goals for yourself. That could further weigh you down. In essence, depending on the individual, although journaling is helpful, it can not replace therapy completely.
Journaling is a tool recommended by therapists to encourage you to be more expressive. But ultimately, it boils down to the fact that journaling cannot replace the expertise of a skilled professional with years of training.
Pros of journaling:
- An effective medium of emotional catharsis
- An inexpensive way to become self-aware
- Assists in self-reflection
Cons of journaling:
- Unhelpful in tackling mental illness as a standalone technique
- Can lead to reinforcement of one’s biased perceptions
Is Journaling a CBT Technique?
The Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) Technique identifies destructive thought patterns and directs them into healthy coping mechanisms.
The purpose here is to counter cognitive distortions with affirmations for better emotional regulation. Journaling can also help you achieve the same result. After all, it makes us self-aware and urges us to be self-compassionate.
So, yes, journaling is considered a CBT technique. However, that would require you to journal according to the ABC model. You’ll have to delve deeper into the activating event, the resultant belief, and its consequence to merge it with the CBT technique.
A regular written expression of emotions without the ABC model would not be considered a part of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy technique.
Check out this Youtube video by The Lukin Center to learn more about journaling and CBT:
Is Journaling Scientifically Proven?
Yes, the efficacy of journaling is backed up by science. We’ll briefly cover three pieces of research linking journaling with improved mental health and stress management.
- A study by Stice, Burton, Bearman, and Rohde revealed that expressive writing could be as effective as cognitive behavior therapy for reducing the risk of depression among young adults.
- Another study by Hasanzadeh, Khoshknab, and Norozi proved to journal as an effective method for reducing anxiety levels among women with multiple sclerosis.
- A study by Ullrich M.A and Lutgendorf reported students developed a greater awareness of the positive advantages of stressful events when they focused on cognition and emotion while journaling.
- A study by Fritson and Krista K. reported an increase in productivity, focus, and learning, after journaling.
What Happens to Your Brain When You Journal?
Now that we know why journaling is therapeutic let’s see its effect on the brain.
- Journaling encourages a healthy emotional response that makes us less fixated on our problems.
- It trains our mind to challenge itself and explore new perspectives.
- It reduces the impact of negative emotions.
- Hormones such as dopamine are released that boost our mood.
- Consistent expressive writing disciples our brain into addressing and processing our feelings.
- It improves our cognitive processing.
- It sharps the mind’s ability to retain information.
- It assists us in creating a better self-image.
- It helps us connect with ourselves.
Final Thoughts
Writing to relieve emotional tension is a healthy coping mechanism endorsed by numerous mental health professionals. If you’ve used journaling as an outlet when you felt overwhelmed, you now know why it works so well.
So, why is journaling therapeutic? Because it’s a medium for expression. It serves as a healthy way to channel our feelings. So, find your journal, grab your pen and start writing.
Your best self stands just around the corner, waiting for you to establish your routine. Let us know how journaling has helped you in the comments below.
