Journal Writing for Mental Illness

Photo by Matt Beckwith

Last week we talked about mindfulness and different tools that can help create balance and well-being in mental illness. I focused in on meditation particularly a type that further creates distance from your emotions and thoughts making them less likely to impact your mood (click here to read). This week I will discuss my favorite and most successful tool for my mental well-being; writing.

There is no way I can express how liberating and healing writing can be except the obvious, explain it to you. I have written in a journal since I was 10 or 11. I would write off and on for the remainder of my life and it helped to get my feelings out and work through issues. However, for the last two years I have written every morning consistently, never missing a beat. Now, I could never possibly see myself ever giving up that time. My morning writing time goes from 10 minutes to an hour depending on each day. I also put in extra time if I am having a bad day. If I have anxiety I write. If I am depressed I write. If my mind is racing by like a freight train I write.

When searching about writing and mental illness I found a lot of information on journaling and trauma. I did not find anything specifically pertaining to mental illness and writing so I am glad to share this information with you. It is of course beneficial to write about traumatic events as it helps to cope with the situation and come to the deepest parts of the hurt we have endured from the situation but what about the rest of us who feel agonizing mental and emotional pain from our own mind without a reason why? Not including the devastation our behaviors and mind do on our daily lives. That can be traumatic in itself.

Journaling can keep us in balance especially if used on a daily basis. It is like having a therapist right in our home everyday. I believe that others including friends, family, and trained professionals can give us much needed guidance but only we know what is the best for us. I would not have believed that two years ago. I believed I did not know what was best, my mind was sick, how could I be of any help to myself? I never trusted my mind as it tricked me and I looked back at a ruined life that I created. Only in consistently working with myself and writing did I gain back trust in myself and took more control of my mind.

Tips on Journaling For Mental Illness

There are no set rules on journaling. Nothing is set in stone, however, I want to share some tips so that you can get the most out of it. Take what works with you and leave the rest.

Time- Put aside time in your day preferably the same time everyday to write for at least 5 to 10 min. One tip you may have heard before especially for those of you who have Bipolar Disorder is routine. Routine keeps your moods in balance and it helps when your moods are off. With routine you know what to expect so you don't get thrown of the bus so to speak (that's what it feels like anyways).

For those of you that are on a tight schedule get a timer. You can get lost in writing especially when your in the moment, I don't want you to discourage yourself from writing because you had to skip breakfast and get to work.

Equipment- Sounds important doesn't it? Get paper, notebook, pens, pencils, computer whatever you feel comfortable with. There are even cool apps you can download for your phone that may encourage you. If you really want to get fancy go to Barnes & Noble and get a leather bound notebook or one with Mickey Mouse whatever get's you excited to write!

The Writer- I will say it here, if you think you are not a good writer or a bad speller you can still write! If it matters to you practice makes you better anyways but in journaling it really doesn't matter. Plus we have spell check, thank goodness for spell check!

Rules for Writing

There is no rule for what you should write. However, for therapeutic reasons there is a rule for what you shouldn't write. That's right, you heard it. You shouldn't censor anything. You should write about whatever is on your mind. Never think to yourself you shouldn't write about something. If your writing about your grandma Betty and you imagine yourself wanting to strangle her with her panty hose then write it! Obviously your angry and why not 'pretend' to hurt her then hurt her in real life. No one has to read it. I won't tell anyone, I promise.

Free-writing and Therapy

Free-writing is what I do now for the majority of the time unless a specific problem pops up in my life. Free-writing is where you turn off your conscious mind and let your inner world take over. The rule for this one is write and keep writing without stopping or thinking about what you are writing. Sometimes your mind will get stuck on a specific topic, meaning it is something you care about and are passionate of. By reading a series of free-written material you can tell what your sub-conscious mind is per-occupied with. For example if your writing is stuck on how you can't do this or do that, the statement, “I just don't know,” pops up a lot that could be a problem of self-doubt buried deep in your psyche. I should know this, that was my ultimate problem.

If you want to use journaling as a tool specifically for working through issues write a list of problems you want to work on. If your not sure try free writing to get any ideas out. Then take one of your problems you wrote down and free write but keep focused on that issue. After you are done read what you wrote. Yes you have to read it, I know I didn't want to either. What do you think about what you've written? Have you come across any insights or other issues you were unaware of? Sometimes you will have an a-ha moment, maybe your going to need to write more, you will know when you have gotten to the bottom of a problem. I guarantee you will have a sense of relief.

Has anyone ever used writing as a therapeutic tool? Do you have any tips to share with others? Leave any comments below. Thank you and happy writing!