Lived Experience Forum

[TheJuZShoW]

I have been journaling since I was 16. I am 37 years old now and I still do it. It is so good for the sould and helps you self help solve your own problems. Sometimes I revisit some of my old entries and realize how boring my life is lol . But I reckon it's pretty healthy and it's always helped me out so I stop overthinking!

[Judi9877]

Hi there @florencefifty and others. What a great topic for a thread @florencefifty . Thanks and well done for starting this very interesting and informative thread as I’m really enjoying it and finding it very useful☺️👍🏻⭐️!

As for me, I like writing things down when I feel like it as I find it helps me to express myself snd things don’t feel as scary or upsetting once they’re out on paper. I believe journaling is a great strategy for mental health as I like to think of it as another way of communicating my thoughts, feelings, ideas and needs with myself and to others if I choose to write to them and let them read what I’ve written. I know when I was admitted to hospital last September, I took a notebook into the psych ward and used that to communicate to my psychologist about what I was going through as it was my first time in a Melbourne psych ward for an admission (my other previous admissions had been over 10 years ago in Tasmania as a mature age uni student). I also journaled my psychosis episode in terms of what was going on in my head as I was experiencing it and it proved valuable in that I sent a copy of it to my psychologist and he was able to gain insight into what a psychotic episode is like all because I chose to document it which he didn’t expect. It proved to be a very good starting point into several follow up appointments as I was able to look back on the episode and see how far I’ve come since then. Even now when I read over the psychosis entry, it’s kind of scary yet positive in that I was able to come through the other side of it and live to tell the tale along with helping in my recovery journey.

I think writing is good for the soul as you get to express how you’re really thinking and feeling at the time about what is happening in your life at that moment in time and I see it to be kind of liberating as well as you are getting everything out of your head. It’s like talking to someone knowing that you might not get a response yet that’s okay because I know I feel better when things are released from inside my head and I know it helps calm me down as well. I don’t journal as often as I like but do know and understand the benefits of it because I do feel better after writing things down. I know when I was at PARCS, a staff member ran a session on journaling as a strategy for people to try and use to help them with their mental health recovery journey and although I couldn’t participate as I was unwell at the time, the document they handed out was well resourced and very helpful, especially the writing ideas such as writing letters to yourself and using photos or images to use as a starting point to express how you are feeling or thinking. I’ve got a pile of photos/images I’ve got from the internet just to have as writing prompts for whatever mood I may be experiencing and have started using them when I want to write about things. It’s good for creative writing as well as I have often written about being in another place such as on an island as a form of escapism to help me deal with any issues at the time.

I look forward to reading what other forumites have to say on this topic

Take care!

Judi9877☺️📝

[ChocMint]

I'd considered it a few years ago, but didn't try, then had a stab about a year ago, and only did it once. Buy I've had a really rough 2 years, and it's coming thick and fast now, so I've looked into it again, did some research and found a book called

"Your head is a houseboat" and a few YouTube videos from the writer too, so I downloaded the book, and after reading my first chapter, I've put pen to paper yesterday, and 9 x A4 pages later, I was able to watch Netflix, without my thoughts taking over, and last night was my first decent sleep in months.

My "brain dump" was just the tip of the iceberg, and as suggested by all the research, I'll keep journaling.

My head felt like I'd cleared it out with a leaf blower, it was such bliss.

If you write knowing you don't plan to share it, and have a way to keep it private, then I'd recommend it to anyone 🙂

[tyme]

Hi @ChocMint ,

That sounds great - I can't say I 'journal', but I DO do a brain dump for the purpose of having a good sleep.

I used to try and remember everything I had to do the following day (a lot). I'd play this over and over in my mind because I didn't use a diary or calendar. This was the cause of my many sleepless nights I believe.

So now, I 'dump' everything in my planner and don't have the issue of trying to remember everything.

I'm glad you have found journalling helpful. Looking forward to hearing how you go with it.

tyme

[Delicatessen]

I have found focussed journalling (for a specific purpose) to be very rewarding. I would never want anyone to read what I’ve written. The value for me is enabling me to bear witness on what’s inside my head. Me looking at myself after the fact can give some great insight..and sometimes some inner peace. Looking at the written word makes it “real” and shifts me from being emotional to more logical.

[tyme]

That's incredible @Delicatessen . I appreciate you framing the purpose of journalling - to support to emotional to logical brain shift. So important.