Journaling tips for mental health

Photo by Noémi Macavei-Katócz on Unsplash

I’ve kept a journal since I was old enough to write. I have boxes of journals from over the years that I sometimes look back to when I’m curious about revisiting memories. It also helped me look back with compassion on previous episodes when I finally got diagnosed with bipolar disorder. 

When coping with bipolar disorder symptoms, journaling can help you make sense of your emotions and move toward stability. With this nonjudgmental partner, I can share intimate and poignant thoughts that—like bipolar disorder itself—may convey opposite ends of the emotional and imaginative spectrum.

Journaling can provide you with a sense of history and sequence. It can be a way of observing yourself, tracking, and making connections in ways that symptoms happen. You can use journaling to set goals, noticing what’s practical or problematic. It’s a method of making meaning out of daily events.

Through my challenges, writing about my experience has helped me cope. It kept me grounded when I felt like the world was upside-down. Instead of bottling up emotions, I’ve logged them, which has been cathartic and freeing. In addition to treatment and self-care, journaling has helped me navigate through the most challenging times.

Writing my story down helped me confront the trauma I’d endured. My past was a learning experience that made me resilient. Journaling gave me the strength to put myself back together. I emerged from a long, dark tunnel that seemed at times to have no light at the end.

Over the years, I kept writing. Initially, it was purely therapeutic — not meant for anyone but me to read. But one day, I realized that my story might inspire hope for others who were struggling as I had. So by 2020, I launched this blog. 

How to Start Journaling
Try these five steps to get started:

1. Carve out time. You don’t have to do it every day, but aim for 15 minutes three to four days a week.
2. Experiment with your method: There’s nothing magic about writing by hand. You could try typing or doing voice memos. The point is to be thoughtful about the experience.
3. Find the right place: Where you write can affect how you feel about it and whether or not it “works.” So the most important thing has a quiet place.
4. Don’t edit yourself: Part of the exercise is to access your feelings, and you can’t do that if you’re constantly redirecting yourself.
5. Reread, just not right away: It’s a good idea to go back and see what you’ve written, but don’t get carried away with it. If you read your previous entries before you start, it might influence what you end up writing.

There are many different journal prompts and questions to explore and find a perspective from, especially when you need to recenter yourself or find clarity. Below, we made a list of mental health journal prompts to follow for your next writing session.

#1 Keep a gratitude list. 
This form of journaling doesn’t need to be daily, and in fact, sometimes it’s better to do it just randomly. For example, you might be thankful that the sun is shining today, you just heard that Billie Eilish is releasing a new song, or you’re grabbing coffee with friends after work.

#2 Describe your favorite memory. 
Take pen to paper and start detailing your favorite memory, whether from childhood or last week. It could help you shift to a positive mindset.

#3 List your coping mechanisms. 
Write out all of the actions and strategies that help you maintain stability. These mechanisms could include practicing yoga, meditating, talking to your therapist, or dancing. Just be sure to list what works best for you.

#4 Write about your strengths. 
The VIA Survey of Character Strengths is a free self-assessment that takes less than 15 minutes and provides a wealth of information to help you understand your best qualities and identify actionable tips to apply your strengths to find greater well-being.

#5 Write a letter of forgiveness to yourself or someone else. 
It could be a productive step in processing your feelings. But, although you may never send it, you must give yourself the space to heal.

#6 Write a letter to your future self.
 Whether you pick 10, 15, or 50 years from now, choose an age and jot down some notes for your future self. You might summarize your current self and what you're working towards at the moment, make predictions, and ask questions. This practice lets you reflect on your journey and set reasonable goals for how you’d like to see yourself evolve.

It’s important to note that journaling does not take the place of therapy. If you’re feeling overwhelming symptoms of anxiety, stress, depression, or another mental health condition, and struggling to process these feelings yourself, schedule an appointment with a therapist or ask your doctor for help.