How To Journal for your mental health

Journaling for mental health

The stats of mental health issues are rising every day. One in ten adults and one in six children experience a mental health issue in their lifetime. With covid, this has increased dramatically.

According to the world health organisation, over the pandemic, anxiety and depression increased by a whopping 25%! With the cost of living crisis, this likely to increase further.

Now, although its scary, I am not saying all of this to scare you. We are living in a time where we should all be concerned for ourselves and one another. That however, does not mean to freak out and go crazy but to take care of ourselves in order to take care of others. I have learnt the hard way that the cliché "you can help anyone else until you help yourself." it is true. How can you expect to help other people get themselves to a good mental state if you are not yourself?

So, how can journaling help you to get there? The big issue over the last couple of years was the virus of loneliness. It was crippling, it was painful and it was deadly for some. Elderly spent months alone, spent Christmases alone. Teenagers spent weeks isolated with nothing but the addicting and damaging social media to communicate with one another.

Many people ignore how they feel, push it to the back of their minds with the mentality of " I’ll deal with it later." I, myself are a culprit of this. It is easier, until its not. Every issue, big or small. Tedious or terrifyling dangerous, builds up. Bottle it up, seal with 1000 layers of duck tape, it is still there. It lingers, rent free in the back of our minds. Journaling can help to release that.

Writing everything you feel, everything that has happened, releasing its increasingly heavy weight. It is no longer a burden and no longer has a hold on you. Release the tight ropes and free your mind once and for all.

Where to begin

I talk about the benifits of journaling for mental health with a lot with teenagers. They always tell me the same thing. " But I’m not good at writing." " But i don’t know what to write." and " I always get writers block.". Its okay to not know where to begin. Allow yourself to be okay with writers block and a blank mind.

The first step is getting into the correct mindset. Some people like to write first thing in the morning, to talk about their nights rest, about their plans for the day. Some people, like to dicuss their day right before bed, to free their mind before resting. Both are great, both are successful ways of journaling. Try them both and out and see what you like best. You may prefer one way or you may like to do both.

The biggest rule of journaling

The biggest rule of journaling is that there are no rules. Journal whenever, however and whatever. What ever you want to write, is what you right. Whether it be good or bad, you should write it all.

Different ways of journaling

When you hear the word Journaling, what do you think of? What comes to mind is most likely a fancy notebook, pen and a nerd with glasses (or is it just me who always thought that?).

I must admit, when i was younger, I thought journaling was silly. I thought it was nerdy and childish but it turned out to be so far from that. Journaling has helped me to grow up in a sense. It as helped me to find who I am. I always struggled with dependency to family and close friends, which can get dangerous when taken to a certain extent (I was definitely in the danger zone!).

Journaling makes it so that it is just you, present and alone with your thoughts. This can be a terrifying feeling at first, but one that you will come to treasure. Journaling means no distractions and no ignoring your important feelings. Journaling however, does not mean, sat at a desk with a notepad and pen, journaling can be so much more!

Photo by Marcos Paulo Prado on Unsplash

Pen and notebook

You may want to go the basic, cliché root, there is no shame in that! Get a cheap notebook and pen and go for it! The only thing that needs to be good guality here is the luxury time you spend by yourself!

Photo by Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash

Fancy journal

You may want to splash out on a fancy journal. A vintage leather one that you see all the rich posh men in the movies walking around with, is a real favourite of mine! But there are so many options. Glitter ones, rainbow ones, sophisticated minimalistic ones, so many to choose from! You can get bullet journals, dream journals, though journals and so many more!

Virtual journal

A physical, paper copy is not exactly necessary. Altough I like the act of sitting down and pulling out my journal and pen and knowing its always there and doesn’t run the risk of being lost in the cloud, it is not necessary if you do not enjoy writing. Some, prefer to make a folder on their notes app and express themselves through typed words. It can feel less like a chore, like an assiment for english class. Virtual journals can be a great way to start your journaling jouney! It is a simple way of writing and always accesible as long as your phone is on you. It can be done absolutely anywhere!

Photo by William Bayreuther on Unsplash

Video documentimenting

Just don’t enjoy writing words? Or you’d simply just enjoy videography instead? No problem, pull out your phone, press record and start talking! Just like a physical journal and a virtual journal, talk about how you feel, life events and thoughts circling your mind. At first, it can feel silly but it can turn out to be extremely useful to your own mind and life. Some youtubers start out this way, short videos, documenting their lives and they turn out sucessful business owners, turning something they thought to be so minute into a career! You never know, that could be you!

Which ever way you choose, or you may do a mixture, its all about enjoying the ride and making it a healthy habit! It’s not supposed to be taxing or tiring. Its supposed to exhilarating and rejuvenating! Get started and enjoy the ride! Journaling can be done anywhere. At your desk or in the local coffee shop. The school cafeteria or the train. Wherever you need to write, you write away! Once jornaling becomes a habit, you wont look back!

Best of luck on your journal journey! Feel free to ask any questions in the chat section. Let me know how your journaling goes and we can chat! :)

Melodic bee x