Journaling

[flakeybark]

Do you find journaling an effective way to assist in dealing or coping with problems?

Don't get me wrong, I can rant like the best of them, but sometimes I just find it useless. In the moment that is. In retrospect, I guess it can sort of be helpful. To look back on old entries and think 'God I was such a ****ing drama queen'. and it wasn't so bad, and that sort of thing. Its tedious picking apart thoughts though, and trying to find an ounce of insight in all of the mess. I feel silly though, every time I sit down to write. There's really no end to what you could put down on paper.

 

[dottie]

it is a nice way to vent for a lonely person like myself. sometimes it helps to just get it out and say what's on your mind when no one else wants to hear it. then you can move on for the time being. i almost never go back to read past entries. would make me cringe too much. maybe it would be more productive if i did look back on past entries but usually what i talk about is exactly what i don't want to relive so there is no desire.

 

[Celephaïs]

Sometimes. Sometimes also I read things I've written years back and think of what a complete spaz I sounded like. I'd like to somehow view the writing as a positive, but I only write when things are shit. So the narrative looks like the rambling of a madman on a road that only goes down.

 

[kayelle]

No. Sometimes if I'm really down or having a really bad or anxious few days, writing it down is useful. But if I try to do it regularly, just to write down my thoughts and progress for the day...i've no patience for it. I find it pointless.
It's only if I'm in a really bad place that I use it. But I do find it good then, so I can see how people who had more patience or more of a literary mind than me would find it beneficial.

 

[Riiya]

I don't really do journaling. What I do when I have a complicated problem is take a scratch paper and divide it into two columns: Problem(s) and Solution(s). When I'm done sorting out my thoughts the paper goes straight into the fireplace. Knowing that no one will ever have a chance to read the scratched paper makes me more inclined to be honest.

 

[SickJoke]

Definitely. Expressing thoughts in any coherent way, whether speaking or writing, is important for the sake of sanity, if nothing else. When thoughts are all jumbled up incoherently for long periods, that leads to insanity. We're social animals, we need to express ourselves for the sake of mental health.

 

[SilentType]

I had a bad experience with journaling back when I was like 10 years old, and I've never wanted to do it since then. I kept a journal for about a week, only to have my parents find it. Now there's a big difference between just seeing someone's journal and deciding to go ahead and read it, but they read it. They never admitted to it, but it was pretty obvious that they had after they began bringing things up in daily conversation that I had written in my journal. Not only did they just bring things up casually, they actually teased me about things that I had written in my private journal. They probably don't realize it, but that little incident caused a lot of trust issues between us that I still carry today.

Hide your journals!


Peace

 

[SickJoke]

I had a bad experience with journaling back when I was like 10 years old, and I've never wanted to do it since then. I kept a journal for about a week, only to have my parents find it. Now there's a big difference between just seeing someone's journal and deciding to go ahead and read it, but they read it. They never admitted to it, but it was pretty obvious that they had after they began bringing things up in daily conversation that I had written in my journal. Not only did they just bring things up casually, they actually teased me about things that I had written in my private journal. They probably don't realize it, but that little incident caused a lot of trust issues between us that I still carry today.

Hide your journals!


Peace

Wow I can definitely see how that would screw up your relationship. And especially at 10 years old when you're still very impressionable, that could screw up your view of people in general. I'm not singling out your parents, but I wish there was some type of social education class that was mandatory before having kids.

 

[meatcake]

Most times I tried keeping a journal I would wind up filtering everything through the eyes of people who might read it if I died. So I started writing at the top, 'For my eyes only', but I still felt kind of paranoid about it. So I never did it very much. But I came across a site recently that was talking about journaling as a form of therapy - sounds more interesting than just writing about daily stuff. I haven't tried it yet though.

What to Write About:
* Something that you are thinking or worrying about too much
* Something that you are dreaming about
* Something that you feel is affecting your life in an unhealthy way
* Something that you have been avoiding for days, weeks, or years

In our research, we generally give people the following instructions for writing:

Over the next four days, I want you to write about your deepest emotions and thoughts about the most upsetting experience in your life. Really let go and explore your feelings and thoughts about it. In your writing, you might tie this experience to your childhood, your relationship with your parents, people you have loved or love now, or even your career. How is this experience related to who you would like to become, who you have been in the past, or who you are now?

Many people have not had a single traumatic experience but all of us have had major conflicts or stressors in our lives and you can write about them as well. You can write about the same issue every day or a series of different issues. Whatever you choose to write about, however, it is critical that you really let go and explore your very deepest emotions and thoughts.

from Writing and Health

 

[nephatitus]

i did it for aweek then it went over to painting which happened to be a better outlet

 

[meatcake]

hmm interesting, thanks for sharing that. Yes, I also feel like I can't get out of third person mode when I write. Seems I'm self conscious even when I'm alone.

Yeah. I think the only time I didn't feel self-conscious like that was when I managed to believe in God for a few months and talked to him. Now that was great. My rational mind didn't seem to like me doing that though. Grrr.

 

[meatcake]

i did it for aweek then it went over to painting which happened to be a better outlet

That's great that you can do painting as an outlet. Is it due to the subject matter, or is it just the act of painting itself?

 

[Fighter86]

For myself, a useful way I find is to write out all my anger and frustrations and then tear the paper into small little tiny pieces and throw them away, it feels like your throwing out the bad moods. One thing I never like doing is to read what I have written, it reinforces the bad feelings.

 

[Forgetmenot_ak]

I've always had a deep passion for writing. I have a "livejournal" and though none of the few friends who can access my journal could ever really understand, I find it to be a great way to organize my thoughts and share bits of my life. My friends are amazing for the most part - they're very supportive. And I get to read their journals as well. I also have my handwritten journal, but since I hurt my hand I haven't written much there. But I love writing in it because I'm just writing to myself, no judgement, I can speak (err, write) my mind.