The COVID-19 pandemic has brought upon hardships and stressors that have affected us all in some fashion. One overlooked, but common concern is the negative effects of quarantine on one’s mental health. At the beginning of quarantine, I remember often feeling burnt out after checking social media and reading heartbreaking news day after day. Every week began to look the same with nothing to look forward to; my motivation to complete tasks around the house slowly declined, and my overall energy was noticeably lower than it had ever been before. One day, as I was cleaning out my room, I stumbled across my old journal and rifled through the pages. My interest was piqued, and I decided to try my hand at journaling once more. Over the following weeks, I noticed improvements in my mental state and wellbeing.
Journaling can improve one’s mental health because it encourages introspection, and provides an outlet to express inner sentiments onto paper. This simple action can enable us to gain better control of our feelings and understand more about ourselves in the process.
What are the key mental health benefits of journaling?
- Digging into your true feelings: Life moves quickly, and it can be easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of events we have every day. Journaling is a method to slow down and really examine how we’ve been feeling. If something has been a heavy weight on your shoulders, taking time to sit down and write about it can lead to a deeper and more realistic perspective as well as lifting the burden a bit.
- Controlling your symptoms: By journaling, you are able to recognize certain stressors or recurring behaviors. There are many ways you could run with this information in order to gain more control over your symptoms. For example, you could make a list of steps you want to achieve in order to reach a final goal or track your progress on the frequencies of certain moods or behaviors. Additionally, journaling gives you an opportunity to lift yourself up with positive affirmations.
- Improving your mood and wellbeing: Journaling can also be used to document happy memories! It could be as simple as jotting down a good moment from every day or pasting in mementos (ex. ticket stubs, a sticker from a friend, etc.) and writing a caption for explanation. A journal can also be filled with positive things from your everyday life that you can refer back to when you’re feeling down. Also, making an effort to find a positive in each day will cause your overall perspective on life to become more optimistic.
Dream log and collage about that dream
People are often discouraged by journaling because they assume it is only writing. Although writing is a useful outlet, journaling is not limited to solely this medium. It can be tailored to a variety of interests! Some examples include: scrapbook journaling, bullet journaling, an art journal, short exercises (ex. writing a letter from your fear, making lists, mind maps), and more. Personally, I love mixing things up and just going with what I’m in the mood for/what I think will help me the most. Sometimes, I write every single thought that comes to mind, and other times, I take the craftier route and sketch or create a collage.
Drawing of a frog with lyrics I liked from the song, Yoko Ono by Moby Rich, and a sketch of house I thought was pretty on Zillow
Now, it’s your turn. Get out there, grab a notebook, decorate it to your liking, and journal away! If you’re having trouble finding a place to begin, here are some of my favorite places to find inspiration:
- User @margot.lee on Tiktok
- Searching “moodboard” or “journaling prompts” on Pinterest
- Events occurring in my life, small or big
- Following others that journal on any form of social media
Featured Image: Emma (1996)
Ian says
i loved reading this broooo!!!
bruno oliveira says
good insights! thank you for writing this article