Photo Credits: https://www.tumblr.com/tagged/journaling By: Caroline Chittum How many times during the day does your stress level reach “freak out” mode? Do ever feel overwhelmed to point where your brain feels foggy? Do ever feel weighed down by negative thoughts? The answer to these problems may be journaling. Expressing our emotions is the key to many people’s anxiety and stresses in life. When we keep our feelings inside, we are setting ourselves up for disaster: an explosion caused by avoiding powerful emotions can erupt in a blink of an eye. It is natural to want to avoid uncomfortable and traumatic emotions, but we must train ourselves to get in the habit of expressing them. When we experience a traumatic events in our lives, our brains are overwhelmed with the demanding task of processing the incident. Because our minds are already preoccupied with comprehending this event, any extra stress we experience may send us over the edge. This means our health is in jeopardy. For example, sleeping patterns will be disrupted and resulting in chronic tiredness and a lack of motivation. Everyone is different, and therefore everyone needs a form of healthy stress relief that works with their lifestyle. Journaling may be something to try. Journaling has been called the cornerstone of the wellness movement. Doctors and therapists have noted the countless health benefits that correspond with regularly practicing journaling. Their patient's well-being showed signs of turning around for the better by just writing. How is this simple exercise so influential? Studies have provided evidence that supports the idea that journaling can be a remedy for modern day ailments. It has the power to heal both mental and physical illness by simply giving our brain room to breath. Improved memory, increased mindfulness, and better the person’s communication skills are a few of journaling side effects. Journaling has also been linked to a higher IQ, a better immune system, and boosted confidence. A study that was conducted in New Zealand tested and supported the theory that writing about our emotions can actually help physical wounds heal faster. A social psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin named Dr. James W. Pennebaker has done extensive work on studying the effects of “writing therapy”. Dr. Pennebaker said, “It’s a whole cascade of things that occur”, regarding this form of therapy. When we use this form of mental organization our working memory is exercised and therefore will improve; this causes our brains to be less overwhelmed with processing certain traumatic events and thus our sleep patterns will also improve. Dr. Pennebaker’s landmark study on journaling (1988) was documented in his book, “Opening Up: The Healing Power of Expressing Emotion”. The controlled clinical study consisted of students that were selected at random and asked to write for fours days in a row about traumatic experiences, negative emotions, or anything on their minds that they felt they needed to express. After six weeks of practicing journaling, the students reported to be in a much better mood and had less illnesses overall than before the study. Dr. Pennebaker’s book dives into the science behind why and how our bodies respond to this release of emotion. His research exposed the truths about the mind-body connection and that buried trauma is detrimental to our immune system. Julia Cameron, author of “The Artist’s Way”, is another expert and believer in journaling as a way of mental and physical healing. Her ideas are more spiritual and geared to the creative aspect of journaling, but it is all based on the same founding scientific ideas that Dr. Pennebaker discovered in his study. She encourages people who are starting journaling for the first time to think of it as a “brain drain”. Journaling does not have to have a set topic and there is absolutely no rules. It doesn’t even have to resemble writing; it could simple be a few words on a page. The bottom line is that journaling can transform your health. Cameron suggests that one should start journaling first thing in the morning.There is a 45 minute window in the morning before our ego’s defenses kick in, so finding that sweet spot is the perfect time to start getting out emotions on paper. Also, don’t feel pressured to write with a pencil and paper. Dr. Pennebaker says that any format for writing, whether it be on a laptop or on a phone, will produce the same results. The goal is not ruminate. The soul purpose of journaling is to express our feelings and to relieve our minds of traumatic experiences that bring about stress. So, the next time that you feel overwhelmed by a painful emotion, instead of staying silent, try to just writing it. Citation: Phelan, H. (2018, October 25). What's All This About Journaling? Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/25/style/journaling-benefits.html?rref=collection/timestopic/Psychology and Psychologists&action=click&contentCollection=health®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=8&pgtype=collection Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/25/style/journaling-benefits.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2FPsychology%20and%20Psychologists&action=click&contentCollection=health®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=8&pgtype=collection
3 Comments
Mandy
12/16/2018 02:32:43 pm
I really liked your article because it pertains to so many people, since anxiety and stress is everywhere. In your article, I read that the best tme to journal is within the first 45 minutes of waking up in the morning. I tend to journal at ngiht right before I go to bed because it gives me a chance to get all my emotions about the day down on paper. I also like journaling at night because it write down things that I randomly remember I need to do the next day. Maybe I'll try journaling in the boring too and see how it changes my emotions and stress levels that day. I also completely agree with your article about how journaling is beneficial to relieve anxieties and stressors because that's exactly what I use my journaling for. Thank you for sharing!
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Jane Fulton
12/16/2018 06:36:36 pm
This is such an interesting article! I knew that writing things down always helps me map out how I'm feeling, but I had no idea the proven benefits. The fact that journaling can help your memory, IQ, and even your physical health is incredible. I like to write lists of tasks I have to do or things I have to remember because it helps me to see it all written down so it's not stuck in my head. I also like to write about things that are stressing me out (like the Box O' Stress) because I feel like once they are on paper I don't have to worry about them anymore. I knew that journaling makes me feel more calm and in control, but I had no idea of all the other remarkable side effects.
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Maddie
12/18/2018 04:32:45 pm
This article is amazing, and I love how much I can relate my life to this. Immediately I am inspired to start journaling by writing my emotions down early in the morning. I never knew that the best time to journal was between the 45 minutes of waking up in the morning. Writing the daily check-ins in the beginning of class really help me reflect on my day and feelings; however, I hope to do more journaling in the morning because of the health benefits stated: IQ and immune system boost. With my busy school days and sports, I think that writing down my feelings will help lower my stress. Thank you for informing all of us about the benefits of journaling, and hopefully it will help keep us all calm and relaxed.
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Ms. Carrigan's Psych ClassWe have been reading articles about psychological studies to inform the way we live our lives. Please explore, and we hope you learn a bit about the psychology in your life! Categories
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