Bullet journaling can be a useful aid to our wellbeing; we can track our habits and moods, our medication and appointments, our self-care and our triggers. Having all of that information in one place, and indeed, having an outlet for it can be incredibly helpful in managing our mental health. Journaling helps keep your brain in tip-top shape.
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Is a bullet journal good for mental health?
Bullet journaling can be a useful aid to our wellbeing; we can track our habits and moods, our medication and appointments, our self-care and our triggers. Having all of that information in one place, and indeed, having an outlet for it can be incredibly helpful in managing our mental health. Journaling helps keep your brain in tip-top shape. Not only does it boost memory and comprehension, it also increases working memory capacity, which may reflect improved cognitive processing. Boosts Mood. Many mental health experts recommend journaling because it can improve your mood and manage symptoms of depression. Studies support this and suggest journaling is good for your mental health. It may also make therapy work better. To get started with a bullet journal, you really need only two things: a dot grid notebook and a no-bleed pen. Look for a journal with a lay-flat spine, high-quality paper, a dot grid that’s light and easy on the eyes, and numbered pages. The name bullet journal comes from the use of abbreviated bullet points to log information, but it also partially comes from the use of dot journals, which are gridded using dots rather than lines. A therapist might use journal writing as a mode of communication between the person in therapy and therapist, taking advantage of the extra layer of safety writing provides.
Why journaling is good for mental health?
Journaling can support coping and reduce the impact of stressful events – potentially avoiding burnout and chronic anxiety. Studies link writing privately about stressful events and capturing thoughts and emotions on paper with decreased mental distress. Journaling is incredibly beneficial, both mentally and physically. It enables you to process the events you experience, which leads to a healthy and holistic view of yourself. It empowers you to work through trauma, bringing healing to past wounds and insight into the way forward. Journaling can heal you faster, both emotionally and physically. In a 2005 study on the emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing, researchers found that just 15 to 20 minutes of writing three to five times over the course of the four-month study was enough to make a positive impact. Sometimes keeping a journal of your thoughts, feelings, and experiences helps, but often it makes things worse. In general, it is likely to hurt if it tries to help you “know yourself” in isolation and helps if it leads to greater understanding and behavior change in your interactions with others. Just like talking, writing things down, getting them out of your head and down on paper, can be both freeing and healing. Venting in this way helps you make sense of things. Thoughts lose their power when we release them, so the intensity of difficult emotions is often reduced. Examples of CBT homework include: Journaling: This includes writing about negative emotions to better process them and identify any thought patterns.