MENTAL HEALTH
KEEPING A JOURNAL/DIARY FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Dr. Abu Sadat Mohammad Nurunnabi
KEEPING A JOURNAL/DIARY FOR YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Dr. Abu Sadat Mohammad Nurunnabi
Oh reminiscence!
Sometimes I get back to my teenage years in cadet college (a military oriented residential school) or in my medical school days, the time I used to keep a diary to write down my thoughts, my dreams, my aspiration or simply daily events! In a conservative society, you might have kept a diary hidden under your mattress or in some secret places. Because it was a place to confess your love, hatred, struggles, fears, hidden dreams or secret desires! It likely felt good to get all of those thoughts and feelings out of your head and down on that piece of paper. The world seemed free, clear and your very own in those leaves of the diary. You may have stopped using a diary once you reached adulthood. Or you may have it to date. Surprisingly, the concept of writing in a diary, or in other words, keeping a journal have many benefits which you may still apply in your life. Now-a-days, it is called journaling. It is simply writing down your thoughts and feelings to understand them more clearly. Psychological research showed that if you struggle with stress, anxiety, or depression, keeping a journal is a great idea – it may help you gain control of your emotions and improve your mental health day by day.
Benefits of journaling/ keeping a diary
- People writing in their journal/diary may benefit themselves to deal with any overwhelming emotion is to find a healthy way to express themselves. This makes a journal a helpful tool in managing one’s mental health. Journaling may help one to: i) manage anxiety, ii) reduce stress, iii) cope with sadness and depression.
Keeping a journal/diary may help control the mental issues, symptoms and improve the mood by: i) helping prioritize one’s problems, fears, and concerns, ii) tracking any mild or triggering symptoms day-to-day so that one can recognize and learn ways to better control those symptoms, iii) providing the opportunity for positive self-talk and identifying insights on own negative thoughts and behaviours.
How to get started with your journal/ diary
1
Try to write every day. Set aside a few minutes every day to write. This will help you to write in your journal regularly. Make it easy. Keep a pen and paper handy at all times. You may also keep a journal in a computer file.
2
Write whatever feels right. Your journal does not need to follow any certain structure. It is your own private place to discuss whatever you want. Let the words flow freely. Do not worry about spelling mistakes or what other people might think.
3
Use your journal as you see fit. You do not have to share your journal with anyone. If you want to share some of your thoughts with trusted friends and loved ones, you could show them parts of your journal.
4
Keeping a journal helps you create order when your world feels like it is chaotic, confused, broken, dreamless! You get to know yourself by revealing your most private fears, thoughts, and feelings. Look at your writing time as personal relaxation time. It is a time when you can de-stress yourself.
5
Write in a place that is relaxing and soothing, maybe with a cup of tea/coffee. It may be a quite library space, or your own dormitory/study room, or even a quiet corner of park or cafeteria of your institution. Look forward to your specific writing time. And try to feel that you are doing something precious for your wellbeing, for your own mind and body.
Dr. Abu Sadat Mohammad Nurunnabi, MBBS, MPhil, MSc
Dalla Lana School of Public Health
University of Toronto
ON, Canada
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