Yes on the handwriting! Mine too. Different in various states. I tend to journal when depressed, but also when things are "jumbly" like thoughts are crashing around and I can't get ahold of them. Sometimes writing helps to clarify, or even make what should be obvious obvious(!), whether it's some sort of decision or making clear what state I'm in when I'm too confused to "see" it.

That kind just the other day in fact. Woke up early and was a mess. Some of what was up there I suspected might be a bit paranoid (but thoughts would randomly flash, followed by blanks -- no idea what the thought 3 seconds earlier was -- so couldn't assess.) Started writing. It's full of circular thoughts in jumbly writing, about why I was writing it down, but how I couldn't write it(!) Made it one paragraph in. Disorganized, but you could read it. Mid-sentence it switches. To what?

Nearly 9 full pages written in my code. Paranoid? Apparently so!

It was good to get it out, but also draining. After writing, couldn't stay awake. The big download must've overloaded the circuits, lol!

So yeah, I journal mostly just to get it out.