[sprik]

what really is journaling? just write down what is going through your head at the moment, i tried that, but then, i go back and tried to analize what I say, say positive things back to it, worry about what other people might say if they see this, time im done, im more stressed than when i started. And it seems more like a grip session then anything else, What am I doing wrong?

[~Christina]

Don't go back and reread what you have written, Don't try to analyze any of it.. Just write to help get the thoughts out of your head.

their are times where i wish i never gave up my journal!. it was actually kind of cool

but i gave up because i was running out of things to say- and it got boring just writing the same thing

[faerie_moon_x]

I try to keep notes on my mood journal about where I'm at mentally on a particular day. It's not easy. I also get that paranoia that someone will read it and judge me.

i think that's probably another reason why i stopped, dark heart

1 thing i found amusing.. was my moods really affected my journal entries- so in 1 entry, i could write the entire oppositte twice.

i had lots of fun in christmas 2011 writing my entry for christmas day... oh..... not a dam advent calendar again and dam presents!

later on it's...

oh i like calendars and presents, i wish it lasts longer

[volatile]

The main thing is to not judge yourself. Journals and diaries are personal little extensions of your mind to hide away anything you want. It's your personal mini therapist and message board. Keeping journals is a beautiful and creative thing. It's not a writing assignment so what you write doesn't have to be serious or even make sense. it doesn't even have to be organized.
I think maybe you need to spice it up a little by adding more writing to it, get more comfortable with writing down your thoughts about everyday things, hobbies and events.
Try to get creative with it as well. What I do is add cool quotes on the tops of the page. I even doodle to visually represent something I saw or dreamed about.

Idk I'm a complete journal junkie so I'm not trying to sound so crazy I just love journaling

Edit- also if you are afraid of someone reading it, what about writing it in a different language or writing it backwards? Do you have any good hiding places? It's a legitimate worry but it's not something you are helpless to prevent.

[middlepath]

Sprik, I am glad you posted this question! I have been wondering, too! Sorry I can't help but I just thought you should know that you are helping others by posting this : ).

Volatile...lllllove the quotes and doodle ideas. I am so starting a journal!

[Nessa213]

I've kept a journal on and off since about middle school. One of my quirks is that if you read the journal from the front going back it a bunch of random doodles, sporadic entries, movie quotes and a WHOLE bunch of general randomness.

But from the back going to the front it's where I usually keep my entries that are... darker. It's kind of how I've always separated it out. I started doing this in my journal that I kept my junior year of high school (when I can trace my symptoms back to really starting). Ironically this was really before I had even HEARD of bipolar, much less knew that I was being affected by it.

I still journal this way actually. It's a way of kind of compartmentalizing my life. And keeping things organized.

Even still, I find it hard to do every day, as I also often just run out of things to say.

[sprik]

thanks, i like those ideas to, being silly and creative and letting it flow sounds good,