Mood diary to understand my emotions

Do you think a mood diary is helpful in order for me do understand what triggers my emotions?

Hello Elise1988: I see this is your first post... so... welcome to PsychCentral... from the Skeezyks! I hope you find the time you spend here to be of benefit. Personally I don't keep a diary. I tried it a few times many years ago. But, somehow it just never seemed to work for me. But I certainly think it would be worth a try. I think many people find keeping a diary to be very helpful. I would certainly encourage you to give it a try. Good luck with it!

Welcome!

Mood diaries are very good. I use one myself.

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&sourc...uv-tGAHJsH8qmg

The above link is to a pdf very short list of distortions. I would suggest having this list beside you when you enter moods in your diary. It may help you mentally evaluate and challenge what is at the heart of that mood in the first place.

Thank you for your answer Skeezyks! I actually do think that it is not going to help me, as I don't know how I feel most of the times.. and I also don't like looking over the pages and seeing sad words, I think it will make me feel even worse..

I don't keep a diary but sometimes really need to write! I have a notebook for me to scribble in and quite frankly the more illegible the better. It is just to get things out of my head or off my chest. Never reread it ever and it is so private because no one else could make it out.

ELISE1988 - how has the journalling been going thus far?

One more comment I have is to ensure you also fill your diary with positives. Just writing about the negative tends to cause us to ruminate on the difficulties and runs the risk of actually bringing your mood down further. My bad journalling habits were a factor in my being hospitalized last year. Today I make sure I have happier stuff in my diary: doodles or even artwork and pictures in the pages.