Journaling?

Have any of you done this? What do you write about? Does it help?

Any good examples of maybe some online blogs that are public?

My new PMHNP (Psych Nurse) that I saw today suggested that I try this, to help track my moods and stuff. Just not quite sure where to begin and what to do.

I guess these forums are a bit of a "journaling" thing for me anyway - just need to put all my thoughts in one spot.

yes ive done it

makes my hand tired writing

didnt help me any

i cant concentrate long enugh to put thoughts down on paper

I have done it. I actually found a cool site that will help me track problematic symptoms and journal on line.

It is called mypsychtracker.com

I have a half-hearted journal, if that counts. Basically, it's a little notebook I try and write in if I notice I'm feeling upset/frustrated/whatever, so I can try and work out why and see if there are any patterns. It's similar to what I was asked to do as homework when I was doing CBT. But I don't always do it, hence the "half-hearted" - sometimes I can't get to my journal because there are other people around, and sometimes I can't be bothered...either because I don't think the change in mood is a big deal, or because I don't think writing would make any difference. (Also, like you I sometimes use here as a sort of journal, and don't see the point in duplicating my writing.) There's been the odd time that I knew I should write but couldn't actually think of any words, too...if that happens again I might just scribble, or something, I guess.

If you've not done Cognitive Behavioural Therapy before, this might help: http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mentalhealt...altherapy.aspx

Look at some of our PC blogs for ideas and get your own and try it out: http://psychcentral.net/

I've used http://www.psychtracker.com/ and also http://www.livejournal.com/ (which is a journalling site you can use privately or publicly).

It helps me a lot of the time. I enjoy it!

I have journaled in notebooks before and it really seemed to help, I just wrote about whatever I was thinking or had been thinking earlier in the day.

I journal on my own computer. I really don't see to point of posting it online. Writing stuff out really helped me a lot when I first started therapy. My head felt like it was exploding after the sessions. It served as an outlet.

I enjoy journaling, it seems to help some for me. I tend to just write about whatever is going on in my head. It helps me most when im upset and can go back later to look at it. I use livejournal too but i went and looked at mypsychtracker.com as almeda24fan suggested and signed up for that as well. Seems really neat to me.

I just sit down and write whatever comes into my mind. Anything at all. I think I began by trying to record my sessions because I so often forgot a lot of the session soon after.

It's become something that's part of me. There are times now when I think "I really need to journal". It's amazing how writing releases some of the energy needed to hold on to things, how it helps you to unload one thought about something so you are free to think more about it. I might want to just jot something down, so I get out the journal (aka cheap spiral notebook) and start writing. I let it flow and often I'm amazed how much I have to say and how relieving it is to get it out of my head and written down.

Other times I don't have so much to say and that's okay too.

Just begin and see where these uncharted waters takes you!

<font color="purple">I do it. I like it. </font>

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Razzleberry said:
Have any of you done this? What do you write about? Does it help?

Any good examples of maybe some online blogs that are public?

My new PMHNP (Psych Nurse) that I saw today suggested that I try this, to help track my moods and stuff. Just not quite sure where to begin and what to do.

I guess these forums are a bit of a "journaling" thing for me anyway - just need to put all my thoughts in one spot.

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<font color="blue">I keep a journal for my own benefit. My T didn't suggest it or anything. I have read that it helps to organize and sort through thoughts and feelings. I'm not as frequent as I should be lately. I should write in it more because it did help me. Don't feel compelled to write in it everyday or write every detail. You don't even have to stay in between the lines. You can sketch on the pages if you want to also. Just make sure that you keep it out of sight if you live with any prying eyes. </font>

I kept a journal long before I met T, but he strongly encourages that I keep it up as a way to express the feelings that I normally shove down. I find that the weeks that I don't journal are harder than those where I do. If I'm not writing, I tend to feel like I pot about to boil over.

To get started, you might do mood tracking, or focus on a question that came up in T. I also do a lot of pasting in my journal--if I find a quote that's important to me, or if I have photos. I knw some people do better with prompts and will use workbook questions to get started, too.

Good luck!

The idea makes me anxious. My thoughts are often too confused, and trying to write them down makes me forget my train of thought.

I do use Psych Central in a way to journal. I guess also that I do something related just within my own mind; maybe it is more like mindfulness. Just being mindful of whatever is going on with me, and letting my mind examine it in as much detail as it will let me.

Two major things that I live for:

1. Psychology
2. Writing

If I didn't journal, I'd die. It's that simple.

I can't seem to get started.

I don't want to spend money on an expensive journal, and spiral notebooks just don't cut it.

I think I would prefer a 8-1/2 x 11" format.

I type a lot faster than I write, but I haven't found an electronic format I like either.

Any suggestions?

I don't think you need any special format. I just write entries in MS Word. What I are looking to do with it, index entries so you can query for them later? I don't get the point of putting it online. Will some one explain it to me.

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EJ711 said:
I type a lot faster than I write, but I haven't found an electronic format I like either.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">I just use MS word, no special format. I put the date of each entry in bold and then write the entry below it.

Chaotic, my journal is very private, meant for my eyes only, so I wouldn't want to share mine online either.

idk. I like a notebook-sized spiral tablet. it's cheap and works for me. also my cat loves to play with a wadded up paper ball, so we share--he gets half pages from the back of the notebook

I just write. just whatever. sometimes I really need to write something down that's in my head to relieve the anxiety of it or so that I won't forget it. sometimes I write to remember more about my therapy session; other times to write about my thoughts that come up about what we talk about in session.

it's just amazing how it much can come up once you get going.

I think I am much better at free-association on paper than verbally.

I have journaled for quite a while. I find that writing down my experiences helps me to synthesize the information and process it. I think I would be lost without this outlet for expression. I have had handwritten journals but now I do all on my laptop.

Like others here have said, I use Microsoft Word, no special format, just putting the date and writing as much or as little as I choose. Occasionally, I bring in a journal entry to read to T. Once or twice I have sent him pages from my journal but he likes it better when I read to him face to face!


I have everything in my journal from medication "logs and feelings" to poetry and stories I have written.

Just like therapy, begin where you are!

Sky's the limit.

Peace

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Echoes said:
it's just amazing how it much can come up once you get going.

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I agree with this statement. I never liked writing much but when I started, stuff just started flowing out. My first entry was the evening after I went to my first therapy session. My T did not mention or recommend doing it. In fact it took me about 2 months to even mention that I was doing it to my T. I just came home after that meeting and was beside myself. I think journaling helps me a lot.

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chaotic13 said:
I don't get the point of putting it online. Will some one explain it to me.

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You can make them private which is nice. I guess it depends what kind of paranoia you have about people finding your writing. To me id be horrified to have it on the computer as a doc so anyone where i live might find it. Same with a physical journal. I wouldnt trust those around me not to take a peek. Where if its online all i have to do is sign out and even if i forget to clear the history they would still need to know my user id. If its not private its kind of like posting here i guess. Maybe get someone else's point of view or meet a new friend. The thought of a stranger ill never meet reading it makes me less nervous than someone i see everyday and who i might be talking about reading it. Its probably personal preference.

I have a hard time finding words to describe how I am feeling (notice how many posts I have made) so I use a sketch pad and colored pencils. I title and date each one. It has been very useful in therapy. We sit and page through them and try to describe them with words.

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defective said:
To me id be horrified to have it on the computer as a doc so anyone where i live might find it.

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I am very paranoid about someone else reading it. Some of the stuff would be very hurtful is actually disclosed to others. However, the thought of keep it online and having it hacked into and traced back to me is a lot worse. Can you tell I watch too much CSI LOL.

I keep my jounal on a jump drive buried in with other files. Before I save it, i use the "Select All" command and change the text color to white. If someone accidentally opened it, it would like like a blank page. Now that is HIGH security. LOL