Anyone "do" journalling? (ie, writing down thoughts/feelings to make sense of them)

Mics_chick

I'm been seeing the counsellor from my GP surgery for a few weeks now and still have a few sessions left.

She suggested doing this a few weeks ago but I wasn't sure about it then but giving it some serious consideration now.

Do you do it now or done it for a period of time in the past when you needed to?
How long have you been doing (or did you do) it for?

Citygirl1

Hi I have journalled for years now. I don't write as often as I used to do but it really does help. Some people prefer to journal on the computer but I find it more therapeutic to actually write. I can do other things on the computer but not my journal, I've tried but its not the same. What are you thinking of using as a journal, what has your counsellor recommended?

Bella_b

I used to do it, it's far more common in the USA I think but I still like to journal sometimes. When I was younger I used to write all the time in a journal, and named my journal Josefina! hehe.. it's good to give your journal a name It does help to write down your feelings. If i'm angry sometimes it helps to express my feelings.. a bit like writing a letter to someone i'm never going to send!

Citygirl1

Hi, this is interesting, do you worry about privacy at all by any chance? And do you journal on the computer or handwrite.

Amanita_2

My journal ( yes I do it too) lives permanently in whichever handbag I am using and is always with me. Woe betide any one of my family that dare look in it.

I bought myself some lovely leather bound handmade paper journals from a craft stall a few years ago. I find it much easier to use such a lovely book than a ordinary notebook from a stationer.

jenniewb

I do! But the difference for me is I write for 2 reasons.

1. Because it helps me get things out of my head and away from me. Doesn't always stop them haunting (or hunting!) me but can help. I think I sort of allow myself to let-go of things if I know I've written them down to take on at a later date.

2. I see a psychotherapist and often can't bring to mind what I was feeling was really important within the session...leading to me feeling annoyed at myself or alone with the feeling which I have found difficult and unhelpful. I know therapy is all about how your feeling at the time, but this is the real world and for me I worry about limited time and the iscolating feelings I get when I haven't spoken about something because I've managed to block it out, only for it to later return and replay on me when I am later alone.

I used to keep a diary when I was younger, sort of like writing to a second person and etc. But with my note books today I tend to write them down to myself to remember for later so they tend to go into more detail, omit less and probably sound a bit insane! They do help me though and I'd recommend anyone try the same whenever things feel overwhelming or you feel lost.

Hermia

I do it and find it really useful. I write a normal journal and also keep an art journal. I am not at all artistic, but I stick in pictures from mags etc that inspire me or represent something I want to achieve. Then I write my thoughts or goals on them. I find it a good way to keep track of things. Re: the 'normal' journal. I do find it useful to get my thoughts/feelings down on paper. Remember you don't have to keep your journal if you are worried about someone reading it. You can write things down and then chuck it away at a later date. If you find it hard to start writing it can help to schedule a writing time each day when you have to write something even if it's nonsense.

There are tons of websites and resources out there.

Citygirl1

I like to keep my journals to look back on them. I did once throw some away and regretted it. I live on my own but still worry about privacy. I know the computer is ok for that as you can password documents but its not the same. Any more views on this?

Mics_chick

Citygirl1 wrote: »

I like to keep my journals to look back on them. I did once throw some away and regretted it. I live on my own but still worry about privacy. I know the computer is ok for that as you can password documents but its not the same. Any more views on this?

Passwording documents works but if you have to take your computer into be mended/serviced/etc then they will very probably have the expertise to get round this...

jenniewb

Citygirl1 wrote: »

I like to keep my journals to look back on them. I did once throw some away and regretted it. I live on my own but still worry about privacy. I know the computer is ok for that as you can password documents but its not the same. Any more views on this?

I used to worry too. I used to only keep my diaries at home and still worry that someone would raid my room (I was in a hostle/sheltered housing at the time and they did weekly room checks so this wasn't that OTT!) I've since moved into my own place. I now write as I did before, perhaps more so now then before and also take my diary/note book around with me.

I have had a food diary stolen from me. Felt so ironic as I'd left it in a locker at a well known yoga school/building in London. Someone had stolen my bag and the contents! I know it doesn't sound so important, it being a 'food diary' but it was kept as I have an eating disorder and was trying to recover, getting help from a dietition, she'd read back on my eating for the past x week/s and offer suggestions. Someone stealing my bag which had the book in felt much more then a personal attack, it was actually something money could not buy which was stolen.

Seems strange then that I would continue to keep a note book with personal feelings in and carry it around with me!

I tend to think I've 'grown up' and think differently now: First of all, why on Earth would anyone be bothered with what I think? People are (normally) too bothered about themselves to really care, even when they do hear news about someone else, the only purpose it seems to serve is so that the person viewing the information uses it to compare themselves with. Saying much more about them then it would about me, infact I doubt they'd even care about who they were reading! I also don't really feel I have anything to hide, just the same as someone finding and reading things about me, if they base a personal opinion and judgement on me based on what they read and it turns out they hate/cannot stand me, I doubt I'd think much of them or even want to know them either; everyone is an individual, you can't get along with everyone.

I guess it also helps that I feel I am writing for a purpose, to help myself live with things, get my head around things, working on things with a therapist. Those things I write are like a mental note, not so much something I treasure to read back on in years gone by (although haveing said that, I never throw anything away for some reason! I guess that says more about me valuing what I write and feeling that it may one day help me or someone else in some other way?)

I'd say write, don't worry about editing as it then becomes that your writing for someone else and not for yourself. Don't worry about what your writing being read, judged or held against you, if you chose not to show what you write to anyone this is your choice and totally OK. Just because you use ot to reflect on situations with others or to later dip back into to remind yourself of issues yet to deal with does not then mean you have to show anyone what you write.

I guess its different for everyone, what works for one person does not work for someone else. All I know is that I used to keep a diary when I was younger, I found it helped just by taking the edge off things, just by making things feel a little less suffocating. I stopped here and there over the years and although not something I noticed at first, in a few weeks it really did show and I really did notice the difference. Writing things down helps me a great deal, its no match for a therapy session with a professional but its definetly something I value very much. As a result I'd recommend it to anyone. Not something that comes easily at first, when starting to write or even picking up a note book after not having written for a while I do need to remind myself to write, it can also get to a point where I feel I want to just not write and block things out: not something I want to do as for me this builds things up and makes things worse long term so there are times I need to remind myself to write, even if its a few lines, even if I don't feel like it.

Its up to you if you write things down or not, its your choice and its about finding something that works for you: but this is also the thing to remember. (That its done for you, not someone else). Just the same as you wouldn't want to write because someone else says so, you shouldn't not write because your worried about what others may nor may not think. (Especially if you have no intention of showing them what your writing anyway!)

jenniewb

Mics_chick wrote: »

Passwording documents works but if you have to take your computer into be mended/serviced/etc then they will very probably have the expertise to get round this...

Whilst I'd agree with this in part, the reality is, with so many 'live journal' type sites and facebook 'me-me-me' sites where people report soley on themselves, unless your a famous celebrity (in which case you'd likely have plenty of legal support behind you!) I really doubt anyone would care! If someone wanted any part of your personal details its far more likely to be financial ones.

Personal details really don't have the same grip on the world as they used to, not unless you've done something so terrible the entire world would want you hung drawn and slaughtered i.e unspeakable crimes, very rare, (and even then you'd probably be able to make money from it on the way down!!)