Sometimes, the words we try to speak fail us. We don’t know how to communicate our feelings effectively, leading us to hide our thoughts, even if the person we’re talking to wants to help us. When you are battling depression, it can feel even more challenging to communicate your thoughts aloud. Fortunately, there is a solution. Research shows that journaling can help alleviate depression symptoms and allow you to put your thoughts into words. To learn whether this coping mechanism can assist you, please contact Bayview Recovery today by calling our treatment center at 855.478.3650 or using our convenient online form.

Why Should You Use a Journal?

Journaling can be a great outlet for your emotions. It can be hard to express what you mean in words when you speak to someone. By writing in a journal, you can organize your thoughts and be aware of what triggers your depression to get better.

Journaling can put you on the path of self-discovery. You can either journal in private or you can share with your therapist so that he or she knows what is important to you and help you move forward. You can get to know yourself better through your writing by bringing your thoughts and feelings to the surface. In addition, you may realize that you are worried about something that you did not know upset you. For example, you could discover that when someone criticized you for something you did at work, it really hurt your feelings. This realization can help you notice that you are sensitive when someone points out your flaws. Journaling can be great for your depression treatment as you are doing something to make you feel better and that you need more help.

How to Journal

While it is important to let out what is upsetting you, you should not only be writing about that as it can make your depression worse. Life comes with both the good and the bad so both emotions should be represented in your journal. Write about what has made you happy today and the people who have made you smile. Make sure to log how you feel every day so that you can keep track of your progress to detect triggers. See if your depressive symptoms worsen during a certain time, under stress, or a certain relationship you have with someone like a family member or a romantic relationship. Do not worry so much about editing your work as you and your therapist will be the only ones reading it. Pay more attention to the way you feel than your spelling, grammar, and bad language.

You can be creative with your journal as well like writing a letter to yourself or someone you love that is no longer here. Spend everyday journaling for twenty minutes at a time when it is peaceful like before going to bed. Keep your journal in a safe place like near your bed, your car, your bag, or online. Letting out your feelings and looking back on them will help you on the road to recovery.

Contact Bayview Recovery

Located in Tacoma, Washington, Bayview Center’s mission is to offer clinically-driven programs and services to treat a number of substance abuse disorders along with anxiety and depression using a range of treatment options. For instance, we offer:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Dialectical behavior therapy
• Trauma therapy
• Yoga therapy
• Family therapy

Bayview Recovery can give you a more successful recovery, whether you’re struggling with depression, substance abuse, or a combination of the two. For more information, please call us at 855.478.3650 as we are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.