Journaling for Anxiety: How to Calm Your Mind on Paper
Much of my journaling is based around journaling for anxiety. I picked up journaling again when I began therapy for my anxiety. Anxiety can feel like a loop of racing thoughts without an off switch. Journaling is a simple tool that is easily accessible and can help to create distance from anxious thoughts. We’ll go over some practical techniques that can be used today.
Quick Answer
Journaling can help calm anxiety by giving racing thoughts somewhere to go. Worry can turn into manageable words on a page. A few minutes of writing can interrupt anxious thoughts that spiral and create a sense of control.
What’s In This Post
- Why journaling helps calm an anxious mind
- Simple journaling techniques for anxiety
- Prompts to use when anxiety hits
- How to build an anxiety-journaling routine
- When journaling isn’t enough on its own
Why Journaling Helps Calm an Anxious Mind
Anxious thoughts have kept me up at night or have had me worried for longer periods of time. When I began to journal my anxious thoughts, I began to feel an immediat sense of relief. Anxiety can feel like a swirl of looping thoughts. Writing forces those thoughts into words that feel more manageable.
Anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults (19.1% of the population) in the US according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. It is the most common mental illness in the US which makes journaling an invaluable tool.
A randomized controlled trial published in PLOS ONE found that expressive writing significantly reduced test anxiety scores in high-anxiety high school students. You can read the full study on PubMed Central.
One of the most common beginner journaling mistakes is to write a perfectly polished entry. A journal entry is personal. Spelling, grammar, or even how you write doesn’t matter. What matters is getting your thoughts out of your head.
Simple Journaling Techniques for Anxiety
Brain Dump Journaling
This can be really helpful for relieving anxious thoughts. It works by setting a timer for 5-10 minutes and writing down every worry or thought. No need to organize or filter your writing. This technique works well for free-writing when you don’t know what to write in a journal.
Worry Journaling
Anxiety can cause a lot of worrying. Worry journaling is a technique that involves writing down a specific worry and then writing out what is within your control and what isn’t. What this technique does is separate productive problem-solving from unproductive spiraling.
Gratitude Journaling for Anxiety
I find gratitude journaling to be helpful in re-shifting my focus. Writing a few lines of gratitude can help balance an entry instead of leaving it all focused on worry. It is also a gentle way of ending an anxious journaling session.
Journaling Prompts for Anxious Moments
- What is the worst-case scenario I’m imagining right now, and how likely is it really?
- What is within my control in this situation, and what isn’t?
- What would I tell a friend who was feeling this way?
- What does my body feel like right now, and where do I feel this anxiety physically?
- What’s one small thing I can do in the next hour to feel a little better?
Building an Anxiety-Journaling Routine
Creating a routine for anxiety-journaling can begin with writing at the most consistent moments when anxiety tends to spike. This could be before bed or first thing in the morning. Another helpful tool for building a journaling habit is habit stacking. Habit stacking is paring a new habit with an already established one. For example, journaling right after brushing your teeth in the evening. Writing short, frequent entries is more sustainable than long entries when writing for anxiety.
When Journaling Isn’t Enough on Its Own
Anxiety journaling is a helpful coping tool. However, it is not a replacement for professional treatment. Anxiety disorders are real, diagnosable medical conditions. Treatment options are available through licensed mental health professionals. (See the ADAA’s Understanding Anxiety page). If your anxiety feels persistent or overwhelming, reach out to a therapist or doctor to go along with your journaling.
FAQ
Results can vary by person. Many people find relief from consistent journaling. A PMC-published study shows reduced anxiety symptoms after expressive writing.
Check out the prompts listed in this post (brain-dump, worrying, and gratitude journaling). There is no wrong way to journal for anxiety.
Short 5-10 minute journaling sessions can be effective. Consistency matters more than writing length.
Journaling can serve as a helpful supplement, but it is not a replacement for professional mental health treatment. Speak with a licensed professional for persistent anxiety.
This is common and can happen occasionally. It can help to switch to gratitude journaling or setting the journal aside and writing later.
Final Thoughts
Journaling won’t eliminate anxiety, but it can offer some relief for your anxious thoughts. I use my journal a bulk of the time for my anxious thoughts. When I began having therapy for my anxiety, I picked up journaling again to use as a supplemental tool. It has been a tremendous help for me and often times, I am able to work out a problem that had been causing me anxiety.
The great thing about journaling is that it is an easy and accessible tool. I keep my notebook near me in the evenings and on the weekends so when I feel the need to get my thoughts out, my journal is easy to access.
Try one of the journal prompts listed above today and test out anxiety journaling for yourself.