5 Ways Journaling Can Help You Overcome Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting 40 million adults in the US each year. If you are one of the millions who suffer from anxiety, you know how crippling it can be. Holidays bring stress, whether worrying about finding the ‘perfect’ gift or dealing with family members you may not get along with. Journaling can be a powerful tool in helping to manage your anxiety and make the holidays more manageable. Here are five ways that journaling can help you cope with stress:

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1. Writing your thoughts can help you identify and process them. Writing your thoughts can be therapeutic, as it allows you to organize and name them. Once you’ve identified the source of your anxiety, you can take active steps to reduce or manage it.

2. Journaling allows for reflection. Journaling will enable you to reflect on your progress and how far you’ve come. It can also remind you of everything you have accomplished, which can help give you a sense of accomplishment and boost your self-esteem.

3. Writing worries can help reduce their power: When something is bothering you, it can help to put your fears and anxieties into words. Writing what you worry about can allow you to take power away from the thoughts that cause stress and distress.

4. Expressing yourself fully helps increase insight: When we use a journal to express ourselves, it allows us to dig deeper into our thoughts and feelings. Journaling can help us gain insight into the sources of our anxiety, which can lead to better self-understanding and more effective coping strategies.

5. Journaling helps build resilience: Writing your worries and anxieties can be a form of cognitive reappraisal, allowing you to view your anxious thoughts differently. Looking at your thoughts on paper can help you build resilience to anxiety in the long run, as you become better equipped to face difficult situations without being overwhelmed.

Journaling is a simple and effective tool for managing anxiety. If you suffer from anxiety, I hope this blog post has been helpful and inspired you to start or continue incorporating journaling into your daily routine. Good luck!

The content of this blog post is for information only and should not be taken as medical advice. If you are suffering from anxiety, please consult a licensed mental health professional who can provide diagnosis and treatment options suitable to your individual needs.