The feelings and negative thoughts that come with depression are very real and many who suffer from this condition are likely to have feelings of hopelessness and despondency, doing even the smallest task seems almost impossible.
How or when you will get better seems a distant dream and as each day passes it can feel like nothing has improved.
Recovering from depression can be a long journey but keeping a record of your journey can benefit you in many ways. In this blog post we discuss ten reasons why the tool of the ‘journey journal’ might help you realise things are improving.
Reason 1 : Helps you reflect on the past day
When suffering with depression it is easy to feel as though each day blends into another and that life has become meaningless and grey. By writing down what has happened in your day, what you have been thinking and feeling, no matter how bad you feel it has been it can help you reflect on the past.
By analysing closely how you are thinking you can begin to change those thoughts and think differently about them using a technique known as CBT ( cognitive behaviour therapy ), it is worth asking your GP about this and seeing if you can get some help towards this.
Reason 2 : Shows improvements
As days, weeks and months go by and you manage to keep a log of what is happening on your journey you will notice times that you are feeling better and as you start to challenge depression , you will notice you are making improvements even if you still think you are the same you were months before. A ‘journey journal’ will help you be able to see your whole story and those moments of light in your period of darkness.
Reason 3 : Your thoughts on paper can help you organise yourself and set goals
For some, knowing why you are depressed can be difficult. A lot of people don’t know why they feel the way they do but by keeping a journal of how you feel and your thoughts each day can help you make sense of your world. As you see things appear that are upsetting you or keeping you low you can start to realise setting a goal to get rid of the feeling is possible.
Reason 4 : Can help diagnose the reason for your depression
When a doctor or therapist asks you what’s wrong or what has happened days or weeks before it can be difficult to recall
Reason 5 : remind yourself how far you have come when you look back
Keeping a diary of what is happening each day, what you are thinking and your thought process is actually really good. Why? Well as you begin to challenge yourself and try to heal looking back further down the line when you are eventually in a better place you will see how much you have achieved and how amazing it is that you have overcome such a difficult experience. Buy yourself a very beautiful writing book and begin writing today. It doesn’t have to be a large paragraph but when you feel the urge to write a lot, do it!
If you would like to buy a new journal to record your own thoughts we sell notebooks in our shop and we guarantee all proceeds from sales go towards the advertising of BoM to help reach out to more people in order for people to get the help they need. You can visit the shop here
[…] You can read about the journey journal idea here. […]