Evidence for Journaling

Journaling is a simple activity that has an outsized return when practised regularly. It’s been shown to have significant mental and physical health benefits and to improve a person’s overall quality of life.

In this post, we’re going to examine the science-backed benefits of journaling.

How does it work? Research suggests that confronting old emotions may reduce your physiological stress, but it’s probably not the only explanation. It’s also likely that the development of a coherent narrative helps you reorganise and structure old memories, making them less traumatic. Finally, even though the research is still unclear, writing on a regular basis may allow for repeated exposure to your old memories, which will help you get rid of your negative emotional responses.

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Journal Writing Can Help Boost Immune Function 
17 Proven Health Benefits of Journalling

Article ONE:

Emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing

Karen A. Baikie and  Kay Wilhelm

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/advances-in-psychiatric-treatment/article/emotional-and-physical-health-benefits-of-expressive-

This may come as a surprise, but journaling has also been proven to improve overall immune function and decrease your risk of illness. As researchers Karen A. Baikie and Kay Wilhelm report, those who journaled for 20 minutes per day on 3-5 occasions saw the following benefits 17 proven health benefits of journaling:

•  Fewer stress-related visits to the doctor
•  Improved immune system functioning
•  Reduced blood pressure
•  Improved lung function
•  Improved liver function
•  Fewer days in hospital
•  Improved mood/affect
•  Feeling of greater psychological well-being
•  Reduced depressive symptoms before examinations
•  Fewer post-traumatic intrusion and avoidance symptoms
•  Social and behavioural outcomes
•  Reduced absenteeism from work
•  Quicker re-employment after job loss
•  Improved working memory
•  Improved sporting performance
•  Higher students’ grade point average
•  Altered social and linguistic behaviour

How does it work?
Research suggests that confronting old emotions may reduce your physiological stress, but it’s probably not the only explanation. It’s also likely that the development of a coherent narrative helps you reorganise and structure old memories, making them less traumatic. Finally, even though the research is still unclear, writing on a regular basis may allow for repeated exposure to your old memories, which will help you get rid of your negative emotional responses.

Journaling allows a person to develop what’s called a “coherent narrative” of their life. In other words, it enables a person to take the events they experience and integrate them into their overall perspective on life.

This, in turn, enables a person to think more positively about their life and create a holistic picture of themselves in relation to the rest of the world. It follows that a person with a positive, holistic view of themselves is less prone to things like depression and anxiety, both of which can cause a variety of physical health problems.

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Journaling Can Reduce Depression and Anxiety Symptoms

Article TWO:

Randomized trial of a brief depression prevention program: an elusive search for a psychosocial placebo control condition

Eric Stice ¹, Emily Burton, Sarah Kate Bearman, Paul Rohde

 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17007812/

A randomised control trial (RCT), which is one of the highest quality forms of evidence, was conducted by Eric Stice and colleagues at the Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, USA. The study showed that writing in a journal can be as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy when it comes to reducing the risk of depression in young adults.

Studies have also shown that journaling can reduce the frequency of intrusive, depressive thoughts, help college students who are vulnerable to depression, and reduce overall levels of depression in those diagnosed with a Major Depressive Disorder.

There are also benefits of journaling for anxiety symptoms. One study by Hasanzadeh, Khoshknab, & Norozi found that the simple act of journaling reduced anxiety in women who were suffering from multiple sclerosis. Another study found that journaling could help students effectively manage stress and anxiety, as well as improve overall classroom engagement.

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Journaling helps Cultivate Gratitude:

Article THREE:

Watkins PC, Woodward K, Stone T, Kolts RL. GRATITUDE AND HAPPINESS: DEVELOPMENT OF A MEASURE OF GRATITUDE, AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING. Social Behavior and Personality: an international journal. 2003 Jan 1;31(5):431–51.

In addition to helping overcome depression and anxiety, as well as improving overall physical health, journaling has also been shown to promote gratitude. Why, you ask, is gratitude so important?

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/gratitude/definition#why-practice-gratitude

Numerous studies have shown that gratitude has specific health benefits. Gratitude is directly tied to things like increased exercise and improved quality of sleep, both of which promote long-term well-being. It has been shown to significantly increase optimism, which indirectly affects both your happiness and your health.

Gratitude is tied to reduced levels of depression, making progress toward goals, and making a person more sociable and friendly.

Watch Robert A. Emmons, Ph.D., a leading researcher on gratitude:

When it comes to living a healthy, happy life, gratitude can make all the difference. Journaling allows you to reflect on all the good things in your life, which, in turn, enables you to be grateful. When you don’t journal, it’s easy to forget about all the good things happening in your life and slide into depression or anxiety.