If you deal with anxiety on a regular basis, you may find it useful to consider keeping an anxiety journal.
An anxiety journal is a great way to track your anxiety, identify your triggers, and develop coping mechanisms which can help you feel calmer and more in control of the anxiety you experience.
At Beam, we not only recommend using an anxiety journal to our clients but we have also created one which we know will help users to:
Understand their anxiety: When you write about your anxiety, you can start to see patterns in your thoughts and behaviours. This can help you to understand what triggers your anxiety and how you typically react to it.
Develop coping mechanisms: Journaling can help you to develop healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with anxiety. For example, you might write about things that make you feel calm or how you can manage your physical symptoms of anxiety.
Reduce stress: Journaling can be a great way to reduce stress and improve your mental health. When you write about your thoughts and feelings, you can start to process them in a healthy way. This can help you to feel better and cope with difficult situations.
How to Get Started with an Anxiety Journal
If you're new to journaling, here are a few tips to get you started:
Choose a journal that you like. Of course, we recommend our Interrupting Anxiety Journal but there are many different types of journals available, so take some time to find one that feels comfortable to you. You might want to choose a journal with a specific theme or purpose, or you might just want a plain notebook.
Find a time and place to journal. Some people prefer to journal first thing in the morning, while others prefer to journal before bed. Find a time that works for you and make sure you have a quiet place where you won't be interrupted.
Don't worry about grammar or spelling. Journaling is for you, so there's no need to worry about making your entries perfect. Just write whatever comes to mind and don't berate yourself for scribbles or mistakes. In fact, in our journal we encourage "anxiety scribbles".
Be honest with yourself. Journaling is a great way to be honest with yourself about your thoughts and feelings. Don't be afraid to write about the things that are making you anxious.
Don't feel obligated to journal every day. If you don't feel like journaling one day, that's okay. Just pick it up again when you're ready.
What to Write in Your Anxiety Journal
There is no right or wrong way to journal for anxiety. You can write about anything that's on your mind, including:
Your thoughts and feelings about anxiety
Your triggers
Your coping mechanisms
Your goals for managing anxiety
Anything else that's important to you
You can also use your journal to track your progress over time which can be helpful in seeing how your anxiety is improving.
Tips for Using Your Anxiety Journal
Here are a few tips for getting the most out of your anxiety journal:
Be consistent. The more you journal, the more benefits you'll experience. Try to journal at least a few times a week.
Set goals. What do you want to achieve by journaling? Do you want to understand your anxiety better? Develop coping mechanisms? Reduce stress? Having specific goals will help you stay motivated.
Be creative. There are no rules when it comes to journaling. You can use different writing styles, colours, and images. Get creative and have fun with it!
Share your journal with others. If you feel comfortable, you can share your journal with a therapist, counsellor, or trusted friend. This can be helpful in getting feedback and support.
Journaling is a great way to manage anxiety and improve your mental health. It's a safe and private place to express your thoughts and feelings. If you're struggling with anxiety, I encourage you to give journaling a try. It may just be the tool you need to get your anxiety under control.
The "Interrupting Anxiety Journal" can also be accompanied by my book "Interrupting Anxiety: Practical Tools to Help Interrupt Anxious Thoughts", which will provide you with lots of tools and techniques to support yourself and others dealing with anxiety.
If you would like one to one support, you can always reach out to us at Beam and we will be happy to help you.