Journaling for Mental Health, an Evidenced Based Approach.

As a lifelong writer, I have always been a fan of journaling. As a way to take time for self-reflection, to organize your thoughts, and overall as an excellent tool to see the jumbled up ideas in your head come out in a way that makes them more approachable and more accessible for future development. It can provide you with a valuable sense of continuity for achieving goals and to tangibly track growth or progress in your life.

There are many different ways and methods to approach this, but for this post I will share one specific method as outlined in the following episode of The Huberman Lab Podcast.

Some use good old fashioned paper, some use a computer or phone, but ultimately, it really doesn't matter the medium. As long as you are able to get the thoughts in your head out in front of you into words, you are going to be able to see them more clearly and utilize them more effectively.

It is well evidenced by now that mental and physical health are intrinsically linked.

That is why I was especially excited to hear about a scientific study that showed clear and provable evidence on how one specific (and exceedingly simple!) method of journaling can have profound impacts on a variety of aspects of a person's life!

This form of journaling has been shown to hasten improvements in mental wellness and therapy outcomes for conditions like depression and PTSD.

Listen to the full episode on this specific journaling protocol here:

If you want to save some time, here's the TL;DR:

The protocol involves writing about one's deepest thoughts and feelings regarding the most upsetting experiences in their life. It is not intended to be shared or read by anyone unless the writer desires. It is then done at least 2 more times the same exact way within a span of a few weeks. This intensive journaling approach is said to induce neuroplastic changes, leading to healing and improved mental health.

The research on journaling and mental health, as discussed by Dr. Andrew Huberman, centers around a specific journaling protocol that has been scientifically validated. This method has been backed by more than 200 peer-reviewed studies and has demonstrated significant improvements in mental and physical health. Key findings include:

- Reduction in symptoms of anxiety, improvement in sleep quality, and boosts in immunity.

- Enhancements in everyday living, such as improved memory and decision-making capabilities.

- Accelerated progress in therapy, particularly for depression and PTSD, when combined with this journaling method.

- Positive shifts in health metrics following the writing exercises, shown in studies that included blood draws before and after subjects completed the journaling.

Source:

(https://dexa.ai/s/1gxEKmyP)

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Look out for a future blog post in which I share some of my own techniques, methods and useful tools and apps I have utilized over the years in my own writing journey!

Here's to the journey of continued growth and to being your most self-actualized self!

-Brian Romanelli

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