Journaling? - Bipolar Disorder Message Board

JewelACJ · 05-23-2006, 07:41 AM

Hi All!

I've tried to journal, but find it really difficult. Do any of ya'll journal and if so, any tips to make it easier for me?

Thanks!!
Jewel

coffeegirl2 · 05-23-2006, 08:10 AM

Hi Jewel

Journaling can be fun, relaxing, and sometimes very emotional. Why do I say that? When a person writes their feelings onto paper they are releasing a part of themselves and the emotions- i.e.: letting go of themselves, a trigger, emotions, frustration, happiness, excitement, etc. and occurances that have happened throughout that day or week. Journaling is like a type of self-therapy you could say, and it really can do wonders for oneself.

Ideas: You bet. I have some for you. Here ya go!

1. How do you feel about yourself right now? Are you feeling depressed, happy, sad, confused, etc. with your feelings? Life? Family members? Friends? (And with this topic you can really expand on and write about for days on end with... Just use your imagination with it and go with the flo. How do you really feel about your Aunt so-so and how she treats you?)

2. What do you do when you are feeling happy? Do you enjoy giving to others? Do you treat yourself? If not, why? Journaling is a way to make a person look at oneself and re-evalutate 'oh, I can improve on that aspect of myself in this way' or 'I am doing really good and I should be so proud of who I am because I do this and I've never even realized it'.

3. What is your favorite color? Food? Restaurant? And why? Do you have certain memories that relate to these questions (color, food, restaurant?).

4. Who is your best friend and why?

5. Talk about your siblings if you have any. What are their strengths and weakness'.

6. Talk about your parents.

7. Talk about your childhood.

8. What were your best memories of Elementary School? High School? College?

9. If married, what are the strengths in your DH? If you have a boyfriend, what are his strengths?

10. If you have a pet, why did you give your pet that particular name?

Etc..... And, the list goes on. I know there are journaling web sites. Go to GOOGLE and type in Journaling or Journal and it should bring up journaling web sites. That should help you find more information on how to journal and give you even more ideas and opportunites on how to use the journal. Plus, you can even create an online journal if you wanted to.

I journal anywhere from every day to a couple times a week, depending on how busy my week is. Usually I write about my emotions and how the week has erupted. Journaling has helped save my life. Trust me, as I know it may sound crazy in that aspect. My pdoc/tdoc made me begin journaling after my manic episode. It brought me out of the eating disorder I had as well. The pdoc would assign me questions to journal, and I'd go home and do them in my journal after sessions. It really helps.

Sometimes journaling will take 5 minutes or it can take 2 hours, it all just depends on the person, the thought process, time a person has, and flow of the creativity and how the emotions are going at that given time.

Treat yourself to a nice journal at Target if you can. They cost between $5-8 or if you want the elite, you can go to Barnes N Nobles. The Dollar Store has them for $1.

Best wishes with your journaling. It will all work out for you and you will really enjoy it the more you do it.

Hugs

Coffeegirl

meljo · 05-23-2006, 08:22 AM

If you want an easy way to jounal this is what we do at our house:

Have a monthly calendar

Everyday at the end of the day post a number...1-10
*1* being very very depressed , very down.. cant hardley move or think
*10* being high high high... mania to the max!!!! on this day you will probable want to write a book..haha...

5 is the most desirable number at our house... and when things are good 6 is ok too... you get the picture...

this is easy to take to your dr. and talk about... also on the 1,2 and 9,10 day you might want to jot a note of what happened to put you there...
good luck... meljo

Carla8Fire · 05-24-2006, 03:58 AM

I journal but some days I too find it hard. I want to but the concentration is not there or the focus. Here is what I do. I put head phones on give my self a time to sit with my book wether or not I write. But usually the out of focus feelings come to the front of my mind and I write, mind you it doesnt make sense at firs (it does to me) I write just words not sentences. Like colors in my head individual words of feelings after a page or so I end up being able to write a sentence here and there. This really helps me....Good Luck.

JewelACJ · 05-24-2006, 04:15 AM

Thank you for all your ideas!

I'm going to give it my best shot.

I've noticed that when I do write, it seems it's all bad stuff, but maybe I should just go with it and let it all out, huh?

Also, I worry that my hubby will find and read it. Once I told him that I started writing in one and he looked all over the house trying to find it.

But, if I get a nice one, I could probably hide it between other books in the bookcase and he'd not find it. Yes, I can be kinda sneaky if needed.

Thanks again for all the great ideas!