Has journaling ever helped you?

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

My therapist (and AI) used to recommend this a lot, but it always backfired when I tried it... and it only accomplished keeping a written record of endless diatribes.

But hey, maybe it worked for you... did it? If so, I'd love to know!

 

[Ganoofib]

In my experience journaling has been helpful for getting thoughts out of my head. Its been a min since I've had a whole diatribe in there, but when i was really upset about something writing about it did help. Like i would have the start of a bunch of upset thoughts, that would trail off into another upset thought, but when o wrote them down i could actually flesh out all the different reasons i was upset about a situation, and get the thoughts out of my head so i wasnt just cycling through them incomplete in my head. And sometimes it would lead to me having a conclusion on what I should do about the situation.
Mostly it is helpful for me to just write down things im thinking about doing so i dont forget them or keep jumbling em in my head, unrelated to feelings. Journaling has also been somewhat helpful for doing shadow work, learning about the parts of myself i dont like, but haven't done that as much as i feel like i should cause its uncomfortable lol.

 

[bjork]

I think it's good for getting things out, as was said earlier. Plus I would jot down work stories and stuff too, so sometimes going back to those is good in a funny way or a "man things were rough then, I've made progress" way. I haven't done it with an actual journal in years, it's more what my social media accounts end up being, just thoughts about that day or whatever is going on. It's like a weird time capsule that is cool to look back on, but also helps a little in the moment.

 

[Clippy]

Boy do I have a whale of a story I can tell you. Some of my most vivid memories of my early childhood revolve around the concept.

It started in preschool when I was 6. For some reason my mom incessantly kept telling me I should write a letter to my teacher/caretaker/overseer/whatever and my classmates. I never saw the point really but after a few months I caved in. My letter read as follows: 'Everyone except for *four dudes I was friends with* FUCK OFF AND I HOPE YOU DIE SOON'. I actually had it wrapped up in an envelope and all that. Mom let me use her stationery when I told her I'm whipping up a letter. In hindsight, it's a good thing she asked me to let her read it before letting me hand it in. I got a beating but it might've been much worse had the letter gone out so to speak. I don't remember why I wrote the letter I did but I must've had a good reason.

Another episode happened in first grade elementary. Not entirely sure how to put it but you know how the teachers have this class register where they put down the grades you get in whatever subject they teach? Well, back in the day my mom gave me a miniature version of one and told me to ask the teachers to put my grades there too. One of the first grades I got was a failing one. I can't remember what it was for exactly now but I knew I'd be getting a beating if I brought it home. So I doctored it. Turned it from the worst grade to the best grade. All was well and good until the inevitable parent-teacher-meeting that unveiled my little forgery. I got a beating for getting a bad grade and got another one for lying about it.

My mom floated the idea of me keeping a journal in the following years but by then I was a seasoned veteran of her little games and when I was was 8 I told her that there would never be such a thing as a journal kept by Clippy.

Funniest thing about the whole debacle? She's still surprised I keep everything to myself and I never tell her or anyone who could spill the beans to her anything. In her mind she needs to know because she loves me.

So yeah, I'm way too secretive to ever keep a journal. My thoughts on things have a good home in my head. It's not like I'm important enough for anyone to want to have my perspective on anything anyway.

 

[DunkeyKong]

Whenever I try to sleep, I've always been thinking about creating a story that's not complicated, just simple. As soon as I wake up though, all of that lore disappeared.

So yeah being a journalist helps sometimes because I can keep track of what I always thought of. I've wrote most of it in Google Notes and looking back at it made me surprised because of those bizarre ideas that I don't even remember writing

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

One of the first grades I got was a failing one. I can't remember what it was for exactly now but I knew I'd be getting a beating if I brought it home. So I doctored it.

I actually did this, too. They found out really fast... and so did I.

Thank you for sharing your story, dude... heartbreaking as it was, I appreciate the chance to read it.

 

[DunkeyKong]

Boy do I have a whale of a story I can tell you. Some of my most vivid memories of my early childhood revolve around the concept.

It started in preschool when I was 6. For some reason my mom incessantly kept telling me I should write a letter to my teacher/caretaker/overseer/whatever and my classmates. I never saw the point really but after a few months I caved in. My letter read as follows: 'Everyone except for *four dudes I was friends with* FUCK OFF AND I HOPE YOU DIE SOON'. I actually had it wrapped up in an envelope and all that. Mom let me use her stationery when I told her I'm whipping up a letter. In hindsight, it's a good thing she asked me to let her read it before letting me hand it in. I got a beating but it might've been much worse had the letter gone out so to speak. I don't remember why I wrote the letter I did but I must've had a good reason.

Another episode happened in first grade elementary. Not entirely sure how to put it but you know how the teachers have this class register where they put down the grades you get in whatever subject they teach? Well, back in the day my mom gave me a miniature version of one and told me to ask the teachers to put my grades there too. One of the first grades I got was a failing one. I can't remember what it was for exactly now but I knew I'd be getting a beating if I brought it home. So I doctored it. Turned it from the worst grade to the best grade. All was well and good until the inevitable parent-teacher-meeting that unveiled my little forgery. I got a beating for getting a bad grade and got another one for lying about it.

My mom floated the idea of me keeping a journal in the following years but by then I was a seasoned veteran of her little games and when I was was 8 I told her that there would never be such a thing as a journal kept by Clippy.

Funniest thing about the whole debacle? She's still surprised I keep everything to myself and I never tell her or anyone who could spill the beans to her anything. In her mind she needs to know because she loves me.

So yeah, I'm way too secretive to ever keep a journal. My thoughts on things have a good home in my head. It's not like I'm important enough for anyone to want to have my perspective on anything anyway.

I'm sorry that happened to you
She does love you despite all the beating and I hope you love her as well

Hope it gets better for you man

 

[Clippy]

I actually did this, too. They found out really fast... and so did I.

Thank you for sharing your story, dude... heartbreaking as it was, I appreciate the chance to read it.

Eh, it's not that big of a deal at this point. It might've changed/scarred me forever now that I think about it, but then again, so did discovering rotten.com and other horrors of the early Internet back when I was definitely too young to witness such things. If I ever come across as desensitized or callous now you know why. Could also explain why I've never been interested in any sort of relationships with people beyond being passing acquaintances but oh well, it is what it is.

 

[wilddogsdivorce]

i find that keeping a sort of journal does help me, but mostly because i have no real sense self. if i do not write down the pointless things that i think, they just disappear with no one to observe them and without being naturally retained by myself. by writing things down i am able to look over it later and develop some semblance of appreciation for myself, in my observation of those remnants of my interior self from years ago up until now. but i think that i have a different problem than most people who get recommended to start a journal, in that i simply don't know how i feel about anything. whenever someone asks my favorite movie, i just tell them the last one i watched.

 

[Clippy]

I'm sorry that happened to you
She does love you despite all the beating and I hope you love her as well

Hope it gets better for you man

It actually did get better. When I became an adult and left for university she realized she can't keep tabs on me as much as she would like to and it sorta calmed her down in that regard. Worked wonders for my relationship with dad too considering we had been pretty much at each other's throats for years before then. Ironically, being far away from each other brought us closer than ever. Our relationship has normalized since my youth for lack of a better term. They're not getting any grandkids, though. I really don't want anyone in my life.

 

[Ganoofib]

I think it's good for getting things out, as was said earlier. Plus I would jot down work stories and stuff too, so sometimes going back to those is good in a funny way or a "man things were rough then, I've made progress" way. I haven't done it with an actual journal in years, it's more what my social media accounts end up being, just thoughts about that day or whatever is going on. It's like a weird time capsule that is cool to look back on, but also helps a little in the moment.

Lol yah there was a time like 4 to 7 years ago where i journalled a lot, and sometimes i go back to those notes and am like, wow what a rough time, or, wow i was saying some crazy stuff lmao. At that time i was using google keep to journal so sometimes when i go in there to look for something I'll look through some of my ooold thoughts.

 

[DunkeyKong]

It actually did get better. When I became an adult and left for university she realized she can't keep tabs on me as much as she would like to and it sorta calmed her down in that regard. Worked wonders for my relationship with dad too considering we had been pretty much at each other's throats for years before then. Ironically, being far away from each other brought us closer than ever. Our relationship has normalized since my youth for lack of a better term. They're not getting any grandkids, though. I really don't want anyone in my life.

As long as you're happy man
I'm glad you guys are doing well

 

[RageBurner]

Hm... even though I have an easy time coalescing my thoughts into words, I've never considered journaling. I'd rather talk with someone I trust (though that number is rather small), or keep my thoughts to myself; it feels as though thoughts laid on paper do not belong the person that wrote them any longer.

Paper is overly silent and compliant, like a dutiful butler, but I trust neither very much.

 

[TheWanderer]

Tbh too lazy to do that I just go with "it is what it is" approach...tho I think it's backfiring now

 

[JustLooking123]

It actually did get better. When I became an adult and left for university she realized she can't keep tabs on me as much as she would like to and it sorta calmed her down in that regard. Worked wonders for my relationship with dad too considering we had been pretty much at each other's throats for years before then. Ironically, being far away from each other brought us closer than ever. Our relationship has normalized since my youth for lack of a better term. They're not getting any grandkids, though. I really don't want anyone in my life.

Honestly i don't have much opinion here, and i find you wiser than me @Clippy.
So whether you choose being a lone ranger, or a miracle hits your door, there's just one thing i can say:
Wishing you the best! ?

 

[Ruky Ruky]

I can say this, writing a journal could keep you alive. I got out of a pretty bad relationship I was in a few years ago and I was diagnosed with PTSD afterwards. The only things that kept me going were, I could write and I walked outside everyday. I wrote some deeper things in my journals so I chose to burn them afterwards. It was kind of like burning away all those bad memories that I was left with and creating new positive ones! It really did save my life and helped me come to terms with a lot of things. Good luck on your journey!

 

[DunkeyKong]

I can say this, writing a journal could keep you alive. I got out of a pretty bad relationship I was in a few years ago and I was diagnosed with PTSD afterwards. The only things that kept me going were, I could write and I walked outside everyday. I wrote some deeper things in my journals so I chose to burn them afterwards. It was kind of like burning away all those bad memories that I was left with and creating new positive ones! It really did save my life and helped me come to terms with a lot of things. Good luck on your journey!

You took it like a champ, keep your head up!

 

[Waffles's iconWaffles]

I can say this, writing a journal could keep you alive. I got out of a pretty bad relationship I was in a few years ago and I was diagnosed with PTSD afterwards. The only things that kept me going were, I could write and I walked outside everyday. I wrote some deeper things in my journals so I chose to burn them afterwards. It was kind of like burning away all those bad memories that I was left with and creating new positive ones! It really did save my life and helped me come to terms with a lot of things. Good luck on your journey!

Thank you for sharing. I appreciate what you (and everyone else) have shared here

I have heard many people (including war veterans) say that burning the journal afterwards was their final release. Maybe I'll do that, too.

 

[dropsmegamega]

Just the thought of having to write that stuff makes me feel bad already. Like having to put effort just to delve even deeper into darkness. Closest thing I did to that was keeping a dream diary. But then I started to want to wake up often at night to write stuff and my dreams got progressively more bizarre. Yeah.

 

[DunkeyKong]

Just the thought of having to write that stuff makes me feel bad already. Like having to put effort just to delve even deeper into darkness. Closest thing I did to that was keeping a dream diary. But then I started to want to wake up often at night to write stuff and my dreams got progressively more bizarre. Yeah.

Bizarre? That sounds kinda bad, maybe don't do it for awhile. Rest without having to do that I mean

 

[dropsmegamega]

Bizarre? That sounds kinda bad, maybe don't do it for awhile. Rest without having to do that I mean

That was years ago and yes I stopped because it ended up being kinda unhealthy. Although I admit I have morbid curiosity to start another one and see where it leads.........

 

[DunkeyKong]

That was years ago and yes I stopped because it ended up being kinda unhealthy. Although I admit I have morbid curiosity to start another one and see where it leads.........

As long as you don't hurt yourself, stay safe man

 

[Cuestionador]

Never keep a diary, but i like to draw and scribble things from time to time.

 

[Dyne]

I've never kept a journal. I just talk to myself when I want to get the thoughts out

 

[RanmyakuIchi's icon RanmyakuIchi RanmyakuIchi]

I never kept a journal as a kid as I had a fear it would be found and held against me. My family had a way of getting caught up on perceived slights and holding them over people's (myself included) heads for years, so I've always been kinda cagey with my thoughts and feelings.

In recent years however, I've started doing it here and there and found that getting my thought into words helps me from allowing them to fester and grow. Learning to open up has helped me a great deal.