How Does Journal Writing Help Anxiety?

[Deleted member 19325]

Hello Hashi,

Apologies, if I have not made my point clear. This is the struggle I have while writing in forum where I could not send the full message out.

Yes, I am not with PTSD, but I had anxiety and panic attacks, sometimes that lasted for days continuously. This was for almost two years. I believe anxiety is the same for all and its the intensity that differs. What I meant as illusion of fear is if you see a tiger approaching you then it is real fear,but fear about something that happened to you in the past is illusion. I am writing a separate chapter in my book on the fear. Also I am not in favor to disregard fear by denial or avoidance, in fact I don't even approach it with willpower but to observe it. In order to do this you need energy, I will write more on that, how to gather energy to resolve fear. I will write more in the coming days. Let me know if I had missed any.

Recently I read about The long awakening by Lindsey connor she never went to war but had PTSD.

I got very interested to know more about that.

Lets continue our discussions,
Best wishes,
vivbala

 

[JustBe]

My fear feels just as real whether from a flashback, intrusive thought or actual danger. My problem is never being able to set aside fear and relax.

 

[Hashi]

I believe anxiety is the same for all and its the intensity that differs

I don't. I believe the sources, the nature and the context of the anxiety are different if someone has PTSD.

My belief is based on having experienced anxiety before I had PTSD, and having experienced it with PTSD. I wonder what your beliefs are based on, if you don't have personal experience. I would hope that you have evidence.

What I meant as illusion of fear is if you see a tiger approaching you then it is real fear,but fear about something that happened to you in the past is illusion

If you didn't adequately process what happened in the past, and it was trauma and you have PTSD, then you are still holding the real fear in your mind and body (and perhaps spirit) today.

I believe you are well-meaning but misguided. I don't think you understand PTSD or the psychic and psychological risks that can arise from trauma.

I'm not going to discuss it further. I think it's impossible because we're not even talking about the same thing. You have said you don't have experience of PTSD. I'm not clear why you feel in a position to join a forum for PTSD sufferers and supporters. .

 

[The Albatross]

Perhaps, but the benefits of journaling are, or can be. A very useful tool one I resisted for a very long time.

 

[Hashi]

Yes, and it's about how the journalling is done and what it moves us towards.

I don't think seeing fear as an illusion is a useful tool for anyone with a tendency to derealisation and dissociation.

I don't think looking at the source of fear is necessarily advisable for someone without working first on safety and stability.

I don't think it's always true that "there is no harm in writing the sad or fearful part". When I first journalled about fear it was overwhelming. I had to find a different way to do it, to keep some distance.

I think journaling is incredibly helpful. When it comes to journaling about and otherwise working on fear, I think we have to be careful. It isn't necessarily without harm. Even now, I still have to do things around journaling to keep it safe. Before, I had to do a lot. There is nothing here about risk or safety.

 

[The Albatross]

Hashi, your are right when you say it is not always helpful. Perhaps you would like to share more on what your process was for establishing safety and journaling. I can't comment on that really as it was not my experience. But it would be a good inclusion here for the discussion if you share your own.

My own decision to start journaling didn't have anything to do with safety... journaling for me was risking doing something different in an attempt to get some more progress. I was willing to take a risk and was scared witless about starting my journal. But my own default mindset is, "do it anyway"... like the Niki commercial slogan. I can re-evaluate it after initiating the action... but I don't usually allow myself to avoid something that may give me benefit because of needing "safety".

I learned in recovery for alcohol how to mind bend myself out of paralysis and the benefits of action or being willing to try something different.

To start my journal I set up a goal/challenge and made a strategy. I had a 23 or 24 minute hour glass and challenged myself just to write for a week for that time. It helped me to focus on the timed writing rather than the content. That was just my way, it does not mean it was the "right" way, the "only" way, and it is not a "one size fits all".

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Perhaps well intentioned, but no...

I don't get why people think all anxiety disorders (or anxiety, period, sans disorder) is the same. It's not.

I don't go to Celiac's forums and tell them how it is because I know what it's like having stomach issues due to eating wheat. (I don't have Celiac's but do have gluten sensitivity issues.) It's pretty much the same...

 

[Bluerose]

Keeping a journal really works. I have to admit to being a compulsive scribbler.

 

[Definitely..maybe]

For me, writing it out helps to get some of it out of my system. I feel like I release at least some negative thoughts.

Other days, I feel like it's silly, but I know it helps.

 

[ekane]

@LilBit

I relate heavily to this. My PTSD and depression symptoms are too extreme for me to be able to commit to anything. All it does is create more pain and anxiety, as it's a reminder that I am no longer the powerful/productive/capable person I use to be.

 

[Ladyghosthunter]

I have a blog I write in regards to ghosting (ghost hunting) and I can be rather cheeky about many things regarding ghosting. However my T asked me to write down things in my past that I needed to bring forward, I just couldn't. It seemed to me that I had the worst writer's block and it was just too d**n painful for me to remember what was said, what was done, what wasn't done, etc. I just could not, for the life of me, as a writer, do it. It was like someone told me to write my autobiography but add scenes from childhood/adult H*ll into it. Many times I would start and I just couldn't do it. I can't still.

However, (I'm adding this through editing) I did write down some things that happened I never saw my T cry in all of my life. She couldn't believe I went through such horrors in which I did. I cannot forget these things that were said. When you suffer from PTSD, you remember everything negative, almost down to the last detail. She didn't excuse herself but I didn't cry because I couldn't. It was something that; I don't know.

 

[desiderata310]

@LilBit My therapist wanted me to list things that were "good" about me. Turns out it was a very triggering exercise. I couldn't do it. Made me angry as in self harm angry. WHY COULDN'T HE SEE HOW HORRIBLE I AM?

My therapist finally backed off and said that I wasn't quite ready for that yet. Your sufferer might not be ready for that either.