# Do any of you keep a journal?



## Spellavis113 (Sep 24, 2012)

If so, does it help?

How does it help?

I'm starting one later today (new book, new month, I'm very......whatever it's called when you feel the need to start new projects on the first of the month or beginning of the year) and I was thinking it'd be cool to look back on in a few months from now.


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## Laura1990 (May 12, 2012)

I do. I find it helps just to write down all the stuff in my head, otherwise I feel really muddled and overwhelmed.


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## visualkeirockstar (Aug 5, 2012)

No


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## DiceOfDiscord (Sep 9, 2012)

I actually do. I don't write in it very often; once every couple of months, sometimes less. But it helps me to clear my head and evaluate the things going on in my life, and to acknowledge things about myself and the people around me that I hadn't acknowledged before.


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## pastels (Sep 18, 2012)

yes but i write in it every so often when im feeling really stressed and just talking about my sa.


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## typemismatch (May 30, 2012)

I tried it once, it went something like this:

Got up, had weetabix, went to work, home in evening - internet/tv/xbox.

then on weekends:

Got up, had weetabix, internet/tv/xbox.

Not much point in writing that everyday.


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## Neonglow (Sep 30, 2012)

I have a journal that I write in maybe every 2 weeks or so; mostly just whenever I feel like it at random times. I just write down my mental state at the time and how I'm feeling about different things. Not too sure it really helps, but I think it's good to reflect and have a written down version of what's going on in your mind.


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## StrangePeaches (Sep 8, 2012)

yes, I write usually everyday. what I do, what im thinking, how i feel, what pisses me off, people that piss me off, the occasional poem or dream. i dont know. everything.
i feel that it has greatly helped me because I cant talk express my feelings to people so to get my thoughts out of my head in anyway feels like such a relief. 
Also, its funny to look back a year ago and see exactly what I was thinking and stupid I seemed at the time haha.


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## TheLittleSister (Oct 1, 2012)

I have a journal, but if it actually helps im not sure. 
It helps me put my feelings into words and just blow of some steam, but at the same time it makes me focus a lot on my problems and im not sure if thats just adding fuel to the fire.


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## Openyoureyes (Jun 13, 2012)

I want a journal but I haven't had one since 6th grade...my mom always snooped through it.


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## DreamyDove (Dec 8, 2009)

I keep a journal. It's helpful, it helps me to feel clearer in thought because I have to find words to express my feelings about everything instead if feeling it abstractly or repressing it. Then I either have a little insight, material for poetry, or a little relief.


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## applesauce5482 (Apr 26, 2012)

I'm gonna start. My counselor wants me to make one. A "thoughts journal"


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## Neptunus (Oct 29, 2007)

Yes, I keep a couple of online ones. Just a few lines every other day - thoughts, plans, goals, observations etc. I'm not much of a writer. My most verbose posts, naturally, are rants! :lol 

I find it helps. Especially the rant part!


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## Farideh (Nov 13, 2011)

Yeah, I keep a journal. I just try to write down all of my problems and the negstivity that I have in my head. It just feels good to write it all down in a book. Makes me feel like I will move on and when I look back and read it, I'm just going to laugh at how much that one thing used to matter to me which now doesn't mean sh*t to me at all.


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## pati (Aug 15, 2012)

Yes, but I always rip up whatever I wrote a few days later. I have no idea why. I think it helps.


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## identitycrisis (Sep 18, 2011)

I've been keeping an online one instead of a physical one. It helps to get things down and get my thoughts organized, as well as see patterns and trends in how I think.


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## gusstaf (Jan 1, 2012)

I've tried so many times. I always am really enthusiastic about it the first few days or even weeks, and then, it sits for so long (ie. over a year) that I feel like I have to start a new one. I'm just no good at committing to it. But kudos to those of you who can!


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## Keikei (Mar 16, 2004)

YES! I will indeed go weeks w/out writing, but then I'll start back up again. I write lists in it, movies and shows I want to see and the main thing I do is sort out my thoughts. Organize things that I need to figure out. When I get stubborn and choose not to write things out I become incredibly disorganized. Many times when I cannot figure out what to do on a particular matter I will wait 2 or 3 days then write it all out. All I have to do is have a vague idea of what I want to get down and what I need to figure out. 

Writing these seemingly complex matters out seems often very much like a complicated math problem that just becomes easier and easier the more you spell it out and formulate the problem on paper so that it stares you back in the face.

The more I write out things the better I do in life, in general day to day challenges. I don't know if this has to do with the SA or just a disorganized mind, but it is most definitely so much easier to write out my thoughts. I mean can you imagine doing algebraic problems, those ones that take pages and pages w/out writing them on paper. I dare say most of us aren't that big of a genius.  

I hope writing things down helps you out. And one more thing. Don't worry about starting new journals or trying to make it perfect. I mean, part of writing things out is to help organize. Just worry about that. And if you find yourself rambling and know you'll never want to read part of it at a later time just cross it out with a single line like I do.    Hope I gave some okay advice!


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## fishpie (Sep 28, 2012)

I've kept once since I was 14. Helps me organised my thoughts and manage my anger and rants about people. And reading back those entries, you actually see how much you've grown (or not). But it doesn't matter, because every single thing is a part of who you are. It's very therapeutic. Write as honestly as possible. If you do an online one, keep it private so that you won't write for "someone" but for yourself. I don't write everyday, I just write whenever I feel like writing.


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## Spellavis113 (Sep 24, 2012)

Paloma M said:


> Yeah, I keep a journal. I just try to write down all of my problems and the negstivity that I have in my head. It just feels good to write it all down in a book. Makes me feel like I will move on and when I look back and read it, I'm just going to laugh at how much that one thing used to matter to me which now doesn't mean sh*t to me at all.


That's the main reason I'm starting one honestly lol to pretty much prove to myself that this really isn't anything that'll last my entire life unless I allow it to.


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## FranzKafka (Sep 30, 2012)

In my case keeping a diary was Extremely helpful. The current tome (from 2005) is a few thousand pages, and all of those were needed so as to help myself realize what was going on in my mind.
BUT i am schizoid, so am more adapted to thoughts and note-keeping about my mental world. I am sure most people can get self-help in other ways, more drastically too.

But it can be said that keeping notes about yourself, how you think, trying to examine why you think that way (in the case the thought is not helping you) can help virtually everyone.


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## Luctor (Aug 10, 2012)

Yes. At times it's the only outlet for my overactive mind. Most of it is rambling, strangely well-written reflection. I have terrible long and short term memory, my journals are the only record I have.


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