* IN YOUR OWN WORDS *

How to use Journaling to Cure Depression
By Christine Howell

If your depression is minor and not bordering on severe, you could try therapeutic journaling as a natural aid to help overcome depression symptoms. Journaling is highly recommended by therapists for those suffering from mental illness and it can be an important tool in fighting depression. Journaling can release pent-up thoughts and feelings and enable you to understand your emotions and therefore becomes a therapeutic way to work through those thoughts that lead to your depression.

Your journal could include writing, drawing, painting, and/or creating collages to depict your thoughts and feelings. Use it as a safe space to release negative energy and feelings as you work through problems or bad thoughts. A journal enables you to dump these things out, while not feeling bad about doing so or being judged for what you say or feel. You can also engage in this activity at any time, rather than waiting for a scheduled therapy session. However, never allow any negativity to come through in your journaling; focusing on the negatives will make this exercise  lose its effect.

You should journal every day in a quiet place for at least an hour and write about your feelings to help lift your spirits and soothe your soul, regardless of what tools you use, such as a traditional notebook, blog account, word document, etc. Daily, you should write about five things you are grateful for. Even though it may not be easy to begin, simple things such as the weather, food, or a supportive friend could suffice.

Also, try communicating five positive things that occurred each day. Writing or expressing your accomplishments in life and your thoughts on them will help you stay proud and happy. Perhaps you learned a foreign language, graduated from high school or college, learned a new skill, raised a nice family, etc. Writing down both a short and long-term goal every day can give you something to work towards. This constant reminder can give you the motivation to start moving in the morning, get out of the house, or work on an assignment or project in order to bring yourself closer to your goals. You can also list all the major moods you went through that day, their approximate times, and respective triggers for further self-analysis. Rating your emotions on a scale from one to five, in regards to how manageable they were, can help you numerically chart your progress every few days.

Christine Howell  frequently writes about online degrees and college related topics for Online College Guru, a directory of accredited online degrees.