Journaling Your Journey to Recovery

Journaling can seem like too big and too tedious of a task, especially when you have days where you can’t even muster enough strength to get out of bed. However, journaling has helped countless individuals suffering from addiction to turn their lives around for good.

According to leading therapists and behavioral experts, penning down your thoughts just a couple of lines at a time can help take the edge off and finally make sense of the thousands of thoughts that go through your mind every minute of every day. 

There are countless benefits associated with starting and maintaining a journal in general, but the fact that this seemingly simple habit has helped thousands of people around the world overcome addictive, damaging habits is worth mentioning.

Penning Your Way Out of Pent-Up Frustration and Trauma 

Addiction takes a severe toll on mental health. Negative thoughts can damage your willpower and drain you of motivation, both of which are critical for recovery. 

However, penning down a few lines about how you feel two to three times a day can allow you to release some of this negative energy and rid your system of the questions that muddle your mind. 

Think of journaling as a way of pouring your thoughts and feelings out onto paper. Bottling up negative energy not only has disastrous effects on mental wellbeing, but it can also steadily deteriorate your physical health.

Writing Off the Trauma

Often, when you are thinking about multiple things at the same time, it becomes nearly impossible to make sense of them individually. It is a tendency that is seen very commonly among individuals coping with addiction. So how exactly does one simply write off years of trauma? 

Like Rome, your journal will not be built in a day. You will lay bricks one by one, uncover patterns, process your life, and heal from the trauma a little more each day until you gain clarity. You will see that writing will become a habit, a daily activity that you look forward to and often plan your day around. 

The Link Between Journaling and Gratitude 

You may not see it at first, but once you get into the habit of penning down your thoughts and giving a healthy outlet to your pent-up negative energy, you will start feeling grateful for every little thing around you. 

Gratitude is such a beautiful, significant milestone in the journey of addiction recovery. Addiction takes away a lot from an individual, such as a simple sense of internal peace, healthy relationships, unobstructed, optimistic thought process, willpower, motivation to set or meet goals, self-love, and even overall physical, spiritual, and mental health. 

Once you start processing your thoughts, you will be able to write about all the things that help you get up in the morning and make a conscious effort towards recovering from addiction. You can write about something as small and seemingly insignificant as a hot cup of coffee and how it makes you feel grateful and optimistic about the beautiful mess that this life is.

Different Types of Journaling for Addiction Recovery

You could get into many different types of journaling, depending upon what appeals to you most. You can do:

• Art Journaling

• Conscious thought recording

• Gratitude journaling

• Daily diaries

• Targeted wellness writing

Targeted writing geared towards personal wellness and development has shown promising results in swift, effective recovery. It is an excellent way to start and shape a new hobby that is aimed towards improving physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing. 

You can start by writing down goals you wish to achieve by the end of the week, month, or year. These could be new exercise or fitness plans, lifestyle and dietary modifications, or simply small changes within your own personality. 

The sense of accomplishment that comes with fulfilling these goals helps you stay motivated on this otherwise long, challenging journey that recovery can be at times. Journaling is one of the most therapeutic habits that an individual can start to keep the mind focused in one firm direction, away from addictive substances. 

Ideal Frequency of Journaling 

There is no set number of lines you should write or a specific frequency of times you should visit your journal per day. The idea is to create a comfortable, confidential space that you can pour your thoughts, words, and creativity into every time you feel overburdened with negative energy. 

Bottling up emotions can weigh you down. Journaling helps take the edge off, little by little, every day. 

Using journaling to aid in your recovery process can be rewarding. You may be riddled with negative thoughts, trauma, and challenging feelings as you recover from addiction. However, journaling can help you get these thoughts onto paper.

When you journal, you allow yourself to foster an attitude of gratitude and free yourself from negative burdens. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, The Forge Recovery Center is here to help. Using proven, evidence-based therapy, we rehabilitate our clients in body and mind for a new life free of drug & alcohol abuse. Healing and recovery need community and support to last.

Located in Orange County, CA, The Forge is ready to help you get on the path to healing. For more information on our programs, call us today.

Written by

Brian Moore

Content Writer

Reviewed by

Jeremy Arzt

Chief Clinical Officer

April 21, 2022