How journaling affects your brain and mental health

Journaling causes immediate and long-lasting effects on the brain and your overall mental health. It is one of the most important healing therapies in recovery from an eating disorder.

When faced with obtrusive thoughts or a triggering situation, an area in the brain responsible for processing fear called the amygdala sounds the alarm for the stress response. Writing about your feelings in response to the trigger dials down the alarm by shifting the activity in the brain from the amygdala to the prefrontal cortex. This shift allows you to focus your attention and manage the emotional reaction with logic.

Each time you journal, the brain’s reaction to the trigger is downgraded. Daily journaling for just 5 minutes has powerful long-lasting effects.

Journaling allows you to express trapped feelings and improve overall emotional regulation. Clinical studies in neuropsychology have proven that journaling reduces the frequency of obtrusive & depressive thoughts, decreases anxiety, improves mood, enhances memory, and actually decreases chronic pain and stress-related physical health conditions.

Recovery is possible!