Journal writing can help you to overcome addiction and lower your chances of relapsing. Writing should not thought of as a school assignment where you feel forced to make everything look perfect for a grade. Other than journal writing being the cheapest and easily available form of therapy, what you write down for fifteen minutes daily can help you see yourself in a brand new light and can motivate you to improve in recovery.
There are many different types of journaling you can do. You can write a diary where you write about what happened to you everyday. There are spiritual journals where you can write about your spiritual development. A stream of consciousness journal is where you write about what is going on in your head unedited without worrying about spelling, grammar or punctuation. A gratitude journal is where you write about the positive things that have happened to you which is good for those who tend to think negatively about yourself and the world. An exercise/health journal can help you log the healthy lifestyle choices you are making everyday.
When you write in a journal, you can learn more about yourself and can see the patterns of your behavior and well as potential causes to them. Journaling can also help reduce stress to express what you are feeling inside and be able to pour your emotions out on paper. Paper does not talk back or judge you so you can freely write what you want and as much as you want.
Journaling also gives you the opportunity to be honest with yourself about your addiction and can be less likely to be in denial, ignore bad behavior, or make unwise decisions. If you look back at older entries and see all of the bad choices you have made as well as how many there are, you can end up surprising yourself and realize just how bad your addiction has gotten. You would be able to track your efforts and see if there has been any changes since you first started writing.
Writing down your goals can give you a better chance of achieving them and with more success. A journal can be thought of as the book of your life as you see struggle in the beginning and you will feel motivated to do better in your recovery so that your journal can have a happy ending.
Castle Craig Hospital is a landmark of addiction and mental health treatment in Scotland, serving the UK, the EU, and patients from all over the world. Our commitment to long term abstinence has created a successful program of clinical and complementary therapies for mind, body, and spirit. Serving over 10,000 patients for more than 25 years, the Castle Craig model is proven in changing lives. Call our 24 hour free confidential phone-line for information: 01721 546 263. From outside the UK please call: +44 808 271 7500
