Mind Dumping | Healthy UNH

The Benefits of Journaling for Your Mental Health 

  Way back when you might have kept a diary with a lock on it where you could preserve your deepest confessions. This concept has deteriorated for many people like myself as we’ve grown into adulthood, but it is really something beneficial you can do for your mental health present day. If you don’t have a person that you feel comfortable enough with to express your hardships a journal might just be your best friend in this case. It is important to get those feelings out even if you are just writing them down on paper, it can be extremely harmful on your mental health to bottle up your emotions and cause more stress on yourself if you don’t vent in some shape or form (mind dumping essentially). Journaling doesn’t only have to be about daily struggles, but it can be about your daily successions and personal improvements which can uplift you so that your spirits are high. Overall journaling is beneficial for your mental health as it can relieve you of your daily stressors, anxieties, and or promote appreciation for your achievements.  

With tips and tricks from the University of Rochester Medical Center I present to you… 

How to Mind Dump in Your Journal: 

• Write Daily: Take some time in the morning or evening to write down your thoughts. This help create a routine and get yourself acclimated to mind dumping. 

• Make it Accessible: Bring your journal wherever you go. If you don’t want the extra weight in your bag, you can write down your thoughts on your personal device. 

• Jot Down What Feels True to You: Dumping the thoughts you carry in your head every day doesn’t need to be consistent or belong to any type of outline. The journal is yours and you can do with it as you wish. There is no judgement so express your feelings in a way that is creative to you, you could even add drawings if you are an artistic being. 

• Share Your Journal Accordingly: Sharing your deep inner thoughts can put you in a vulnerable position so if you want to keep those feelings to yourself you have every right to do so. But sharing parts of your journal can be a great too to solve conflict with a family member or trusted friend as it allows you to touch on all the points you want to address with that person without forgetting anything important. 

Don’t dismiss journaling just because society might portray it as something to be ashamed of or to be made fun of which is why people tend to grow out of it. Instead invite mind dumping into a journal into your life as it can improve your mental health.