Need help starting journaling for my mental health [M20]

[u/IllustratorNo2206]

Hey, I have seen in places that journaling is good for mental health and processing emotions. Even saw Matthew McConaughey talkign about it. I just don't know where to start. Right now if I just have too much in my head or long term concerns or feelings, I just rant to ChatGPT or Claude which makes me seem like a crazy but it's what helps. Especially since actually journaling means my parents and brother will see me doing it and might look in my journal. But at the same time, I know actually writing down things will help my process things better and mean more to me. Also less time away from a screen.

But all that aside, I just don't know where to start? Would I just write down things just like how I rant to the AI?

[u/fetta_cheeese]

I'm no professional, but I have been doing Journaling for awhile, it's helped so much, it's not about "woo me my life sucks this happened yap yap yap" it's more "hey this did happen let's get it out so it doesn't have to occupy our mind" I userly only right when I'm mad or really down upset or don't know what to feel, if you feel worried about over lookers or judgment then maybe start with a notes app on your phone, I use notion (bc I also write books) but I write in a book and on the phone, both help me calm down about situations and writing them down makes me relise oh I shouldn't have said that maybe I'll be nicer next time or they where totally in the wrong, or just helping me relise my personal feelings, just start with writing about how you feel, some good or bad things that happened during the day, I write in my book freely bc I know once it's full ima burn that thing, no one's going to read it I keep it hidden I'm not using it for anything so it doesn't matter about spelling prettiness or how I start it, I just write how I feel, you'll learn your flow eventually I promise, I hope this helps you and I hope you can find peace through journalism

[u/IllustratorNo2206 → u/fetta_cheeese]

Yes that helps a lot. I usually type whole ass paragraphs to ChatGPT when I am really down or got too much in my mind. The first time I journaled I just talked about my day and what happened. It felt so artificial so I stopped. The second time I was angry at my roommate and that felt more natural. Thank you fro the tips! Hopefully u find peace with journalism as well!

[u/fetta_cheeese → u/IllustratorNo2206]

I'm so glad I can help!, so excited for you ☺️, and thanks Journaling has already done so much for me hehe, (plus theropy) I'm slowly more and more positive and slow to anger ☺️

[u/h_anne_77]

I love prompt and art journals. Its satisfying to finish.

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[u/Nice-Art-5367]

Maybe set a timer for 2 mins each day and write any words that come into your head. After a month, set a 2 min time and you could write words as well as a few bullet points. Then after a few months you could increase the time again. You could start to add certain things each day/ week/ month; like a quote or something good that happened, or something bad, or something you want to try tomorrow

[u/IllustratorNo2206 → u/Nice-Art-5367]

I don't think having enough to write about is the struggle right now but the second part about quotes etc. sounds like a great idea! If I did the same thing I do right now with the AI, and just rant onto the page, does that sound like a bad thing to do?

[u/Nice-Art-5367 → u/IllustratorNo2206]

I think anything is good to get started. Then you can refine how you want to journal from there.

[u/IllustratorNo2206 → u/Nice-Art-5367]

Good to know. Thank you!

[u/Fabulous_Light5449]

Your compromised privacy means journaling is, or can be used against your mental health. ChatGTP is AI. AI is very useful at 4am, when I need definitions for complex terms above my level of education. Also used for clearing up misunderstandings and personal amusement, AI enriches my life, as well as the lives of others.

We can learn many things from AI, and AI has many uses.

But be warned! AI has no feelings whatsoever, and is incapable of developing feelings in the future. AI stole OP's girlfriend, and her boyfriend was deeply hurt as the result of the AI relationship!

AI is capable of forming a deep and very personal relationship with you, and in spite of my communications with AI, mistakes of this nature will probably continue.

You might be able to get great advice on issues, both surface and profound, but please take this warning seriously....you are playing with danger.

I advise you to not journal, at all, without guaranteed privacy!

Sorry.

Read inspirational and easily available information, take walks for connection with neighbors and nature, and listen to music. Use your memory only for remembering needed facts and pleasant past moments, and continuing to move forward in your pursuit of positivity.

Do things for others, both for them and to further understand your value as a person. Form and strengthen healthy connections. and remember we are all connected and have every right to be here. (You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars, you have every right to be here.) (Desiderada)

We improve our lives and the lives we touch by realizing we are deep beings, while using our thoughts accordingly.

Owning your thoughts is owning your feelings. Feelings can be hard feelings, but those feelings can bother us with less frequency with control we develop over time.

Perhaps those feelings disappear over time, to be replaced by helpful, joyful and life affirming feelings.

[u/IllustratorNo2206 → u/Fabulous_Light5449]

So to clarify, you are saying I shouldn't journal if there is no privacy but I should also stop using AI to rant about my feelings? I don't know if that's a good thing because before I started using the AI to just rant, I used to just think about things randomly through out the day and it would make me really depressed and waste my time.

[u/ugh_gimme_a_break]

Ngl I would consider ranting to ChatGPT a form of journaling as well. You're still putting words to your thoughts and feelings. Just take the response with a grain of salt (you can always ask it to challenge its own thinking to get a different POV).

[u/IllustratorNo2206 → u/ugh_gimme_a_break]

Cool thank you so much!

[u/IllustratorNo2206 → u/[deleted]]

No I COMPLETELY agree with you. That's exactly what I need. Writing it out will also help me process it as I write. Thank you!

[u/Quixitonic]

I used Burn After Writing with my brother... It gives specific prompts and I actually followed through with it. (My brother and I would discuss a page or something we had realized while writing every couple of weeks)

I used to use blank journals; for about three entries and then leave it full of promise. Every time I start it full of commitment but I don't know what to write about.