How To Keep An Anxiety Journal For Mental Health

Chronic anxiety and anxiety disorders can feel overwhelming, and symptoms may make it challenging to process thoughts and emotions and engage in daily functioning. When anxious feelings build up, they can cloud judgment and intensify worries, which may create a cycle of stress that can be challenging to break. 

One method that may help reduce anxiety is journaling. Journaling, or the act of writing down thoughts, may help a person identify negative patterns, which can be the first step toward addressing them. Anxiety journaling specifically may help a person gain insight into what triggers their anxiety and which coping strategies may be effective. Gratitude journaling could help an individual balance their perspective and increase positive emotions. Here, we’ll examine strategies and techniques for journaling for anxiety and explore the potential benefits of keeping an anxiety journal. 

What is anxiety and how can it impact health?

Anxiety is the body’s natural response to stress or perceived danger. It’s generally characterized by feelings of worry, nervousness, and/or fear that can range from mild to severe. While occasional anxiety is generally considered a normal part of life, chronic or excessive anxiety can interfere with daily functioning and well-being and may signify an anxiety disorder. 

When anxiety reaches the level of a clinical illness, it can be classified in several different ways. Some examples of types of diagnosable anxiety disorders include:

• Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD): persistent and excessive worry about various aspects of life
• Panic disorder: sudden and intense episodes of fear accompanied by physical symptoms like a racing heart and dizziness
• Social anxiety disorder: intense fear of social situations and judgment from others
• Specific phobias: intense fear of specific objects, situations, or activities

There are also mental illnesses that are not classified as anxiety disorders per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) but that often include anxiety as a key symptom. Examples of these include:

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): repetitive thoughts and behaviors driven by anxiety
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): anxiety and other disruptive symptoms resulting from past trauma

Potential mental and physical health impacts of anxiety

Persistent anxiety can affect a person’s overall well-being in many ways. Examples of possible mental health or emotional impacts of anxiety include mood swings, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and increased risk of comorbid disorders like depression.

Additional impacts of anxiety may also include physical effects, such as increased heart rate, digestive issues, and difficulty sleeping. These are caused by the body’s fight-or-flight response to stressors, which can lead to even more serious health impacts when engaged regularly over the long term. People who experience anxiety may also develop unhealthy coping mechanisms, such as substance misuse or emotional eating, which may also negatively impact health. 

Potential social impacts of anxiety

Anxiety of various types can also impact a person’s social life and functioning. Mood changes can lead to a shorter temper or irritability, which could strain interactions with friends, partners, coworkers, or family members. Anxiety can also cause a person to engage in social withdrawal or avoidance behaviors in an attempt to reduce anxiety, with isolation often adding to anxiety and creating a cycle that can be difficult to escape. This effect may be even more common in people who live with social anxiety disorder or who have comorbid depression. 

Possible benefits of keeping an anxiety journal to manage anxiety symptoms

Diagnosable anxiety disorders typically will not resolve on their own without treatment, so seeking professional support or symptoms is generally recommended. In addition, some self-care strategies can be helpful, and one such example is keeping an anxiety journal.

Some people find that keeping an anxiety journal helps them manage their symptoms by giving them a regular outlet for anxious thoughts and helping them become more aware of harmful thought patterns. An anxiety journal could be a specific anti-anxiety notebook with journal prompts designed to manage and track anxious thoughts, or a general journal that you may use in different ways depending on your needs that day. For individuals who keep a journal, potential benefits include improved emotional processing, stress reduction, and increased self-awareness.  

Using anxiety journal to improve emotional processing

Journaling can be a tool to promote self-reflection and emotional processing on an as-needed basis. Writing about anxious or overwhelming thoughts can be a way of taking them out of a person’s mind and creating distance from them. Through journaling, a person may also be able to track events or actions that trigger anxiety, which can provide insight into underlying fears or stressors.

In addition to aiding in identifying patterns, an anxiety journal may give the individual an opportunity to practice reframing negative thoughts. An example could be reframing absolute statements such as, “I always mess up” with qualified statements such as, “I make mistakes sometimes, but I also succeed in many situations.”

Stress reduction through anxiety journaling

Journaling techniques may also help a person relieve stress and manage anxiety. In a journal, an individual may be able to identify more precisely what events or interactions in their life cause stress. Once stressors are identified, journaling can be a way to process and organize negative thoughts, which may reduce feelings of overwhelm or anxiety. 

Journaling may also be a way to engage the mind in calming thought patterns. Even the act of writing can be meditative and mindful for many, which may also help reduce stress.

How to start an anxiety journal 

Starting a journal to manage symptoms of anxiety can be a positive step toward better stress management and improved mental health. Whether you create yours in a digital format, a traditional notebook, or via audio/video, one of the keys is typically to make it a judgment-free space where you can freely express emotions and track anxiety patterns. For beginners, it may be beneficial to look for a guided journal or therapy journal dedicated specifically to anxiety and stress reduction. 

An anxiety journal vs. a gratitude journal

While anxiety journaling and gratitude journaling may both be recommended techniques to improve mental health, these two approaches are different. An anxiety journal is a place to record topics of worry that may be disrupting daily life. In contrast, a gratitude journal is a place to list and/or explore things or people in your life that you're grateful for.

How to keep a gratitude journal to help manage anxiety

In a gratitude journal, you can write down or write about things that you’re thankful for in your life. Examples can include major events such as making a new friend or finishing a project, or small events like enjoying a treat or getting a smile from a stranger. You might also write about being grateful for people who love you, opportunities you’ve had, or memories you cherish. 

Research suggests the potential health benefits of keeping a gratitude journal. For example, one systematic review and meta-analysis reports that gratitude journaling may “be used as a therapeutic complement for treating anxiety and depression and can increase positive feelings and emotions in the general population.” Some people may find that keeping both an anxiety journal and a gratitude journal can be a powerful way to support their mental health. 

Journaling techniques for anxiety and stress

Although individuals can choose from a wide variety of formats when journaling, there are some common techniques that may be especially effective in reducing stress and anxiety. Examples include: 

• Brain-dump journaling. Writing everything that comes to mind without worrying about structure or coherence may help clear mental clutter and relieve overwhelming thoughts. This technique may be used when feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or mentally drained.
• Thought reframing or cognitive restructuring. This technique involves writing down an anxious thought and then challenging its accuracy. Over time, this practice may help replace irrational worries with a more balanced and realistic perspective.
• Pattern tracking. This type of journaling consists of logging situations that caused anxiety, detailing how you reacted, then aiming to explore why. This practice may help you identify recurring stressors and unhealthy thought patterns so you can develop healthier ways of responding.

When journaling, it may be helpful to keep in mind that no one else will be reading the entries. Honest entries are often most beneficial. It may also be useful to develop a list of questions to answer during each journaling session, which can help focus the writing and be a way to track feelings or emotions over time. Remember that journaling is a personal process, and you can generally feel empowered to explore different techniques and adopt a style that works for you.

Strategies for developing consistency with journaling 

No matter which format a person may choose, consistency can be key to effective journaling. When starting out, developing consistency may involve writing short passages or answering a single question in writing each day. Some people incorporate journaling as part of a morning or evening routine, taking 10 or 15 minutes to write after waking up or before going to bed rather than only practicing it when they feel anxious. 

Another strategy to develop a consistent journaling habit is to plan out writing topics before diving in. For some people, it can be challenging to know what to write about, which may increase anxiety. A simple writing plan may include a daily check-in, anxiety ranting, and/or a reflection question to answer or think about. 

Mindfulness and cognitive behavioral therapy techniques for anxiety

Journaling on its own can be helpful in managing anxiety; however, it may be beneficial to combine journaling techniques with mindfulness and/or cognitive behavioral therapy for best results. A multifaceted approach may improve self-reflection and increase self-awareness, which could help reduce overall anxiety. 

Mindfulness strategies for mental health

Mindfulness strategies include techniques such as deep breathing and meditation. These center around calming the body and mind and improving focus. Calming the mind may soothe the physical impacts of anxiety while fostering a more balanced mental perspective on an event or situation. Research suggests that mindfulness practices may help reduce anxiety.

Journaling and cognitive behavioral therapy

In addition to mindfulness strategies, journaling can also be used alongside cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques. CBT is a therapeutic strategy in which a licensed therapist works with a client to identify and reframe negative thought patterns. A person who is receiving CBT may journal outside of sessions as a way to track specific thought patterns and the positive or negative impact of specific approaches or interventions. 

Connecting with a mental health professional to address anxiety

For individuals living with anxiety, it may be beneficial to connect with a mental health professional or therapist. Again, untreated anxiety disorder symptoms may worsen without professional treatment. 

A therapist can help a person uncover the root causes of anxiety and may then provide holistic strategies for managing symptoms of anxiety over time. However, people with busy schedules or a lack of providers in their area may not be able to attend regular in-person sessions. In such cases, online therapy can represent a more convenient alternative. 

Online therapy sessions can take place from anywhere you have an internet connection and a personal device. This means you can attend therapy from a place where you are comfortable at a time that works with your schedule. Plus, if you use BetterHelp, you can change providers at any time for no additional cost until you find the right fit for you. Research suggests that online therapy can be an effective way to reduce anxiety and improve overall mental health.