Start Journaling to Reduce COVID-19 Related Anxiety and Stress

If you found yourself with an increased amount of stress and anxiety since 2020, you’re not alone.

The numbers show that depression in America and around the world significantly increased due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Now more than ever, people need to look after their mental health as this problem continues to rise. Thankfully, there are many ways people can learn to reduce this coronavirus stress.

Depression and anxiety devastated people in 2020. Mental health is at an all-time low. From January to September 2020, the results show a 93% increase for anxiety cases from 2019. There was also a 62% increase over the 2019 cases for depression. 

While you might be staying indoors and working from home for your health, it is also essential to recognize the reality of COVID-19 stress. This is a problem because stress, anxiety, and depression are parts of a vicious cycle that destroys mental, physical, and emotional health. 

Effects of Stress

Harvard University says that long-term stress contributes to the development of depression and anxiety. Those who feel stress continuously are more likely to develop health problems later in life. 

It is essential to maintain personal mental health in this crisis. Thankfully, you don’t need to make drastic changes in your life to reduce coronavirus anxiety. You might need a simple method like journaling. 

Benefits of Journaling

Journaling is a strategy proven to be useful for coping with anxiety during a crisis. A study done on undergraduate nursing students who were beginning to work at clinics showed journaling was effective in a stressful field. The study found the nursing students who kept journals had less anxiety about caring for their patients. 

You, too, can experience the benefits of journaling. It can significantly reduce the COVID-19 stress you might be feeling. 

Mindfulness

Journaling allows you to write down your thoughts and feelings in a place without judgment. Anxiety can come in the form of rapid thoughts and worries. Overthinking could be about the future or dwelling on the past. Journaling helps you stay in the moment where you are. Writing down ideas of the present moment keeps you grounded where you have the most power in the now. 

Stress Relief

Writing in a journal can help you identify stress triggers. You might find that watching the news stresses you out or that staying indoors for too long makes you feel on edge. A journal can help you understand what is causing you stress during the pandemic, so you can plan and choose how you will respond. 

Self-Awareness

Coronavirus anxiety might cause you to feel like you’re losing track of who you are. All those thoughts that come to you rapidly are hard to deal with all at once. If you write down what you’re feeling and thinking, you can become more aware of which thoughts are your inner voice and which thoughts are your anxiety. 

Self-Empowerment 

The benefits of journaling allow you to develop your character and empower yourself. Your journal can reveal what you value and perhaps what your goals might be going forward. With the knowledge of who you are, you can make better plans for the future and live a more fulfilled life. This power will help you tackle coronavirus anxiety. 

How to Journal

The habit of journaling is much more important than the kind of journal you use. It can be an online journal or a handwritten journal. Either format can help you reduce stress and live a better life. You should choose the form that you enjoy the most.

Remember that your journal is your book. There are no rules you need to follow strictly. Your honesty and open-mindedness about your thoughts are all that matter. 

Write What You Want

Expressing yourself through writing comes in many ways. You can write long-form paragraphs, but you can also write in lists, poems, songs, or phrases. Writing in your journal should be a relaxing, cathartic, and enjoyable experience. You are free to write whatever you wish to experience the benefits of journaling. 

Write Consistently 

For a journal to have the most effective to improve your COVID-19 stress, it is essential to write as consistently as possible. Try to write every day for a few minutes or write every couple of days. This will help you get to know yourself and reap more immense rewards from your journaling. 

As a tried and true method, journaling will help you create long-term results for your mental health. Remember that it is one method of many that can help you reduce coronavirus anxiety. You will get even better results when you use journaling with exercise, a healthy diet, and proper sleep.