It’s an accepted fact that cancer can affect your mental health. Like most life-altering events, you are likely to need positive coping mechanisms to face a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and life after cancer.
Journaling has been gaining popularity in recent times as a way to deal with pent-up emotions, discover suppressed feelings, and cope with difficult situations. In this blog post, we look at why you should journal and how to go about it.
Why you should journal
Research shows that venting your feelings can have a relaxing effect. Expressing your sadness, disappointment, frustration, and anger can reduce the intensity of these emotions.
It may not always be possible to find someone to share all your feelings with. Sometimes you may not feel ready to share how you feel with others, even close family and friends. Journaling provides a safe alternative for expressing yourself in private, without fear of judgment.
Helps you understand yourself better
Keeping a log of your thoughts and feelings helps you identify repeated patterns. For example, if you find yourself repeatedly expressing worries about an upcoming medical test or scan, you know these can be triggers for you. You can inform your family and friends and request that someone you're comfortable with accompany you to make the process less stressful. You could also plan a treat—like shopping or a park visit—after the test, so you have something positive to look forward to.
Improves your mood
Making note of every small positive thing that happens in your day can create a sense of gratitude. This could be a call from a friend or finding an old photograph. Noting it down and remembering it can help improve your mood and encourage your mind to look for the positive aspects of daily life.
Reduces stress
Research suggests that journaling for even 20 minutes a month can reduce your stress levels. In a technique called ‘brain dump’, participants were encouraged to write down everything on their mind until their mind felt empty and calm. It need not be full sentences or correct spellings—just words and even drawings would help. This exercise was found to reduce distress and improve relaxation.
How to Journal
There’s no wrong way to journal, but different approaches work for different people. Some may prefer to just write down what’s worrying them, while others may need prompts.
Prompts are questions or suggestions that help you start journaling when you don’t know what to write about. Here are some examples:
- Who inspires you and why?
- Write 20 things that you enjoy doing.
- What is one quality you really like in you, your partner, or your friend?
Keep your journal protected
If you're worried about someone reading your journal, there are many ways to prevent that. Online platforms allow password-protected digital journals. Alternatively, you can delete what you've typed or tear up physical pages after writing. Knowing your thoughts are safe encourages more honest journaling.
Don’t monitor yourself
When interacting with others, we often censor ourselves to appear positive. As a result, negative thoughts like jealousy or anger remain suppressed. Your journal is a safe space to express such emotions. Often, simply writing them down brings relief and diminishes their power.
Feel free to be rude or impolite—this is about purging negative feelings, not impressing anyone.
Don’t worry about grammar and spelling
Since no one else will read your journal, you don’t need to make sense to others. Write incomplete sentences, use incorrect spelling, or switch between languages if that feels natural.
Set a time
To journal more regularly, find a consistent time each day. Some prefer journaling before bedtime to improve sleep, while others like doing it in the morning. Pairing journaling with an existing habit—like drinking afternoon tea—can help build consistency.
While journaling has many benefits, there will be times when you need further help. If you're experiencing sleeplessness, overwhelming sadness, or isolation, speaking with a counselor can be beneficial. Specialized counselors can support cancer patients and caregivers through emotional challenges. Read our article on why cancer patients and caregivers need counseling to learn more.
For additional coping strategies, see our step-by-step guide.