This Journaling Practice Could Ease Depression in Just 2 Months

Know Thyself: Journaling is a go-to recommendation for improving mental health. Depending on the type of journaling you try, it can help reduce stress and anxiety and build a greater sense of self-awareness and gratitude. A new study has found that a specific type of journaling may also be able to reduce symptoms of depression for young adults after just two months. 
 
How to Do It: The study’s participants (aged 18 to 29 with moderate to severe depression symptoms) were split into two groups. One group chronicled their basic everyday activities. The other group followed prompts and reflected on various life stages, what those periods meant to them, and how each new stage connected to the previous one. After a two-month follow-up, participants in this group had fewer symptoms of depression than those in the other group.

The Benefits: Young adulthood is a period of self-discovery, which can make some people more susceptible to depression — particularly if they feel off-track or disconnected from their younger selves (called “derailment”). Reflective journaling like this may improve depression by connecting previous life stages to the current one (called “self-continuity”), which can help people make sense of their past and appreciate their growth.