What Journaling can do for you

Journaling has the potential to be an incredibly transformative and eye-opening experience. It goes deeper than just putting words onto paper; It can be a journey into your thoughts, emotions, and experiences.

Today we talk about….

• Journaling studies

• Mental and physical benefits

• Impact on Natural Language Patterns

• The impact journaling has on neuroplasticity

Journaling Study & Its Origins

In 1986, Dr. James Pennebaker and his colleagues developed a specific and structured journaling protocol aimed at exploring the impact of traumatic experiences on individuals. The study involved graduate students who were asked to follow a precise set of instructions during a series of journaling sessions. The protocol was designed to dive into the emotional and cognitive aspects of traumatic events.

The specific instructions from the original study include:

1. Choose a Significant Topic: Write about something that is causing excessive concern or stress, or if that doesn't apply, focus on a recurring dream or any aspect of your life that is significantly affecting you.

2. Reflect on Three Aspects: Before starting to write, consider three things – the factual details related to the experience, the emotions felt both during the event and in the present and any connections or links that come to mind, regardless of how distant they may seem.

3. Explore Thoughts and Feelings: Allow yourself to freely explore your feelings and thoughts during the writing process. There is no need to worry about grammar, spelling, or structure.

4. Make Connections to Your Life: Reflect on how the experience is connected to various aspects of your life, such as childhood, family, relationships, career, and education. Consider how the experience has shaped you and your identity.

5. Write for 15-30 Minutes: Dedicate a specific period (15-30 minutes) to writing about the chosen topic. This time frame is crucial to encourage deep exploration.

6. Repeat for Four Consecutive Days: The protocol requires participants to engage in this intense journaling process for four consecutive days. This repetition is intentional to encourage a thorough exploration of the narratives embedded in the nervous system.

7. Allow Time for Decompression: Acknowledge that delving into negative experiences can be emotionally taxing. Therefore, it is recommended to allow yourself a little time to decompress and regroup after each writing session.

It's important to note that this specific journaling protocol differs significantly from other common forms of journaling, such as morning notes or gratitude journaling. Instead of focusing on positive experiences, this protocol focused more so on the exploration of negative and traumatic events, aiming to uncover and process the emotions associated with them.

Defining Trauma, Impact Of Natural Language Patterns

According to Dr. Paul Conti, trauma is defined as any experience or series of experiences that alters our brain and neural circuitry, leading to decreased emotional, behavioral, or cognitive functioning moving forward. Using this broad definition, most individuals have some form of trauma or stressor stored in their nervous system.

In the context of the Pennebaker journaling protocol, participants typically fall into two categories: low expressors and high expressors. Low expressors use less descriptive language and show less emotional intensity during the initial writing session, while high expressors use more negative language and exhibit higher distress in the first bout. Importantly, these distinctions are unrelated to whether someone is introverted or extroverted.

The effectiveness of the journaling protocol does not hinge on whether individuals are low or high expressors; both groups experience a significant reduction in distress over the course of the sessions. Low expressors tend to share less during the first bout, and their physiologic responses appear calmer. On the other hand, high expressors exhibit higher blood pressure, elevated heart rate, and more tears.

Interestingly, as the four writing sessions progress, language patterns undergo significant changes. There is a decrease in the use of negative words, coupled with an increase in positive words. This shift indicates a positive transformation in emotional expression and well-being.

The choice of words also serves as a proxy for stress and well-being. Those who possess a richer vocabulary for positive emotional states tend to be happier, and conversely, those with a greater repertoire of negative words often experience more negative emotional states. That being said, the frequency with which we use certain words matters most; individuals who frequently use negative words tend to have more negative emotional states, while those using positive emotional words more frequently enjoy more positive emotional states.

Positive Mental & Physical Benefits

Over 200 studies, not limited to Pennebaker's method alone, have consistently shown positive outcomes from the practice of four writing sessions. These benefits extend beyond conventional journaling, with notable improvements in various physical and mental health aspects.

Positive effects observed in different studies include reduced pain for individuals with arthritis, relief from insomnia, diminished pain and depression among those undergoing cancer treatment, alleviation of symptoms in people with lupus, and relief from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms. While this method is not a comprehensive treatment, it does contribute to enhancing both physical and mental well-being.

In these studies, the control group engaged in writing for the same duration but without the specific instruction to write about trauma. They were free to choose any topic, akin to more conventional journaling practices. Assessments were conducted before, during, and even years after the writing assignment.

One significant finding related to the immune system indicates that individuals following the Pennebaker method experienced a heightened activation of T lymphocytes, as evidenced by bloodwork. This suggests a better immune response, particularly notable in high expressors who exhibited a greater degree of immune activation.

Understanding Biological Mechanism & Impact Of Journaling Protocol On Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to adapt and change, is most pronounced in childhood but diminishes with age. The neural system relies on our catalog of experiences to predict future events. The Pennebaker method taps into neural maps and both conscious and unconscious experiences related to traumatic events, aiming to reshape negative body states.

A key element in understanding the impact of this journaling protocol is the linchpin mechanism involving the prefrontal cortex. During negative experiences, this part of the brain, crucial for planning, outcomes, and self-identity, exhibits reduced activity. Imaging studies show that when recalling stressful events, the prefrontal cortex's activity decreases.

However, as individuals engage in coherent narrative-building through successive writing sessions, the prefrontal cortex responds with increased activity. The honesty and emotional vulnerability expressed in the narrative contribute to relief from the traumatic experience. This process triggers neuroplasticity by deliberately revisiting the stressful event four times, inducing positive shifts in mental and physical well-being.

Stressful and traumatic experiences initially suppress the prefrontal cortex, hindering the creation of a structured narrative about what happened. This lack of clarity can lead to confusion about responsibility, as trauma often involves situations one would never have chosen and where they were likely a victim. In an attempt to cope, individuals may try to push these experiences away.

However, when individuals truthfully express their experiences, the prefrontal cortex's structures increase in activity. This regulation extends to other subcortical structures, such as the thalamus and hypothalamus, contributing to the observed benefits for the immune system. The repeated activation of the prefrontal cortex during truth-telling, even when emotionally challenging initially, ultimately has a positive impact on its functioning.

Sources:

• Confronting a traumatic event: toward an understanding of inhibition and disease 

• Natural emotion vocabularies as windows on distress and well-being 

• Disclosure of traumas and immune function: Health implications for psychotherapy

• Putting Feelings Into Words 

• Increasing honesty in humans with noninvasive brain stimulation 

• The β1-adrenergic receptor links sympathetic nerves to T cell exhaustion 

• Writing About Emotional Experiences as a Therapeutic Process 

• Brain and body are more intertwined than we knew 

• Therapeutic Journaling 

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAZn9dF3XTo