Mental Health Awareness Week: How journaling provides an accessible way to manage anxiety

Over 8 million people struggle with anxiety symptoms, yet more than half are unable to access treatment

• 17% of Brits say that they have picked up journaling over the course of the past two years to help with their mental health
• 22% concur that journaling has been the most beneficial aid to their mental health to date
• 17% agree that journaling has had the biggest impact on improving their memory 

Speak with biography expert and CEO of StoryTerrace, the UK’s leading biography-writing service, discussing why thousands of individuals are turning to journals to aid their mental health, amidst a self-care revolution

Mental Health Awareness Week has officially commenced today, with this year’s theme focussing on anxiety. Research says that over 8 million people are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, yet, less than 50% of people with these symptoms are able to access treatment or support. As self-care practices rise in line with fewer places being able to offer support, since the pandemic, we have seen a boom in the number of people writing and journaling to improve their mental health. Research suggests it’s a reliable way to increase your health and happiness with its ability to relieve stress and anxiety, improve depression symptoms, enhance memory retention, and boost optimism. Speaking about creative and expressive writing, biography expert and CEO of StoryTerrace, the UK’s leading biography-writing service, Ruger Bruining, comments on the transformative benefits of journaling to support mental wellbeing.

Often connected to similar practices seen in mindfulness, journaling has received much attention in recent years as psychologists and therapists underline its ability to help us reframe how we talk to ourselves – shifting away from a narrative that can inherently be self-critical to one of increased compassion. Booming over the course of the pandemic, research from StoryTerrace shows that over one in five of the nation agreed that journaling has been the most beneficial aid to their mental health to date, with Google reports showing a 110% increase in searches for journalling ideas over the past year. Moreover, over a third (31%) of respondents concur that writing about their mental health experiences in a creative way has allowed them to better understand themselves.

Now prescribed by doctors and healthcare specialists to begin addressing mental health issues, along with meditation, this practice has become the hallmark of the so-called ‘self-care revolution’.

Key stats:

• 17% of Brits say that they have picked up journaling over the course of the past two years to help with their mental health
• 31% say writing about their mental health experiences in a creative way has allowed them to better understand themselves
• 31% feel more comfortable writing about their troubling experiences than talking about them
• 22% concur that journaling has been the most beneficial aid to their mental health to date
• 17% agree that journaling has had the biggest impact on improving their memory 

Also having a direct impact on memory function, StoryTerrace’s study found that 17% agree that journaling has had the biggest impact on improving their memory. It has been said that when writing things by hand, your brain processes the content better and commits it to memory, as studies show how express-writing improved working memory. Crucial to the act of life-story writing, journaling and memoir-writing have properties and benefits that intrinsically link them together. 
Rutger Bruining, CEO/founder of StoryTerrace, comments on the healing powers of journaling as seen in memoir-writing:

“Not only is journaling extremely therapeutic, but it also allows us to preserve and reflect on how we think and feel at certain times in our lives. It is a personal archive of our experiences and how our experiences shape who we are. Going above and beyond the likes of social media that only portrays one side of the story, the written word lends a self-reflective mirror that allows us to process and make sense of our experiences. 

“Hundreds of the memoirs that we see at StoryTerrace start from an individual’s journal – we see it all the time. They represent a capsule of one’s thoughts and feelings at a certain point and allow reflection on that experience for years to come. People cherish their journals and keep them as keepsakes, and that is what is so beautiful about StoryTerrace. 

“Through our proprietary research, we have seen a boom in people picking up journaling – and it is often these journals that form the foundation of any memoir as they offer insight into how we felt at certain times, our perception of events and our surroundings. All of which is the essence of clarifying how we recall our memories.”

About StoryTerrace
StoryTerrace’s mission is to ensure that every life story is captured and passed on in a meaningful way. Its award-winning memoir writing service takes care of the whole process – matching clients with one of over 750 professional writers, interviewing, photo gathering, editing, designing, and printing their very own book. Books are on average 100 pages long, meaning that everyone can have their life story – or those of their loved ones – documented in a professionally curated biography or series of memoirs. 

Powered by its proprietary technology platform, StoryTerrace continues to scale globally and has sold over 3,500 packages since its founding in 2014. The company was a winner on BBC Dragons’ Den in 2020 and has gained traction in the likes of Sky News, The Wall Street Journal, The Times, Forbes, and CBS News.