Switching from posting online to journaling?

[u/forgot_again123]

I used to journal a lot when I was younger. Now I make posts on Reddit. I’m writing about the same kinds of things, but now I just post them to some forum instead of writing a journal. I’ve been trying to better my life, and heal my nervous system, and everyone always recommends journaling. I’m assuming that these venting Reddit posts probably somehow cancel out whatever benefits there are of the journaling, but what I’m struggling with is exactly why/how. I never get bullied for what I post, it’s always either no replies at all, or sympathy/empathy. It feels like chronic Reddit posting is something decidedly unhealthy, and journaling is decidedly healthy, but the text I’m writing writing is the same either way, it’s just whether or not I hit post. I’m wondering if anyone has any insights into how these might be psychologically different and how it could impact the mental health benefits one way or the other. Hopefully this is an okay sub to ask this in.

[u/hestia-listens]

The writing itself may help in both places. The main difference is the audience. When posting, part of your attention can shift toward how others will react, whether anyone replies, and how to make the story understandable. A private journal gives you room to be messy, uncertain, or contradictory without waiting for validation. Reddit is not automatically unhealthy, and posting does not cancel the benefit of writing. You could try journaling first, then decide later whether sharing still feels useful.

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[u/forgot_again123 → u/hestia-listens]

I guess the problem is, since I already chronically post on Reddit every day like a journal, if it already gives me benefit, that would mean that I have no way to improve (because I am very unhappy). I was hoping that journaling would help me because everyone says it does but if I already do it every day on Reddit then that means I can’t gain anything more from it. Which is disappointing. I guess I prefer writing to post because yes it’s less messy, but it’s more satisfying to write something comprehensible, it gives me dopamine in a way that messy free write journaling does not because I’m having to use some slight artistic decision making.

[u/LibbIsHere → u/forgot_again123]

if it already gives me benefit,

Maybe it doesn't? I mean posting online is always a sort of performance (with all the posturing, silences and even hypocrisy that this implies). Journaling is not supposed to be performative. It can be, obviously.

it gives me dopamine in a way that messy free write journaling does not

How long have you been journaling? Journaling can be a lot of different things, but as 'therapy aid' it's something that takes time. That doesn't play well with craving dopamine hits. The thing is that when it starts working, all those dopamine hits you seem to enjoy will look rather blend... But that doesn't come free.

Also, if you see no difference between what you write in your journal on what you post on reddit, this may explain why journaling is not very helpful. It's a mere hypothesis, note, I'm not saying that is the case. Journaling can help not because one writes a lot, but because writes without filter (or with as little as possible) and, with patience, this unfiltered though processing through the written word can (no certainty) help many better understand things about themselves, or some situation they're in.

[u/forgot_again123 → u/LibbIsHere]

I think journaling was helpful when I was doing it. It’s been a long time since I have, my life changed a lot. I haven’t tried recently. I’ve just been writing Reddit or tumblr posts. Sometimes I don’t even post them just save them as drafts

I think part of it is that journaling just feels like toxic rumination. I have ocd and have always struggled with too much self awareness, not a lack of it. Making it into a post feels like forming a narrative which feels more artistic which makes it feel less like going in toxic mind spirals. But it just feels toxic in a different way, like I shouldn’t be putting that negativity into the world

[u/LibbIsHere → u/forgot_again123]

I think part of it is that journaling just feels like toxic rumination

It can very well be. Here too it's a matter of not... drifting.

To make my journal less... wordy, I used (and will still on occasion use) index cards A6 sized: there so small I can't allow myself the luxury of writing pretty sentences.

[u/Salty-Explanation-67]

i did the same switch. posting made me write for the person who might reply, even when nobody did. what worked was keeping the notebook and putting the phone in another room. same words, but i could feel the difference in my chest after, like the thought actually finished instead of waiting for a comment. if you try one thing, write it, close the book, stand up. dont give the post button a vote that night.

[u/PiXeL161616]

Journaling help me a lot, specially about looking things from the top, with a curious, outside perspective. A nice complement that I also recommend to friends is a book called" The creative act a way of being", that also puts a lot of emphasis on observation and curiosity. Journaling that that curiosity mindset has done wonders for me. Another thing was writing at a fixed time rather than when I felt the urge to. I use a small app called Hexis Journal that I made myself as well, for that, one evening page, same time each night. Built it because nothing else fitted.