Which journaling protocols help with stress?

The Huberman Lab has studied a journaling protocol designed by James Pennebaker that has been shown to bring about significant, long-lasting mental and physical benefits. It involves writing about traumatic, stressful, or emotional experiences in four bouts of 15-30 minutes each within a month. This process helps reduce symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and insomnia, and improves conditions like arthritis, cancer treatment side effects, lupus, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome.

The protocol specifies writing with honesty about the facts of an experience, emotions related to it, and any associations. After each session, one might feel activated or low, so it's important to have a buffer of time. This protocol can integrate with other therapies and accelerate their progress. It's equally effective for individuals who express their distress differently, whether as low or high expressors. Additionally, the protocol's immune function benefits have been observed in studies, suggesting a link between the writing process and improved physical health outcomes 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8.

Remember that this process is personal, and sharing the written content should be done carefully, preferably with a mental health professional, as it can impact the reader as well. Individuals are encouraged to adjust the intensity to their comfort level and are free to tear up or securely store their writings 5.