Journaling
is Step Ten in
TORQUE BACK
a System to Fight
Bipolar Disorder
by Ken Jensen

But this final step is final only by chance. You may fit in journaling wherever in the process of healing you may start. It's just a good habit to get into. No need to even be bipolar for this fact to remain true.

By laying out your thoughts in physical form, you sort of exorcise the demons they represent. Writing this way won't do much all by itself but when combined with the other nine steps, it starts to gain some muscle.

Bipolar disorder has a way of causing some incredibly dark thoughts to materialize in some of us. Too dark to ever share with another. Thoughts that can cause you to really question your soul's worth...stuff like that.

Or, you may simply be confused about many things and journaling provides a way to get organized.

When you see your inner mind on paper before you, it just clarifies the overall game plan. You'll know better what to do next.

Enjoy this final installment of my guidebook and learn more details about the value of this seemingly simple act:

Journaling is sometimes poo-pooed without getting its due.
What is your take on this?
No good? Awesome? Tell us!

Ken Jensen

Help for Bipolar Disorder

Wellness Guidebook
Second Edition

This guidebook contains many details concerning nutritious supplements and their effect on the mentally ill mind. Great care was taken to ensure the accuracy of the information in the text. This book is intended to provide general information only, and is not a substitute for medical or psychiatric evaluation or treatment.

The author and the publisher are not engaged in providing professional services or medical advice to the individual reader. Each individual's health is unique. All matters regarding health or a particular health situation, possibly even journaling, should be supervised by a health care professional.

The author and the publisher shall not be held responsible or liable for any harm or loss allegedly arising, directly or indirectly, from any information in this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical, chemical, manual, or otherwise without express written permission of the author. You may not forward, copy, or transfer this publication or any part thereof, whether in electronic or printed format, to another person or entity.

Copyright 2010

Ken Jensen

URL: http://www.bipolar-disorder-survivor.com

Journaling 

Just in case I didn't already make it absolutely clear:

Step Ten of TORQUE BACK (K):

Keep a Journal

This will probably be your simplest of steps. Journaling is easier to do than some of you might think and you cannot possibly do this wrong. Even attempting it is a win for you.

Write your thoughts down in a journal.

All of them.

Any of them.

No rules. Don't hold back.

What you write doesn't have to make sense, be in order, or be legible. Just write!

Journaling comes in handiest when you're depressed or pissed off. But it applies at any time when you are bothered.

The act of writing is a purge in itself that is even purer than speaking to another. Your words come to life before your eyes. The part of your brain that controls the writing process needs to be exercised and exorcised. Journaling is a healing act separate from any other.

Do not worry that what you write is too personal, too shaming, or damning to your character or legal status in any way. Write absolutely anything that pops into your head while the pen's in your hand.

And if this stuff needs to stay secret, burn it. Flush it down the toilet. Shred it.

The ACT of journaling is all that's necessary for the HEALING to take place.

You may keep your journal to reflect upon, too. I did for a couple of years before burning all the volumes I'd written. There were definitely things in it I never wanted anyone else seeing, ever.

But there you go. Be totally truthful. Admit in print what you may be afraid to even say out loud. We all have demons and skeletons in our closets. No one's immune. When you're finished journaling you may destroy the evidence if you need to.

The job has been done and your relief will grow. Your stress will fall.

Action Plan for Step 10:

You can buy a nicely bound journal, a professional journal, or a regular notebook of whatever size is easiest to write in and/or transport.

A small notebook carried with you at all times would be a wise move as you could dump your thoughts the moment they ganged up on you.

Get lined pages if you prefer a sense of order or blank pages if you prefer a sense of freedom.

Find the smoothest writing pen you can. When I was actively bipolar, my rage could be set off by a pen that skipped or seemed to fight me in some way. So I went with gel pens with big, fat grips. For some reason, the purchase of these types of pens felt like a solid victory to me in its own right. You buy whatever makes you comfortable.

Then pour your frustrations on to the journaling page.

Ø  Do not edit what you write.

Ø  Do not fix typos.

Ø  Do not worry about grammar.

Ø  Do not worry about proper sentence structure.

Ø  Just write whatever comes to mind.

Ø  Typing on a keyboard is not out of the question but actual handwriting is the best.

Ø  If nothing comes to mind, write that. "I can't think of what to write. This sucks and is stupid." Something to that effect. The starting will kick off the flow and more will come to you.

Ø  Destroy the pages as soon as they're done if you need to. Through the journaling , you've already achieved what was necessary.

And that's it for TORQUE BACK. For now.

I sincerely hope this was of help. I greatly look forward to one day working with you if my direct coaching is needed. I assure you, I have much more to say about all of this, and by the time you have read this, I'll have learned more that I wished I'd put in here as well.

My website will continue to grow and be an ever-evolving source of help in this area:

www.bipolar-disorder-survivor.com

If my close, personal attention is what's needed, I can be hired as your coach. We can work out a mutually agreeable fee when you contact me.

I help many people and my time becomes shorter by the day. I answer questions by email as I'm able but soon that will become an impossibility. So, if you have questions and can't afford to invest in my time, then please use the site. I make an effort to answer ALL queries on the site and by doing so in a public fashion we all help one another better.

Are You An Event Planner?

I am a very engaging speaker. I have been down many dark, dangerous roads and emerged victorious. If you'd like me to speak to your group or organization, be a guest on your talk show, radio show, or TV show, or host a workshop or lecture, please use the contact form on this page and we can make immediate phone arrangements from there. I have been onstage and in the media in every conceivable way at this point. I would love to add your world to that list!

Take care and be well!

Ken

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