One of the first things I did when my OCD started ramping up was journaling. I wrote what I felt, when I felt it, and what kind of environment I was in. Not only was this therapeutic, but it was also useful to my therapist.

My ERP sessions involved me directly facing my fears, and having a log book of said fears was indispensable to my psychologist. She would pull out information and translate it into a real effective response prevention activity. One of my triggers was to sit next to my daughter while eating a steak and using a steak knife. She did this because I documented this fear in my journal.

If you are afraid of judgment from a therapist, please don’t be. Search out someone trained in OCD and they have heard and seen it all. You won’t be the first one they have seen with your obsessions, and you won’t be the last.

Making a habit of journaling is something I think everyone should do, OCD or not. Recapping your day, or writing out your goals for tomorrow, is an excellent way to stay mentally healthy. I also have had enjoyment out of looking back and seeing how far I have come. I really can’t recommend it enough.

Journaling on paper was good, but I found it much easier to use an app since my phone was on me at all times. I use Journey and Day One. I liked Journey a lot because it gave you quote prompts on each entry to get the creative juices flowing.

Journaling is an excellent tool to keep your mind fresh and happy. It makes you feel good and is useful later on if needed by your therapist or even your friends and family. With OCD, documenting my symptoms helped my psychologist map out a game plan to destroy my OCD and it worked amazingly!