Looking to sleep better and heal faster? We’re not talking about exercise–there’s another champion of self-care that’s also one of the best addiction recovery tools out there: it’s journaling.
As little as 15 minutes of writing a day can improve memory, mindfulness, and mood and make sense of things when your life has turned upside down–or more accurately, right side up–after addiction. Here are 23 addiction recovery journal prompts for you to try.
23 Writing Prompts for Recovery & Daily Recovery Questions
There are a few different approaches you could take when journaling. You could write free-form about whatever pops into your mind at the moment without any guide or prompt. But when you’re not sure what to write about, answering thought-provoking questions about recovery, your feelings, or your past is a great way to process this major life event.
These 23 suggestions will range from specific questions to broad ideas to explore. Either type is capable of providing a better understanding of how you got where you are today, highlighting your triumphs and acknowledging rough patches, and a safe space to reflect on the past and future.
Prompts if you’re just starting the recovery process
- What scares me most about recovery?
- What would I be doing right now if I wasn’t in recovery?
- Write a goodbye letter to things, people, or behaviors I know aren’t healthy and want to leave behind.
- What did I do to strengthen my recovery today?
Prompts if you’re struggling to find motivation
- List 10 things you’re most grateful for since being in recovery.
- What do I want to accomplish tomorrow? What steps can I take to set myself up for success and how will that benefit my long-term recovery journey?
- When I meet new people, what do I want them to think about me?
- When do I feel most in tune with myself?
Prompts for dealing with setbacks
- What’s the last mistake I made that made me feel ashamed? Why did I feel that way?
- What emotions am I holding on to? What hurts right now? How can I find relief?
- What’s the most recent instance where I didn’t set healthy boundaries? What happened because of it and how could the outcome have been different?
- What distractions get in the way of being my most productive?
Prompts for living in the moment
- If my body could talk, it would say….
- What was the highlight of my day?
- What are the things in my home that are the most “me”?
Prompts for self-discovery
- What three important things have you learned from previous relationships?
- How can you better support and appreciate your loved ones?
- What are 10 words you’d use to describe yourself? Now list the 10 words you want to use. How can you make that happen?
- What’s something new I’ve learned about myself since getting sober?
Prompts for tracking your progress
- Where was I 1,3, or 5 years ago? What differences am I most proud of?
- What would my friends and loved ones say are the biggest ways I’ve changed (for the better)?
- What things can I appreciate better now because I’m sober?
- What have I learned about myself during the recovery process?
The Benefits of Journaling for Addiction Recovery
Science has shown that putting pen to paper can have real, tangible benefits on our health. These benefits include lowering blood pressure, boosting the immune system, and improving liver functionality. However, it’s journaling’s benefits for psychological well-being and cognition that make it so deeply beloved by the addiction recovery community.
Journaling helps us process our feelings and work through emotions that are difficult to express, like those related to traumatic experiences. This is why writing down our thoughts is a powerful outlet for people struggling with mental illness like anxiety or depression but is particularly beneficial for those in recovery.
The isolating nature of drug use can leave people feeling isolated and estrange them from loved ones who, after recovery, may not have a support network to express themselves to. There’s also the high probability that those newly in recovery haven’t been alone with their thoughts in a long time and aren’t sure how to deal with them. Journaling provides a safe, judgment-free place to lay out their thoughts–and because it’s so widely accepted as part of mainstream culture, it’s a practice a person can take up without feeling gimmicky and self-conscious.
Another easy way to support your recovery journey is to participate in Alcoholics Anonymous or other 12-step meeting groups. Find an AA group near you, today.
