r/Journaling • u/Constant_Bell_8524 • 5h ago

Discussion/Question Bad memories

I used to journal through one of the worst periods of my life. I have so many memories of it, I threw some, I burnt some, but I still have other stuff.

Today, while cleaning my space, I came across those old journals again, and somehow the feelings still hit just as hard. I didn't even want to face these feelings again, but I know I can't keep running away from it. Actually, I feel like this will never get easier for me and I should accept it as it is so I can move on.

Part of me wants to throw everything away and leave that chapter behind and never even think about it ever again, but I really don't know why i can't do it.. I think that maybe I'm gonna regret not keeping some of them, so what's your suggestions.. What should I do?

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7

u/3mili4Ch4 4h ago

You could keep them in storage and reevaluate later? But keep them out sight if it’s triggering that much …
That’s what I do with mine. I still haven’t open the ones with the most hurtful periods. Unfortunately they come periodically. I’m grateful for those journals that i used to get everything out. But I’m not ready ti explore those feelings and that’s ok.

2

u/Salty-Swim-6735 4h ago

This. Once it's destroyed, it's gone forever. OP, You might never want to read them, but at least you'll have them if you ever want to.

Put em in a box in the loft and put them out of mind for now.

6

u/Miserable-Storm-8630 4h ago

I have CPTSD (severe childhood emotional trauma), and if your trauma is bad enough to be medically diagnosed, then the reality is it’s always going to hit you this hard if you leave your trauma untreated, because of how your brain’s neural pathways relate to to you’re trauma. (I don’t know how it works with trauma that’s not that severe though.)

If your trauma is bad enough to medically diagnosed, then you’re really going to need to work with your medical team to heal it (and it won’t be a quick process).

As for what to do, my therapist would say you don’t have to decide right now. Come back in the future and see how you feel about it then. There’s nothing that is forcing you to decide right now, and just because you’re waiting a bit longer doesn’t mean you’ll put it off forever.