My grandmother (who exhibits many covert narcissistic behaviors) took my journal while i was at school and photocopied it to show everyone. I was her scapegoat, so it was important to her to do whatever she could to turn everyone against me in whatever way she could. I've struggled with journaling since, but I'll keep working through it.
I am sorry to hear this. I can relate 100% to your situation. In my case, it was my aunt. She took my journal and had a field day with it. To this day, I no longer trust her or others who were read my deepest thoughts. I loved journaling but am slowly getting back to it. The struggle is being true to myself within the pages though. Good luck!!
6 days in at 30 minutes each day. Been an addict for 28 years and this is the first time I’ve gone on a 6-day no use streak. Very cathartic and transformative! Where has this been my whole life? I set a timer and just start writing. It was very hard emotionally at first but I know find it much easier to write about feelings I mask and escape through my addictions. Will definitely keep going!
Write about most traumatic/difficult experience in life Ensure you're prepared to deal with this experience Write for 15-30 minutes 4 writing sessions (one a week) Don't stop writing Ignore grammar and errors Include: -Facts about the event -How you felt about said event and how you feel now - Any associations with the event Review each writing session one week later Mark the words that reflect negative and/or positive emotions across the 4 writing sessions Normal to feel negative emotions immediately after or following writing sessions Recommended to do earlier in the day and not before going to sleep
nice. youre forgetting the fact that early childhood trauma can result in having no memories whatsoever. or not knowing what feelings are. that's not something to do alone.
YES!! Thank you!! As an ophthalmologist I can see how this protocol might activate the same areas in the brain that EMDR activates. I jumped right into the 4 days consecutive writing on the most dramatic trauma of my life. I " discovered" incredible details on day 2. I can see how the brain blocked the specific details and remained frozen in panic mode. I LOVE this protocol and it is truly working for me. My GI symptoms improved. I did an additional burning and forgiveness protocol with the many hand written pages that I had written. I used a pencil to write about 20-26 minutes. The scratching on the paper gives more feedback in the brain and the memory and emotions get more easily activated. The protocol is pure LOVE. Love of the self. Thank you Andrew. I do love you!!😍
day four of consecutive journaling complete of 20 Minute entries of my most traumatic event in my life….my take away, my whole outlook of the situation flipped by day 4 and I feel like a weighted blanket has been removed from Soul. my language changed from All negative feelings and talk to a gratitude for living thru it and finally making sense of what really happened. Now let’s see what the future holds 🎉 happy new years folks
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 📜 *Introduction to Journaling Protocol* - A specific journaling protocol supported by over 200 peer-reviewed studies is discussed. - The protocol is known for its significant impact on mental and physical health. - It is distinct from other forms of journaling like gratitude journaling or daily diary entries. 07:28 📚 *Origins and Research by James Pennebaker* - Dr. James Pennebaker's research into this journaling form began in the mid-'80s. - He meticulously studied the impact of this protocol on various populations, including students, veterans, and the general public. - Pennebaker's work laid the foundation for this journaling method's effectiveness. 13:57 📝 *Specific Instructions for the Journaling Protocol* - Detailed instructions for implementing the journaling protocol are provided. - Participants are encouraged to write continuously for 15 to 30 minutes about their most challenging life experiences. - The protocol involves writing about the same difficult experience four times on consecutive days for optimal results. 19:41 🕒 *Managing Emotions and Transitioning After Journaling* - After completing the journaling exercise, individuals may experience distress, anxiety, or sadness. - It's essential to allocate time for post-journaling quiet reflection and self-composure. - Preparing for the transition back to everyday life is crucial after writing about deeply challenging experiences. 20:48 📝 *The Journaling Protocol Overview* - Journaling about difficult experiences for four consecutive days. - Variations include journaling once a week. - Focuses on recalling and writing about challenging events or experiences. 25:13 💬 *Low Expressors vs. High Expressors* - Low expressors use fewer descriptive words and have lower initial emotional distress. - High expressors use more negative language and have higher initial emotional distress. - Both groups benefit from the journaling protocol. 30:18 📚 *Natural Emotion Vocabularies* - The language people naturally use reflects their emotional state. - Negative language is associated with negative emotions. - Positive language is associated with positive emotions. 36:08 🖋️ *Writing Instructions for the Protocol* - Include facts about the difficult experience. - Write about emotions felt during and now about the experience. - Establish links between the negative experience and other aspects of life. 41:07 🌟 *Positive Mental and Physical Changes* - The protocol has long-lasting positive effects on physical and mental health. - It can reduce symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, and other conditions. - While not a cure, it provides significant relief for various health issues. 43:14 📜 *Overview of the Writing Protocol and Its Effects* - The writing protocol discussed in this episode has been studied extensively in over 200 peer-reviewed studies. - Participants who engage in this specific form of emotional writing show significant improvements in both mental and physical health compared to control groups. 48:04 🩸 *Impact of Emotional Writing on Immune Function* - Emotional writing about traumatic or stressful experiences can impact immune function, particularly specific types of immune cells called T-lymphocytes. - High disclosers, who reveal more in their writing, experience greater immune activation compared to low disclosers, highlighting the role of emotional intensity. 59:02 🧠 *Mechanism of Neuroplasticity and Its Role* - Neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to change in response to experience, plays a pivotal role in the positive effects of emotional writing. - Traumatic experiences often reduce activity in the prefrontal cortex, while increasing activity in subcortical structures, impacting emotional and physiological responses. 01:04:21 🧠 *Understanding Prefrontal Cortex Functions* - Prefrontal cortex's role in sophisticated functions, - Neuroimaging studies show reduced activity in recalling stressful events, - Deepening recollection and increasing narrative coherence in journaling positively impacts prefrontal cortex. 01:12:16 🧩 *Connecting Trauma, Narrative Coherence, and Honesty* - Stressful and traumatic events can fracture narrative coherence, - Truthful reporting and narrative coherence positively impact the prefrontal cortex, - Increased prefrontal cortex activity leads to better emotional regulation and mental health. 01:20:36 📝 *The Power of Truth-Telling and Neuroplasticity* - Truth-telling leads to increased prefrontal cortex activity, - Neuroplasticity occurs, improving understanding of stressful events, - Enhanced coherence and reduced autonomic activity positively impact mental and physical health. 01:26:49 📖 *Overview of Journaling Protocol* - The journaling protocol discussed in the video has several key attributes: *- It's a cost-effective practice with minimal time commitment.* *- It involves emotional intensity, which correlates with its effectiveness.* *- The protocol is flexible and can be completed in four consecutive days or spread over a month.* *- Supported by over 200 peer-reviewed studies, it has enduring positive effects on mental and physical health.* 01:29:50 📝 *Components of the Journaling Protocol* - The journaling protocol consists of specific components: *- Writing about the same event for four writing sessions.* *- Each session lasts 15 to 30 minutes, with continuous writing.* *- Grammar and spelling are not crucial, but some coherence is useful.* *- You identify negative and positive words in your writing.* *- Optionally, you can analyze the coherence of your writing.* 01:31:14 🤐 *Confidentiality and Sharing* - Confidentiality is crucial in this protocol. *- Your journaling is for your eyes only and should be stored securely.* *- Sharing should only be done with dedicated healthcare professionals to avoid causing trauma to others.* *- Third-party trauma, known as observational trauma, can occur when sharing stressful experiences.* *- It's essential to consider the potential emotional impact on yourself before sharing.* Made with HARPA AI
Thank you Dr. H. I’m a therapist and have always loved Pennebaker. I would just add that Pennebaker had a “freak out rule” and he said if ur ever writing and feel like you are getting too deep and are going to “freak out” to just stop and go do something you enjoy w people you love so that’s the only thing I would add to your wonderful podcast!
I was just thinking that people should be sure they have 'someone' to talk to if it gets too intense. Not everyone does, so it's something that some will need to plan out
Hey, hi -- thanks for commenting. Since you're knowledgable about this protocol perhaps you can answer this question: are there any instructions about thinking or ruminating about this experience between writing sessions? Are we intended to think about it while writing then drop it until the next writing session? If not, of course, doing this over four weeks is going to affect the thinking and writing differently than doing it over four days. So, to be succinct, should we or should we not continue thinking about this topic in between the writing sessions. "Freak out rule", wow, that's a flash back to my hippie days -- Also the direction to do something fun with people 'you love' immediately thereafter sounds like the most stressful instruction of all -- like take the day off *everything* and just "have fun" or call your boyfriend and ask him to leave work because you love him and you're 'freaking out" . . .possibly doable for the college students who 'freak out'.?The rest of us, not so much. . . . . . But I digress -- please let me know about any rules regarding thinking about the writing topic between writing sessions.That seems like a really important issue to me. Cheers!
@@johannachaput4874 Pennebaker did not define “freak out” as far as I know. I assume it means if you feel you are going to unravel, emotionally flood or be unsafe
@@hubermanlabthats sweet, it be like, how to use laughter for better health, mood, learning etc. I have observe myself when I laugh, there is multiple sighing, I tried to do it artificially, it gives the some what same effect. Please sir, need more clarification on this.
This is basically Written Exposure Therapy (WET). I'm a trauma therapist and its incredible the difference just 5 sessions of this makes for people. Literally life changing
Mia kara, la komplikaj 💡 komplikaĵoj de la homa menso estas nenio malpli ol mirigaj. La potenco de sugesto per 🧠 hipnotterapio pruvis efika por trakti multajn mensajn problemojn kaj plibonigi homan agadon en diversaj 💪 aspektoj. Kaj ni ne preteratenti la monumentan progreson, kiu estis farita ekde la 💡 Nobelpremio-venko de Einstein en 1921. La apero de 💻komputiloj kaj la deĉifrado de DNA-strukturo🧬 estas evoluoj kiuj transformis la ŝtofon de nia ekzisto. Nun, kun la trarompa novigado de 🤖 AI-ebligitaj hipertalamaj horloĝoj, ni havas senprecedencan ŝancon malŝlosi 🔓 kognajn plibonigojn kiuj spitas imagon. 🤯
I have done this twice now about two different events and it has been transformative. What were deeply traumatic and difficult things in my past that I couldn’t really deal with are now just memories- things that happened. It feels crazy. Also I came to realise that a lot of things that I thought of as profound character defects could be traced back to coping with these two events. Things like avoidance and procrastination and self esteem issues that have really thwarted me my entire life no longer feel like me. It’s so weird. I would never have imagined that this would impact me so much. I’m really intrigued to see how long term these changes are. Thank you!
It's awesome that they actually measured the physiological results of writing out ones pain, and studied it to come to the conclusion that 15 to 30 min spent writing four different iterations of the same pain within a month improves our life in a lasting and significant way. Thank you for making what you know so accessible.
I didn't realise this was a thing, however, I can attest that it works! My partner died 5 yrs ago and I was, unfortunately, the one that found him. It was the most horrific time of my life! At the time I was two weeks out from finishing an associate degree in creative writing and was writing a 2500 word biography about him, which suddenly had a very different ending. Uni gave me a very generous extension to finish this unit due to the circumstances and I could only write for about 20mins per day, even then I don't know how I wrote that much. I swear that writing about that traumatic experience, bit by bit, was the only reason I don't have PTSD ❤️❤️❤️
Five months ago I stopped drinking in large part due to Andrew’s well-known video on the topic. I took up journaling at that time and now I MAKE THE JOURNALS.
I mean congrats and I'm happy but you needed andrew to tell you drinking I'm bad for your health? Just in case if you are smoking Crack or shooting meth quit now don't wait for dr hubberman to make a show about it 😂
I'm a millennial and I started journaling on Livejournal in 2003 because everybody I knew was doing it. All my posts have been private since 2011 but I'm still writing about my thoughts and feelings using my original LJ account 20 years after. There has always been something so healing and soothing for me whenever I allow myself to simply type away my release. I felt a sense of grace upon watching this episode because I apparently have been doing something right to take care of myself all these years.
I was recommended this protocal 3 years ago when i developed an auto immune condition. My massage therapist at the time kindly pointed out that I had a very stressed body energy and that this protocal could very much help me. She was right and i have tried to suggest it to many of my friends, after I experienced massive relief. My auto immune condition went into remission and my constant body aches diaapeared. Another benefit i got was less fear of people. I admit I also changed my diet and exercised more, but the journaling uniquely affected me. Thank you for using your influence to recommend this to a wider audience!
Thank you Dr. Hubberman. I did this practice immediately after listening to the episode. It helped me so much. It revealed a lot to me and released a lot of negative emotion that's been sitting there in my body for about a year or so because I was so scared and overwhelmed to face them. I felt anxious throughout the practice but by the end I became more emotionally detached from the pain surrounding the event. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This is life changing. I will use it again with more things that I need to process. Greetings from Egypt
I think this exercise encapsulates what David Goggins was talking about when mentioning "fighting your demons" or "going deep into the dungeon" and cleaning it up. Just materializing, writing down all your fears and traumas is like "confronting a dragon". If you will not confront it, it will stay in your subconscious and will eat you from the inside.
I did this protocol last night. Week1. Very powerful. Then I watched Bishop Barron’s Sunday sermon for 1st Sunday of Advent mentioning dysfunctional families. I was bawling 😭. Slept real good 💤
I did this "process" by accident 33 years ago when I was having kidney issues. Chief of nephrology at Northwestern Hospital said there was nothing he could do for me. Short version: found minister. He told me to write forgiveness letters and read out loud(a witness) next mtg. I poured my guts out. Wailing. All the pain coming out. (Then I started visualizing healthy kidney). Forward: mtg with chief of nephrology: he looked perplexed as he said I was OK. It was hard. But worth it. Mind/body/spirit, all connected . ❤
I have just finished the protocol and it is truly transformative and life changing experience. I went with the most traumatic experience and the first time was absolutely horrible emotionally, but a lot of hidden information came to the surface. The last one was almost positive with a lot of "what did this experience bring" and new angles to look at it. Now I feel as if I cleaned a part of my brain and made it nice and tidy and neat. I can only recommend it. I feel amazing, sleep amazing and I didn't get sick while all my coworkers and my partner did. Thank you Dr. Huberman ❤
Since I started listening to Huberman, I have been living a much healthier lifestyle. Three times of 2-hour hill hiking in the morning, getting a good sleep at night, eating a well-balanced meals, gazing out of the window view for several mornings in the morning to expose to the sunlight etc.. But this journaling protocol is absolutely something new to me. I will start this process tomorrow, anything helps to improve my brain. Thanks a lot as usual.
Though not a neuroscientist - but a writer and cancer survivor - I have always believed in the benefits of trauma writing and links between writing and recovery. Thank you for doing the good work that you do, Andrew. It can only help humanity.
I've been doing this journaling protocol for over a month now, and let me tell you my anxiety level has dramatically decreased and my head feels clearer!
This protocol was super intense (did 4 consecutive days) but I was glad to have a framework to use to process this big event in my history. Thanks for making it available, and for making the framework so clear. Very much appreciated!
I suffered extreme childhood trauma and tragedy...Now at 40, I had been looking in to starting journaling and came across this video. Watching it has made me anxious, however, that's the reason this is a protocol I'm going to implement as I implement journaling in to my daily routine.
This form of journaling is one of the most effective and oldest practices in history. I've spent hours doing this and dug deep into every hard experience I've experienced and it brought some of the most impactful healing in my life. Highly recommended!
hi just wanted some clarity.When writing about a traumatic experience 4 times, does this only act as a release or does it somehow end up resolving emotional conflict associated with the trauma.I m thinking on the lines of why such a practice wont open a wound instead of healing it
Gives a whole new (ancient?) meaning and context to the religious teaching “the truth shall set you free”. This is probably the best Huberman lab episode of all time and that’s saying a lot.
Had the worst breakup of my life recently. From one day to the next she decided to call it quits. The day before we talked about kids and marriage. Had the second session yesterday. Haven’t cried that much since childhood. Felt really bad immediately afterwards but then relief. I have the impression the pain is less strong, even though I still think about it a lot. Looking forward to the next two sessions even though it‘ll be painful. At some point I thought I‘ll never be ok. Now I know I will. Thank you!
As a clinical psychologist I have been interested in Pennebakers work for a while, but I had no idea of the depth and power of the specific protocol that, as always, Prof Huberman describes with customary clarity and depth. Yet another fascinating podcast which has very practical implications for any human being. Brilliant!
Andrew, I too have stacks and stacks of journals, and have thrown away several. My life was traumatic and I wrote about it a lot. I was raised in the early 70s when parents got away with murder. I grew up in an environment unsafe for children. People like me and who are far more traumatized than I am have found tremendous relief from the writing techniques that Crappy Childhood Fairy teaches. She’s got a website and she’s got a RUclips channel. Please speak with her at some point in the future- The world needs you both to amplify the message of hope for healing our hearts and lives with a free technique.
After listening to this podcast on Sunday, I immediately launched into 4 days of writing about a situation that still held a lot of pain, confusion, and blocked emotion from when I was 30, I'm 50 now. I started each session with 15 minutes of a breathwork pattern - circular breathing 3 count inhale, 3 count exhale - that can tap into the subconscious state, and then I wrote furiously for 30 minutes (I set my timer for that long outta the gate because I'm verbose).What I did at the end of each session is definitely not scientific, however, I was confounded by the results. I drew cards from two divining type of decks I have and just saw what they had to share, which ended up being completely applicable and sometimes even matching sentences I had just written. So yes, I am a fan of this journaling technique. I am amazed by the emotional, mental layers that peeled back through each session, completing the journey with more self-compassion, more empathy for those I felt failed me, more openness. I've already implemented breathing and writing sessions at the mental health/rehab centers that I work at, though not as long and intense, but with good results. Thanks for the tip Dr. Huberman!
I just completed the fourth session of this writing protocol.I will re-visit this protocol as I found it really helpful. As someone who has kept a journal for years, I was doing some of this without knowing it, but doing it intentionally was really liberating. In my case, this was a little tricky though in that the traumatic event was really a series of events related to my sister's addiction which wasn't (and probably never is) a straight line and then the subsequent neglect of her child/my niece and it's impact on my parents who took over guardianship. I was able to see how my narrative changed from the first to the fourth session and I uncovered a lot of feelings that I was definitely harboring. I realized that I've felt complicit and responsibility for the mess made by my sister. So great to untangle these feelings. For a very different way to approach healing through writing, I also recommend "The Thorn Necklace: Healing through Writing" by Francesca Lia Block. Similar idea in that, by making yourself the hero of your own story, you can look more squarely and realistically at the challenges you've faced and move forward. She gives you steps.
Just when I think this podcast can't get any better, this happens! I am a huge fan of writing to process my emotions and this structure sounds like solid gold. I am diving into the 4 consecutive days, starting right now. Ripping off the bandaid.
I completed my 1st session of this writing yesterday after resisting it for about a week. I’ve decided to continue for four consecutive days. Here are some of my thoughts on the morning of day two. One of the things apparent to me was the ‘leaning away,’ feeling mentioned in the podcast. It was strong. Even after I had decided to do this, those feelings led me to procrastinate. They seemed strange, as I knew what I wanted to write about, and didn’t anticipate that my feelings or the knowledge about the event would be any different than they already were. I’m now glad that I overcame them, and they feel less intense coming up to the second session. My first feeling afterwards was relief. Relief that I went there and, more importantly, that I came back. There were aspects that I hadn’t allowed myself to revisit in any depth until then, the main one being the sense of shock, that ‘the bottom just dropped out of my world,’ feeling. That was the toughest part of the writing, and the point where I cried the most. Moving past that, and continuing with facts, the tears stopped surprisingly quickly. I won’t deny that it was painful, but for me that pain was manageable. I called a friend beforehand and let her know what I was doing. I knew that I could call her for support. I also planned time to recover and gave myself permission to go back to bed, get under the quilt, and stay there for as long as I needed. For me this was an important part of the process. A feature of many traumatic events seems to be the element of surprise, and in the aftermath it can be a struggle to do what we need to do to care for ourselves. There can be an overriding urge to get back to normal or continue with our day as planned. I find it difficult to adjust my plans when my emotions are too strong to allow me to reason, which is why I planned for recovery. Aside from the content of my writing, these are the four factors that seem to be the most important for me about this exercise. This is just my experience, obviously it will be different for others, and I’d be interested to hear from anyone else who has tried it. 1 - leaning away: feelings were strong and I struggled to understand why I was having them, but they are less coming up to the 2nd session. 2 - time factor: the writing had a defined end, the situation I was writing about didn’t. 3 - control: I intentionally revisited the situation on my own terms, and I came back to the present on my own terms too. 4 - preparation: I anticipated tough emotions and made a commitment to treat myself kindly afterwards. While I do feel good today, I cannot say with any certainty that this exercise was a factor in that. I may feel terrible tomorrow, or later today. This is just my personal experience and I’m not in a position to recommend this exercise to anyone. It is an exercise in intentionally feeling emotional pain and, although the evidence shows many benefits, it shouldn’t be approached carelessly. I do, however, feel grateful that I did it and am interested to see how my feelings change as I continue.
Thanks for sharing your approach. This was thoughtful, considerate of yourself, and, in my unprofessional opinion, a well thought out approach. Good luck completing the task. I'm going to give it a go myself.
I listened to this episode after a particularly painful breakup about 4 months ago. Thank you. This tool has helped my mental health. I followed the steps and am now regularly journaling, which has been life saving. Thank you for helping me. Thank you for sharing this incredible healing method.
I'm so happy you have a segment on this! I've been teaching Write To Heal, an expressive writing meets creative writing class, for 3+ years & Dr. James Pennebaker's research was the catalyst. The podcast description has me jumping for joy because all of those things are accurate! EW improves mood, moves trauma out of the body, supports rewiring, improves the immune system, helps folks with time & stress management, etc! I also use the psychological breath in my workshops - after learning it from you! So excited to listen!
Thank you for going over this protocol in such detail. Our world needs this. I’ve always kept 2 journals, my regular and positive journal and my “dark journal” where I’ve written about hurtful instances , basically written vomit. Thankfully it has only a few entries. Then put it away. But I’ve never done the deep dive you describe. I will try it. I really appreciate how you gather evidence based science and explain why things work and how we can do better. Thank you!
I have been patiently waiting for this one since you touched on it in the AMA with great eagerness. Since childhood I have felt drawn to journaling and it's been a loyal friend to me over the years. Now I cannot wait to find out why it is so powerful, what the practice facilitates as well as more inspiration to continue re-dedicating myself to it again and again (which is necessary). Thank you so much Andrew!
This is really awesome, Andrew! In my world we call it a "Clarity Break" you take 15 minutes, write 3 subjects you may want to write about (problem, situations, current feeling), and by process of elimination and priority, you pick which one to write about. Next, you do a brain dump and write for 15 minutes. Take, 1 minute and relax with deep breathing. Very cool stuff "A" thanks 🙏
You are helping so many people. I have tried so many of the protocols that you have talked about on your show, and they have helped me so much with my mental health. You are truly living out of your divine purpose.
I honestly can not believe all the useful information Andrew provides us with...and to be given this information FREE of charge! Only thing I pay is the WIFI to watch on RUclips lol. I'll take that any day. It's refreshing just to know there's someone out there who truly wants people to be happy with their lives and in their life. I'm over here just taking notes till smoke comes out me ears lol. I've used more than one of Andrew's episodes to help better my life and all I can say is, this guy has helped me more than my own doctors have. Started the carnivore diet, being a person who's lived with chronic pain due to a severe car accident and I'm on day 4 and of course the pain isn't gone, but I can tell it's subsided. I've been doing a lot of resistance Strengthening and yoga. Feeling good! Thanks Andrew, for Caring enough to steer us all in the right direction in life. ❤
I got into a terrible car wreck when I was 18 and started journaling my thoughts out just because I felt like it. Looking back at it now I realize how much It helped me get over the feelings I was having. It’s so interesting to see that there’s research backing the benefits of what I did unknowingly at the time.
As people have said time and time again: the relevance of the topics discussed on the HL Podcast can be eearily relevant. Thus, the experience is so for me this week. Thank you for this episode, Dr Huberman. You rock!
How amazing our bodies are!! I didn't put two and two together with writing on the healing process of auto immunity like Lupus and Fibromyaliga until today as I hear you speak. But as I recall personal improvement a week or so after writing I realize this must be why.. Isn't it so amazing how we are so wonderfully created. This is why a whole body aproch is so important in healing. I hope many doctors hear this podcast. Thank you for all you do! You are a fine teacher with a tonality that draws one too want to learn from you. Truly a gift 🎁 Thank You❤
This is interesting, to write/journal about a particular negative experience. I actually did exactly this a few years ago when I was smoking marijuana. The marijuana triggered like a psychosis in me and a lot of suppressed emotions/memories resurfaced and instinctly, I knew I needed to write it all down to feel better. As I wrote everything down, I could feel the emotions. Because of that experience, I now write in my journal regularly.
That happened to me last night, it triggered my psychosis and i never want to feel that way again. Im done with weed and i dont drink neither so i need to stop suppressing my emotions and heal and talk properly and nice to myself. I hope youre doing okay and youre not alone
I have the same story, smoked weed and had a panic attack, slowly it gets better, this really helps me fight my anxiety and my panic is starting to vanish. I probably won’t ever smoke again and am now starting to express my emotions and some “traumas” from my childhood
As far as the journaling goes, it's been somewhat of a miracle. I just completed my 3rd session. Unexpected improvement regarding the the actual "difficult situation"; incredible turn of character with respect to the written material itself. Thanks a lot!
I am an avid journalizer. I’ve tried several methods. Did something like this for therapy to overcome abuse and trauma. I did it until it wasn’t beneficial to me. I then destroyed all of the writing to help me psychologically move on from my past. It was a signal to my brain I could let all of that go and it wasn’t part of my present or future. I think it’s great you are sharing this. I think this can benefit a lot of people. 😇
This podcast has been the most impactful to me thus far. I have listened to it 3 times, about to listen a 4th time and take notes. I started therapy last week and next week plan an accelerated TMS protocol with Spravato. I plan to exercise this writing protocol next week also. I know it's a lot all at once, but I'm ready!
This entire journaling protocol adds a scientific basis for the saying - our secrets are buried alive. I really appreciate learning this. I've been doing neurofeedback sessions for 2 months and can feel the changes to my brain and emotional bandwidth, and I want to continue to increase my neuroplasticity with this exercise.
Thank you again for another great tool 🙏a proof of concept for the value of not repressing or suppressing our fears and emotions. Systematic desensitization and exposure therapy can be great. I believe the body can do amazing things if we can just allow it. I had serious mental health issues after a divorce with a strong sense of hopelessness and suicidal ideations. I didn’t journal but when I was able to truly self reflect by surrendering my ego along with recognizing the need for self love and compassion I was able to overcome. I faced what I needed to. Now I’m healthy exercising regularly eating clean lost 35 lbs and learning self care through many tools from Dr Hubberman. Keep up the great work. 😊
It feels 'uncomfortable' to face the emotions during the writing. That is why, it can be very difficult to initiate the writing. But after the writing sessions, it feels so good!! Mind blowing. Life changing.
Wow, thank you for this reminder of the Hoberman writing exercise. I had an english teacher in high school in the late 80s who would do this each year in her class. I had already lived through some very traumatic events at that young age. These exercises were very helpful, and I have used it throughout my life. I will say that each time I have done this exercise, it takes everything out of me, and I generally have to sleep a lot afterward. Being truthful with yourself about your feelings and memories is important to heal from trauma. Generally, I see improvement in PTSD episodes and my Fibromyalgia symptoms. Similar to when you do a deep detox protacal, if you prepare yourself to go through the healing process, getting adequate fluids, good nutrition, fresh air, sunlight, and sleep, your progress can be very positive and affective going forward. At first, it can be painful but then envigorating. ❤ I plan to save this and share it with other. I knew how helpful it was for me but I didn't know all the benefits it truly provides.
Important comment you made! Thank you for sharing. (And yep- same here...I end up sleeping an extra hour or two and still feeling tired on nights when I'm processing what I wrote. Definitely very real, very deep work.) ❤️🩹
I shared this protocol with my therapist and she uses this for many of her clients. She shared much of what you shared as well, but had never heard of you! She has now! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Just watched this episode and thinking about the tragic event of my life made me cry but I will do this exercise, to at least get the pent up emotions and feelings out of my body. Thank you Dr. Huberman.
I completed this exercise today. I found the re-reading and circling of negative/positive ideas very helpful. The negative ideas far outweighed the positive at first, and then by the end, positive had completely taken over the page. Fascinating. I wrote down insights I had not realized before and was surprised to re-read as I had not remembered what I had written. I will continue this practice. Truly life-changing. Thank you.
Such actionable information! Pen, paper and 15 min times 4. Such a valuable exercise. I had never heard of this particular protocol. Thank you so much for your generosity in bringing this to us!
Imagining the waves of momentum this practice will instigate when implemented makes me smile. Thank you for your efforts in using science to bring people home.
Thank you for sharing this lesser known journaling protocol! I will definitely try it out. I noticed that I feel significantly better after wirting honestly about my experience and deep diving into/analyzing my negative emotions instead of just focusing on the positive or "rewriting" my story all together. It's amazing to see that science recognizes that the truth has such a possitve effect on our mind and body since most spiritual practices have had a notion of "the truth will set you free" or "the universe favors the truth" for millennia.
Wanted to pop in here to say thank you. One more day left of my second “subject”. One more left to write about next week. It’s so interesting what you learn and the links you see. Patterns you create from a belief made in a moment or moments of hurt. Absolutely love learning and love growing. Can’t wait to see the results. Appreciate your time, heart and knowledge. Bec 😊
I would say that this podcast is the best one yet ! I started practising this the day I listened to it and I can say for sure that in my mind, I have a coherent narrative of the traumatic events. It used to be in bits and pieces and all over the place in my head .. I will be starting with journaling the next event soon. Can’t thank you and your team enough!!
Thank you for your comment! I was hoping for some testimonies here. Also started practicing the protocol today and it's not been easy but I know it's necessary.
Thank you so much for sharing this protocol. I waited until after the holidays to write because I was afraid of how I might react going into the painful experiences of my past. But I’m very glad to report that I survived all 4 writings and feel like a weight is lifted. I feel lighter. I will share this episode with friends.
Been looking for some motivation to get into journaling, this might just be what I need to kick start the habit! Thanks as always for the fantastic work you do :)
Your dad said no to journalism yet here you are still wrapped in the wonderfully transformative world of words🤭 Thank you Dr. Huberman, team, sponsors and supporters☀️ My sister and I will be adding this to our morning prayer routine
Yes, in case we share it, it should be with a trauma informed mental health professional 🙏 Somehow this reminds me a bit of EMDR… I have been applying this journaling and it does work for real. But I got to it from other venues… Acting school and Chubbock Technique. And before we embark in this project is important we learn tools of expanding tolerance window (from polyvagal theory) I use it with somatics… this creates a level of awareness without being completely identified so that we dont get carried away for too long. Thank you very much Dr Huberman 🙏
Interesting about EMDR... I wonder if the eye movement of writing so quickly and continuously is somehow connected to why this process is so beneficial.
The fact that I couldn’t listen to more than 37 minutes of this episode before it triggered an almost anxiety attack, tells me this is something I probably should be doing. I really REALLY don’t want to dig back into that event but looks like I’ll do it over my Christmas break. Wondering whether it would be beneficial to talk it over with my therapist before, after or both.
I’m a therapist and I highly recommend you let your therapist know you are going to be attempting to undertake this humongous and deeply meaningful task. Just so you can have some support and be given some coping tools to use along the way. Good luck and Godspeed, my friend. 🙌✨
@MrBungle900 thank you for the experienced advise, greatly appreciated! I'll be reaching out to her before starting. Excited to get this block out of the way and start actually healing it
I was crying at 12 minutes and didn;t know why. I then realised I was viscerally reacting to a few events that started to run through my mind. So, I too think I probably really need this. My first thought was ..."I am far too old to even think of a future"...I am 67. Then I started to laugh: thinking..."grief...between 530 am the sunshine in the eyes, delaying coffee, exercise, intermittent fasting, a sleep routine and ice baths when do I do this damn thing Daddy Huberman? Perhaps a quick jot down in the ice bath? Good luck to you. Let's work on us both doing this for our mental health and wellbeing.
If you're dealing with BIG things, I'd recommend doing your first writing session in the presence of your therapist, just in case you need support. My thing was big but not 'panic attack' big, and I was not prepared for how activated I felt afterwards (after an hour or so I had to go for a long walk to work that feeling out of my body). I was really down after first two sessions too. Just did my third session now and I didn't feel emotional at all. And the cohesiveness is dramatically different. I'm also getting important insights each time, so that's a bonus.
@@mimig6511 you’re never far too old! Sounds like you’re killing it 😉 Hell im mid 30s and not even keeping up with all of those. I finally made it back and listened to the full episode and it was a far more positive experience than my first go. The benefits far out weigh keeping this old thing hidden and unprocessed. I’m on board, booked in to discuss it with my therapist and get some guidance, then I’m jumping right in it tackling this. I’ll see you on the other side late December! Heal well new friend MimiG 💚
Hearing how Dr. Huberman believes in God on another podcast makes so much sense to me. Since I started following God I found this podcast back in 2020 and so many of the podcasts would coincide with my healing process and growth as only God can do. Dr. Huberman: Thank you 🙏. Your channeling has been noticed. You change lives with posts like these, and as you would probably agree, being a conduit for God is the highest honor, and this is such an important service to God and humanity. Again, thank you so much.
This sounds so great to be implemented as a yearly practice, to help process the hardships and be able to start the new year in a better mental place. Thank you for sharing this!!! I've been doing something similar whenever I felt too anxious about something but knowing the specific protocols the scientists used, is a great addition!!!
This mans channel is an absolute Godsend. Thank you so much Andrew! Your videos helped me quite alcohol and weed permanently. I used to journal my thoughts too and would notice my life improving whenever I wrote down my struggles or accomplishments. I thought about picking up journaling again the other day.. low and behold you have a video that just came out about it!
I absolutely love your podcasts Andrew! A small piece of feedback re this one - the fast changing of camera angles is distracting, not something I've noticed before. Your service to humanity is immense, thank you
Today I watched another Dr. Huberman video and as per usual he has a captivating effect on me with his looks, his voice and how smart he is. I paused the video when I saw an expression in his face that made me feel happy for a bit. Happiness is not something that I am good at but watching Dr. Huberman videos helps me feel less alone and, of course, I have huge crush on him. I don't know much about his personal life but I wish he was single and I'd met him in a store and casually start chatting and end up falling for each other then sharing our lives until God decides to separate us for a tiny bit. My anxiety is bad because my mom just went through a very cruel episode of anxiety and panic that lasted a couple of weeks. I tried to stay strong for her but I do feel that sometimes it is too much trying to be strong for her and manage my own anxiety issues. It was too much that a few days ago I had an awful panic attack of such magnitude that it really made feel that all the progress I had done in years went back to zero in just a few minutes.
Just did Day 1. (Glad for the advice to take a few minutes at the end of the session, definitely needed it!) Thanks for highlighting this specific protocol and the science behind it: very interested to see what shakes loose.
Your videos are always there for when I'm in need, and I'm certain this pertains to many others who enjoy watching and learning about your protocols. You always thank us for our interest in science, but thank you Dr. H for sharing your expertise.
OMG, this pod cast but also the one you just did with Cam Hanes, unbelievable, you are so inspiring and it was a total pleasure to see you talking so candidly and with such a passion ❤thank you.
¡Hola Profe!I have been journaling since I was 5 or 6 years old. My first couple of journals were...well...insightful!During my most challenging times,in order to be brutally honest with myself and non judgemental , I developed a protocol for myself with only two rules. First,that I won't edit,rephrase or reread what I wrote.And second ,that after the note book will be full,I will destroy it.Somehow ,the second part was extremely helpful with "finalizing" and "letting go" of the situation. Now my journaling practice is more on "reflection" level.I will definitely try 4 day approach.Thank You ,for all Your are doing.Your hard work is genuinely appreciated.
Beautiful. I used to journal too since I was 6 or 7, till this day, and I'm currently 22, and during covid I wrote for a year and a half constantly over 600 pages trying to see myself objectively, through all the ups and downs. Writing rituals are so fun, and I'm always happy to discover new ones, and your writing rituals sounds interesting!
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:00 📚 *Today's discussion focuses on a specific journaling method supported by over 200 peer-reviewed studies, known for improving mental and physical health.* 01:38 🧠 *The journaling method discussed has surprising positive impacts on mental and physical health, including reducing anxiety, improving sleep, enhancing immunity, and alleviating symptoms of autoimmune disorders.* 02:45 🤔 *The discussed journaling method, somewhat cloistered in psychology and psychiatry, is introduced by Dr. James Pennebaker and involves writing about the most difficult experiences in one's life for 15 to 30 minutes.* 11:53 📝 *The specific instructions for the journaling exercise include writing about the most upsetting experience, exploring emotions and thoughts, tying the experience to various aspects of life, and allowing 15 to 30 minutes for writing.* 19:54 ⚖️ *The protocol suggests writing about the same difficult experience four times on consecutive days, with each writing session lasting 15 to 30 minutes, allowing for a profound impact on mental and physical health.* 21:15 📝 *The journaling protocol involves writing about the most difficult experience one can recall, repeating it four times over a month or 4-week period.* 23:18 🧠 *Trauma, as defined by Dr. Paul Kti, is an experience that modifies brain and neural circuitry, impacting emotional, behavioral, or cognitive function.* 25:13 🗣️ *Participants in the journaling protocol tend to fall into two groups: low expressors use less descriptive language, while high expressors use more negative language to describe distressing events.* 27:35 📊 *Both low and high expressors benefit from the journaling protocol, experiencing reduced distress and baseline stress levels three weeks, three months, and even years later.* 30:33 📜 *Natural emotion vocabularies, or patterns of language use, significantly impact emotional states. Those using more negative words naturally tend to have more negative emotions.* 34:56 📉 *Patterns of language use change over the four journal entries, with a shift toward using fewer negative words and more positive words, indicating emotional processing and positive transformation.* 38:45 🚫 *It's crucial not to monitor language too closely during the writing protocol; the focus should be on personal expression rather than creating a polished piece for others.* 41:19 🌐 *The journaling protocol shows significant and long-lasting positive physical changes, such as reduced symptoms in conditions like chronic anxiety, insomnia, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome.* 44:42 📊 *The journaling protocol involves specific measurements, with the experimental group writing about distressing experiences and the control group engaging in mechanical writing, emphasizing emotional content as a key variable.* 47:24 🩸 *Journaling about traumas has been shown to impact immune function, specifically the activation of T-lymphocytes, indicating a link between emotional expression and physiological responses.* 49:27 📝 *High disclosers, those who reveal more in their writing, show a greater immune response compared to low disclosers, highlighting the significance of the emotional intensity during the writing exercise.* 52:29 💡 *Writing about distressing experiences led to a more robust activation of T-lymphocytes when challenged with an immune-activating substance, demonstrating a connection between emotional expression and immune system function.* 56:37 🔄 *The mechanism behind the positive effects of the journaling protocol involves tapping into neuroplasticity, particularly the impact on the prefrontal cortex's reduced activity during the recounting of stressful experiences.* 01:06:51 🧠 *The coherence of the narrative in journaling, i.e., the story-like structure, increases with each subsequent writing bout, leading to a better understanding of the traumatic event.* 01:07:33 📝 *The writing exercise involves recalling facts, emotions, and connections related to the traumatic event, providing a unique and factual report of one's experience.* 01:08:16 🧘♂️ *Neuroimaging data indicates that the distressing journaling exercise increases baseline activity in key areas of the prefrontal cortex, associated with improvements in trauma symptoms over time.* 01:09:12 🔄 *Counterintuitively, revisiting a stressful event through emotional and detailed writing bouts can lead to relief from stress over time, contrary to distress itself reducing prefrontal cortex activity.* 01:12:16 🤔 *Traumatic experiences may induce a reduction in prefrontal cortex activity, creating a lack of coherence in the narrative and a confusion about responsibility, which the journaling protocol aims to address.* 01:15:46 💡 *Studies show that truth-telling, with a coherent narrative, increases activity in the prefrontal cortex, suggesting neuroplasticity, and enhancing regulation of subcortical structures involved in emotional responses.* 01:20:24 🎲 *Stimulation of the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex through transcranial magnetic stimulation increases honesty in reporting, indicating a link between prefrontal cortex activity and truthful representation of experiences.* 01:22:41 🧠 *The prefrontal cortex's role in organizing understanding and coherence of experiences may explain positive shifts in mental and physical health observed in response to the journaling protocol.* 01:24:17 📚 *The mechanistic understanding suggests that the activation and neuroplasticity of the prefrontal cortex play a central role in the positive effects of journaling on both mind and body.* 01:27:44 💬 *The journaling protocol, despite its simplicity, has shown significant positive effects on mental and physical health, making it a valuable and flexible tool for well-being.* 01:29:23 📝 *The frequency of journaling sessions is flexible; four sessions within a month, either consecutively or spread out, show benefits.* 01:29:50 🖋️ *During each 15 to 30-minute journaling session, continuous writing is encouraged, focusing on a specific event. Grammar and spelling are not crucial, but coherence is helpful.* 01:30:32 📚 *Include facts, emotions, and any associations in your journaling. Negative words are circled, positive words are squared. Analyzing coherence in subsequent readings is optional.* 01:31:14 ⚠️ *The journaling is for personal use, not necessarily for sharing. If shared, it's recommended to share only with dedicated healthcare professionals to avoid potential thirdhand trauma.* 01:32:39 🤔 *Feeling activated or low immediately after journaling, especially for high expressors, is normal. Allocate a buffer of time before engaging in other activities. Avoid journaling just before bedtime.* 01:33:34 🚫 *If the writing protocol induces significant stress, either psychologically or physically, it's advised to stop. Assess personal readiness to delve into potentially distressing experiences.* Made with HARPA AI
this video saved my life,i had su***dal thoughts .i felt that i have no control on myself from last couple of days. I worte some random painful things about some people including my parents.when i was writing ,my pages ripped off..the amount of pain ,hate,anger i used to carry inside me was visible on the pages. i am feeling a lot better. thanks a lot ..may be this will make my life easier.
So much appreciated! 4 questions: I this video really saying (in non-scientific words) that by exploring your trauma and fears and angers (that which caused deep fears and unwanted emotions that keep you somehow trapped)- you transcend, heal, integrate, become whole/healthy? 2. How do Beliefs manifest physically/chemically in the body? 3. What is subconscious scientifically? 4. What is intuition or gut feeling scientifically?
Prof. Huberman, I love your work and I deeply appreciate your efforts to bring people such high-quality, profoundly meaningful, impactful resources. May you thrive!
I'm going to try to modify this to cover a series of traumatic events/a traumatic relationship. Thank you for another informative, engaging, inspiring episode!
I was wondering that too. I had a very difficult relationship with my mom who is deceased and it’s been many years. I also just left my husband at seven months ago. Needless to say it was traumatic and so is the relationship so I don’t know where to start. But, the relationship with my husband has been very toxic and I think I need to write about it overall, but wasn’t sure that was doable.
This totally sounds like "Narrative Exposure Therapy" which is moving traumatizing memories from amygdala to hippocamp. There's a good video on it on YT.
My new year resolution is keeping journal and I just bought a journal! I'll apply the method you shared in this episode on my journal! I appreciate you for teaching science and sharing love, Dr Huberman!
so great! we've been brainwashed to "not talk about anything negative, just look at the bright side"... nope! that's not it. Go into the real stuff, pull out all the stops, keeping going until there's nothing more to get out... then do it 3 more times... it works! You are accepting your feelings as you do this- that's part of the healing. You are listening to yourself...
Please invite Dr. Gabrielle Lyon and Robert Lustig, as the topics of muscle health and insulin resistance are of importance for all of us. Thanks for the great work that you are doing, I have been following you since episode 1, not having missed a single one since then!
My grandmother (who exhibits many covert narcissistic behaviors) took my journal while i was at school and photocopied it to show everyone. I was her scapegoat, so it was important to her to do whatever she could to turn everyone against me in whatever way she could. I've struggled with journaling since, but I'll keep working through it.
Srry to hear that, that's just evil..
Therefore I am so afraid of writing someone may use it against me😮
@@bushraalmas5397 I make sure to tear it up when I'm done. The act of writing it out still helps me, tho.
dealing with a narcissitc parent is not easy. I am sorry for you, hope you will always be strong.
I am sorry to hear this. I can relate 100% to your situation. In my case, it was my aunt. She took my journal and had a field day with it. To this day, I no longer trust her or others who were read my deepest thoughts. I loved journaling but am slowly getting back to it. The struggle is being true to myself within the pages though. Good luck!!
6 days in at 30 minutes each day. Been an addict for 28 years and this is the first time I’ve gone on a 6-day no use streak. Very cathartic and transformative! Where has this been my whole life? I set a timer and just start writing. It was very hard emotionally at first but I know find it much easier to write about feelings I mask and escape through my addictions. Will definitely keep going!
Bravo to you, thats sooooo inspiring ;)
Incredible to hear. Amazing job working on yourself in honesty. Rooting for you!
That's amazing! Happy it's working for you. Great dedication to loving yourself and "doing the work"
How's it going now?
wow! God bless you for sharing!
Write about most traumatic/difficult experience in life
Ensure you're prepared to deal with this experience
Write for 15-30 minutes
4 writing sessions (one a week)
Don't stop writing
Ignore grammar and errors
Include:
-Facts about the event
-How you felt about said event and how you feel now
- Any associations with the event
Review each writing session one week later
Mark the words that reflect negative and/or positive emotions across the 4 writing sessions
Normal to feel negative emotions immediately after or following writing sessions
Recommended to do earlier in the day and not before going to sleep
nice. youre forgetting the fact that early childhood trauma can result in having no memories whatsoever. or not knowing what feelings are. that's not something to do alone.
Great synopsis, thank you!
One edit:
He recommended writing sessions be a week apart. So it would take a month to complete the four sessions.
any association with the event I don't get the third point can you plz explain
Can you do the 4 sessions in one day?
Wait, so you have to keep the journal entries? I thought you were supposed to shred them after you were done?
YES!! Thank you!! As an ophthalmologist I can see how this protocol might activate the same areas in the brain that EMDR activates. I jumped right into the 4 days consecutive writing on the most dramatic trauma of my life. I " discovered" incredible details on day 2. I can see how the brain blocked the specific details and remained frozen in panic mode. I LOVE this protocol and it is truly working for me. My GI symptoms improved. I did an additional burning and forgiveness protocol with the many hand written pages that I had written. I used a pencil to write about 20-26 minutes. The scratching on the paper gives more feedback in the brain and the memory and emotions get more easily activated. The protocol is pure LOVE. Love of the self. Thank you Andrew. I do love you!!😍
day four of consecutive journaling complete of 20 Minute entries of my most traumatic event in my life….my take away, my whole outlook of the situation flipped by day 4 and I feel like a weighted blanket has been removed from
Soul. my language changed from
All negative feelings and talk to a gratitude for living thru it and finally making sense of what really happened. Now let’s see what the future holds 🎉 happy new years folks
congratulations man i hope you’re doing well :)
Hey it's been a month now. Any changes?
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 📜 *Introduction to Journaling Protocol*
- A specific journaling protocol supported by over 200 peer-reviewed studies is discussed.
- The protocol is known for its significant impact on mental and physical health.
- It is distinct from other forms of journaling like gratitude journaling or daily diary entries.
07:28 📚 *Origins and Research by James Pennebaker*
- Dr. James Pennebaker's research into this journaling form began in the mid-'80s.
- He meticulously studied the impact of this protocol on various populations, including students, veterans, and the general public.
- Pennebaker's work laid the foundation for this journaling method's effectiveness.
13:57 📝 *Specific Instructions for the Journaling Protocol*
- Detailed instructions for implementing the journaling protocol are provided.
- Participants are encouraged to write continuously for 15 to 30 minutes about their most challenging life experiences.
- The protocol involves writing about the same difficult experience four times on consecutive days for optimal results.
19:41 🕒 *Managing Emotions and Transitioning After Journaling*
- After completing the journaling exercise, individuals may experience distress, anxiety, or sadness.
- It's essential to allocate time for post-journaling quiet reflection and self-composure.
- Preparing for the transition back to everyday life is crucial after writing about deeply challenging experiences.
20:48 📝 *The Journaling Protocol Overview*
- Journaling about difficult experiences for four consecutive days.
- Variations include journaling once a week.
- Focuses on recalling and writing about challenging events or experiences.
25:13 💬 *Low Expressors vs. High Expressors*
- Low expressors use fewer descriptive words and have lower initial emotional distress.
- High expressors use more negative language and have higher initial emotional distress.
- Both groups benefit from the journaling protocol.
30:18 📚 *Natural Emotion Vocabularies*
- The language people naturally use reflects their emotional state.
- Negative language is associated with negative emotions.
- Positive language is associated with positive emotions.
36:08 🖋️ *Writing Instructions for the Protocol*
- Include facts about the difficult experience.
- Write about emotions felt during and now about the experience.
- Establish links between the negative experience and other aspects of life.
41:07 🌟 *Positive Mental and Physical Changes*
- The protocol has long-lasting positive effects on physical and mental health.
- It can reduce symptoms of anxiety, insomnia, chronic pain, and other conditions.
- While not a cure, it provides significant relief for various health issues.
43:14 📜 *Overview of the Writing Protocol and Its Effects*
- The writing protocol discussed in this episode has been studied extensively in over 200 peer-reviewed studies.
- Participants who engage in this specific form of emotional writing show significant improvements in both mental and physical health compared to control groups.
48:04 🩸 *Impact of Emotional Writing on Immune Function*
- Emotional writing about traumatic or stressful experiences can impact immune function, particularly specific types of immune cells called T-lymphocytes.
- High disclosers, who reveal more in their writing, experience greater immune activation compared to low disclosers, highlighting the role of emotional intensity.
59:02 🧠 *Mechanism of Neuroplasticity and Its Role*
- Neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to change in response to experience, plays a pivotal role in the positive effects of emotional writing.
- Traumatic experiences often reduce activity in the prefrontal cortex, while increasing activity in subcortical structures, impacting emotional and physiological responses.
01:04:21 🧠 *Understanding Prefrontal Cortex Functions*
- Prefrontal cortex's role in sophisticated functions,
- Neuroimaging studies show reduced activity in recalling stressful events,
- Deepening recollection and increasing narrative coherence in journaling positively impacts prefrontal cortex.
01:12:16 🧩 *Connecting Trauma, Narrative Coherence, and Honesty*
- Stressful and traumatic events can fracture narrative coherence,
- Truthful reporting and narrative coherence positively impact the prefrontal cortex,
- Increased prefrontal cortex activity leads to better emotional regulation and mental health.
01:20:36 📝 *The Power of Truth-Telling and Neuroplasticity*
- Truth-telling leads to increased prefrontal cortex activity,
- Neuroplasticity occurs, improving understanding of stressful events,
- Enhanced coherence and reduced autonomic activity positively impact mental and physical health.
01:26:49 📖 *Overview of Journaling Protocol*
- The journaling protocol discussed in the video has several key attributes:
*- It's a cost-effective practice with minimal time commitment.*
*- It involves emotional intensity, which correlates with its effectiveness.*
*- The protocol is flexible and can be completed in four consecutive days or spread over a month.*
*- Supported by over 200 peer-reviewed studies, it has enduring positive effects on mental and physical health.*
01:29:50 📝 *Components of the Journaling Protocol*
- The journaling protocol consists of specific components:
*- Writing about the same event for four writing sessions.*
*- Each session lasts 15 to 30 minutes, with continuous writing.*
*- Grammar and spelling are not crucial, but some coherence is useful.*
*- You identify negative and positive words in your writing.*
*- Optionally, you can analyze the coherence of your writing.*
01:31:14 🤐 *Confidentiality and Sharing*
- Confidentiality is crucial in this protocol.
*- Your journaling is for your eyes only and should be stored securely.*
*- Sharing should only be done with dedicated healthcare professionals to avoid causing trauma to others.*
*- Third-party trauma, known as observational trauma, can occur when sharing stressful experiences.*
*- It's essential to consider the potential emotional impact on yourself before sharing.*
Made with HARPA AI
Amazing. Thank you for this ❤
Thanks for your kindness in sharing this. :)
@@julie-annjameson721 Thanks! You're welcome!
Thanks for this.
Poor observer 🤕 I’m at fault I take full responsibility
'Write hard and clear about what hurts' - Ernest Hemingway
Thank you as always Andrew! ❤
Hemingway might be a bad example here.
@@michaelj.mccall6530 didn't save him from killing himself
So beautifully put
Thank you Dr. H. I’m a therapist and have always loved Pennebaker. I would just add that Pennebaker had a “freak out rule” and he said if ur ever writing and feel like you are getting too deep and are going to “freak out” to just stop and go do something you enjoy w people you love so that’s the only thing I would add to your wonderful podcast!
I was just thinking that people should be sure they have 'someone' to talk to if it gets too intense. Not everyone does, so it's something that some will need to plan out
Hey, hi -- thanks for commenting. Since you're knowledgable about this protocol perhaps you can answer this question: are there any instructions about thinking or ruminating about this experience between writing sessions? Are we intended to think about it while writing then drop it until the next writing session? If not, of course, doing this over four weeks is going to affect the thinking and writing differently than doing it over four days. So, to be succinct, should we or should we not continue thinking about this topic in between the writing sessions. "Freak out rule", wow, that's a flash back to my hippie days -- Also the direction to do something fun with people 'you love' immediately thereafter sounds like the most stressful instruction of all -- like take the day off *everything* and just "have fun" or call your boyfriend and ask him to leave work because you love him and you're 'freaking out" . . .possibly doable for the college students who 'freak out'.?The rest of us, not so much. . . . . . But I digress -- please let me know about any rules regarding thinking about the writing topic between writing sessions.That seems like a really important issue to me. Cheers!
This is great information. My therapist suggests I try this …
Define "Freaking out."
@@johannachaput4874 Pennebaker did not define “freak out” as far as I know. I assume it means if you feel you are going to unravel, emotionally flood or be unsafe
Man I don't exaggerat when I say that Andrew's podcast is hundreds of articles condensed for free!! Keep it up man,thank you.
A deep dive into laughter/comedy/humor would be so cool to see
Coming soon!
@@hubermanlab can’t wait! thanks for the constant flow of information- huge fan!
@@hubermanlab that's so cool
@@hubermanlabthats sweet, it be like, how to use laughter for better health, mood, learning etc. I have observe myself when I laugh, there is multiple sighing, I tried to do it artificially, it gives the some what same effect. Please sir, need more clarification on this.
@@hubermanlab we know you are trying your best Dr huberman 😂
This is basically Written Exposure Therapy (WET). I'm a trauma therapist and its incredible the difference just 5 sessions of this makes for people. Literally life changing
Mia kara, la komplikaj 💡 komplikaĵoj de la homa menso estas nenio malpli ol mirigaj. La potenco de sugesto per 🧠 hipnotterapio pruvis efika por trakti multajn mensajn problemojn kaj plibonigi homan agadon en diversaj 💪 aspektoj. Kaj ni ne preteratenti la monumentan progreson, kiu estis farita ekde la 💡 Nobelpremio-venko de Einstein en 1921. La apero de 💻komputiloj kaj la deĉifrado de DNA-strukturo🧬 estas evoluoj kiuj transformis la ŝtofon de nia ekzisto. Nun, kun la trarompa novigado de 🤖 AI-ebligitaj hipertalamaj horloĝoj, ni havas senprecedencan ŝancon malŝlosi 🔓 kognajn plibonigojn kiuj spitas imagon. 🤯
ART can do it in 1 session
I have done this twice now about two different events and it has been transformative. What were deeply traumatic and difficult things in my past that I couldn’t really deal with are now just memories- things that happened. It feels crazy. Also I came to realise that a lot of things that I thought of as profound character defects could be traced back to coping with these two events. Things like avoidance and procrastination and self esteem issues that have really thwarted me my entire life no longer feel like me. It’s so weird. I would never have imagined that this would impact me so much. I’m really intrigued to see how long term these changes are. Thank you!
you done this two diffrent event so you've write 8 session right ?
It's awesome that they actually measured the physiological results of writing out ones pain, and studied it to come to the conclusion that 15 to 30 min spent writing four different iterations of the same pain within a month improves our life in a lasting and significant way. Thank you for making what you know so accessible.
I didn't realise this was a thing, however, I can attest that it works! My partner died 5 yrs ago and I was, unfortunately, the one that found him. It was the most horrific time of my life! At the time I was two weeks out from finishing an associate degree in creative writing and was writing a 2500 word biography about him, which suddenly had a very different ending. Uni gave me a very generous extension to finish this unit due to the circumstances and I could only write for about 20mins per day, even then I don't know how I wrote that much. I swear that writing about that traumatic experience, bit by bit, was the only reason I don't have PTSD ❤️❤️❤️
I’m so so sorry for your loss and for this immeasurably painful tragedy. I would truly love to read what you wrote. Hoping your heart is healed🫶🏼
Five months ago I stopped drinking in large part due to Andrew’s well-known video on the topic. I took up journaling at that time and now I MAKE THE JOURNALS.
I mean congrats and I'm happy but you needed andrew to tell you drinking I'm bad for your health? Just in case if you are smoking Crack or shooting meth quit now don't wait for dr hubberman to make a show about it 😂
I'm a millennial and I started journaling on Livejournal in 2003 because everybody I knew was doing it. All my posts have been private since 2011 but I'm still writing about my thoughts and feelings using my original LJ account 20 years after. There has always been something so healing and soothing for me whenever I allow myself to simply type away my release. I felt a sense of grace upon watching this episode because I apparently have been doing something right to take care of myself all these years.
omg LJ is still around?! I need to restart that
I was recommended this protocal 3 years ago when i developed an auto immune condition. My massage therapist at the time kindly pointed out that I had a very stressed body energy and that this protocal could very much help me. She was right and i have tried to suggest it to many of my friends, after I experienced massive relief. My auto immune condition went into remission and my constant body aches diaapeared. Another benefit i got was less fear of people. I admit I also changed my diet and exercised more, but the journaling uniquely affected me. Thank you for using your influence to recommend this to a wider audience!
Thank you Dr. Hubberman. I did this practice immediately after listening to the episode. It helped me so much. It revealed a lot to me and released a lot of negative emotion that's been sitting there in my body for about a year or so because I was so scared and overwhelmed to face them. I felt anxious throughout the practice but by the end I became more emotionally detached from the pain surrounding the event. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This is life changing. I will use it again with more things that I need to process.
Greetings from Egypt
I loved the process as well and will keep doing it!
I think this exercise encapsulates what David Goggins was talking about when mentioning "fighting your demons" or "going deep into the dungeon" and cleaning it up.
Just materializing, writing down all your fears and traumas is like "confronting a dragon".
If you will not confront it, it will stay in your subconscious and will eat you from the inside.
Absolutely!
I did this protocol last night. Week1. Very powerful. Then I watched Bishop Barron’s Sunday sermon for 1st Sunday of Advent mentioning dysfunctional families. I was bawling 😭. Slept real good 💤
Hugs
I did this "process" by accident 33 years ago when I was having kidney issues. Chief of nephrology at Northwestern Hospital said there was nothing he could do for me. Short version: found minister. He told me to write forgiveness letters and read out loud(a witness) next mtg. I poured my guts out. Wailing. All the pain coming out. (Then I started visualizing healthy kidney). Forward: mtg with chief of nephrology: he looked perplexed as he said I was OK. It was hard. But worth it. Mind/body/spirit, all connected . ❤
I have just finished the protocol and it is truly transformative and life changing experience. I went with the most traumatic experience and the first time was absolutely horrible emotionally, but a lot of hidden information came to the surface. The last one was almost positive with a lot of "what did this experience bring" and new angles to look at it. Now I feel as if I cleaned a part of my brain and made it nice and tidy and neat. I can only recommend it. I feel amazing, sleep amazing and I didn't get sick while all my coworkers and my partner did. Thank you Dr. Huberman ❤
Since I started listening to Huberman, I have been living a much healthier lifestyle. Three times of 2-hour hill hiking in the morning, getting a good sleep at night, eating a well-balanced meals, gazing out of the window view for several mornings in the morning to expose to the sunlight etc.. But this journaling protocol is absolutely something new to me. I will start this process tomorrow, anything helps to improve my brain. Thanks a lot as usual.
Though not a neuroscientist - but a writer and cancer survivor - I have always believed in the benefits of trauma writing and links between writing and recovery. Thank you for doing the good work that you do, Andrew. It can only help humanity.
I've been doing this journaling protocol for over a month now, and let me tell you my anxiety level has dramatically decreased and my head feels clearer!
This protocol was super intense (did 4 consecutive days) but I was glad to have a framework to use to process this big event in my history. Thanks for making it available, and for making the framework so clear. Very much appreciated!
I suffered extreme childhood trauma and tragedy...Now at 40, I had been looking in to starting journaling and came across this video. Watching it has made me anxious, however, that's the reason this is a protocol I'm going to implement as I implement journaling in to my daily routine.
This form of journaling is one of the most effective and oldest practices in history. I've spent hours doing this and dug deep into every hard experience I've experienced and it brought some of the most impactful healing in my life. Highly recommended!
hi just wanted some clarity.When writing about a traumatic experience 4 times, does this only act as a release or does it somehow end up resolving emotional conflict associated with the trauma.I m thinking on the lines of why such a practice wont open a wound instead of healing it
I have been following a similar practice for CPTSD for 2 years, it has freed my speech and reduced panic and overwhelm
Gives a whole new (ancient?) meaning and context to the religious teaching “the truth shall set you free”. This is probably the best Huberman lab episode of all time and that’s saying a lot.
Help sir... 🙏🇪🇹🇵🇭🇱🇷🇯🇵🥺
Had the worst breakup of my life recently. From one day to the next she decided to call it quits. The day before we talked about kids and marriage.
Had the second session yesterday. Haven’t cried that much since childhood. Felt really bad immediately afterwards but then relief. I have the impression the pain is less strong, even though I still think about it a lot. Looking forward to the next two sessions even though it‘ll be painful. At some point I thought I‘ll never be ok. Now I know I will. Thank you!
Any updates on your experience?
I hope you're better bro. Time is the best medicine.
Are you ok now
Hope you are doing better! ✨️
As a clinical psychologist I have been interested in Pennebakers work for a while, but I had no idea of the depth and power of the specific protocol that, as always, Prof Huberman describes with customary clarity and depth. Yet another fascinating podcast which has very practical implications for any human being. Brilliant!
Good to see professional support for Dr. Huberman!❤
I have been journaling for the last two years. It has saved my life.
Andrew, I too have stacks and stacks of journals, and have thrown away several.
My life was traumatic and I wrote about it a lot. I was raised in the early 70s when parents got away with murder. I grew up in an environment unsafe for
children. People like me and who are far more traumatized than I am have found tremendous relief from the writing techniques that Crappy Childhood Fairy teaches. She’s got a website and she’s got a RUclips channel.
Please speak with her at some point in the future-
The world needs you both to amplify the message of hope for healing our hearts and lives with a free technique.
she sent me to this podcast. it is all connected.
She is great. Found her a couple years ago.
Dr. Huberman is single handily saving my life.
After listening to this podcast on Sunday, I immediately launched into 4 days of writing about a situation that still held a lot of pain, confusion, and blocked emotion from when I was 30, I'm 50 now. I started each session with 15 minutes of a breathwork pattern - circular breathing 3 count inhale, 3 count exhale - that can tap into the subconscious state, and then I wrote furiously for 30 minutes (I set my timer for that long outta the gate because I'm verbose).What I did at the end of each session is definitely not scientific, however, I was confounded by the results. I drew cards from two divining type of decks I have and just saw what they had to share, which ended up being completely applicable and sometimes even matching sentences I had just written. So yes, I am a fan of this journaling technique. I am amazed by the emotional, mental layers that peeled back through each session, completing the journey with more self-compassion, more empathy for those I felt failed me, more openness. I've already implemented breathing and writing sessions at the mental health/rehab centers that I work at, though not as long and intense, but with good results. Thanks for the tip Dr. Huberman!
I just completed the fourth session of this writing protocol.I will re-visit this protocol as I found it really helpful. As someone who has kept a journal for years, I was doing some of this without knowing it, but doing it intentionally was really liberating. In my case, this was a little tricky though in that the traumatic event was really a series of events related to my sister's addiction which wasn't (and probably never is) a straight line and then the subsequent neglect of her child/my niece and it's impact on my parents who took over guardianship.
I was able to see how my narrative changed from the first to the fourth session and I uncovered a lot of feelings that I was definitely harboring. I realized that I've felt complicit and responsibility for the mess made by my sister. So great to untangle these feelings. For a very different way to approach healing through writing, I also recommend "The Thorn Necklace: Healing through Writing" by Francesca Lia Block. Similar idea in that, by making yourself the hero of your own story, you can look more squarely and realistically at the challenges you've faced and move forward. She gives you steps.
Just when I think this podcast can't get any better, this happens! I am a huge fan of writing to process my emotions and this structure sounds like solid gold. I am diving into the 4 consecutive days, starting right now. Ripping off the bandaid.
I completed my 1st session of this writing yesterday after resisting it for about a week. I’ve decided to continue for four consecutive days. Here are some of my thoughts on the morning of day two.
One of the things apparent to me was the ‘leaning away,’ feeling mentioned in the podcast. It was strong. Even after I had decided to do this, those feelings led me to procrastinate. They seemed strange, as I knew what I wanted to write about, and didn’t anticipate that my feelings or the knowledge about the event would be any different than they already were. I’m now glad that I overcame them, and they feel less intense coming up to the second session.
My first feeling afterwards was relief. Relief that I went there and, more importantly, that I came back. There were aspects that I hadn’t allowed myself to revisit in any depth until then, the main one being the sense of shock, that ‘the bottom just dropped out of my world,’ feeling. That was the toughest part of the writing, and the point where I cried the most. Moving past that, and continuing with facts, the tears stopped surprisingly quickly. I won’t deny that it was painful, but for me that pain was manageable.
I called a friend beforehand and let her know what I was doing. I knew that I could call her for support. I also planned time to recover and gave myself permission to go back to bed, get under the quilt, and stay there for as long as I needed. For me this was an important part of the process. A feature of many traumatic events seems to be the element of surprise, and in the aftermath it can be a struggle to do what we need to do to care for ourselves. There can be an overriding urge to get back to normal or continue with our day as planned. I find it difficult to adjust my plans when my emotions are too strong to allow me to reason, which is why I planned for recovery.
Aside from the content of my writing, these are the four factors that seem to be the most important for me about this exercise. This is just my experience, obviously it will be different for others, and I’d be interested to hear from anyone else who has tried it.
1 - leaning away: feelings were strong and I struggled to understand why I was having them, but they are less coming up to the 2nd session.
2 - time factor: the writing had a defined end, the situation I was writing about didn’t.
3 - control: I intentionally revisited the situation on my own terms, and I came back to the present on my own terms too.
4 - preparation: I anticipated tough emotions and made a commitment to treat myself kindly afterwards.
While I do feel good today, I cannot say with any certainty that this exercise was a factor in that. I may feel terrible tomorrow, or later today. This is just my personal experience and I’m not in a position to recommend this exercise to anyone. It is an exercise in intentionally feeling emotional pain and, although the evidence shows many benefits, it shouldn’t be approached carelessly. I do, however, feel grateful that I did it and am interested to see how my feelings change as I continue.
Thanks for sharing your approach. This was thoughtful, considerate of yourself, and, in my unprofessional opinion, a well thought out approach. Good luck completing the task. I'm going to give it a go myself.
Help... 🙏🇪🇹🇵🇭🇱🇷🇯🇵🥺
I listened to this episode after a particularly painful breakup about 4 months ago. Thank you. This tool has helped my mental health. I followed the steps and am now regularly journaling, which has been life saving. Thank you for helping me. Thank you for sharing this incredible healing method.
I'm so happy you have a segment on this! I've been teaching Write To Heal, an expressive writing meets creative writing class, for 3+ years & Dr. James Pennebaker's research was the catalyst. The podcast description has me jumping for joy because all of those things are accurate! EW improves mood, moves trauma out of the body, supports rewiring, improves the immune system, helps folks with time & stress management, etc!
I also use the psychological breath in my workshops - after learning it from you! So excited to listen!
I'm three minutes into your podcast for today and I'm completely intrigued. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to learn from you.
Thank you for going over this protocol in such detail. Our world needs this. I’ve always kept 2 journals, my regular and positive journal and my “dark journal” where I’ve written about hurtful instances , basically written vomit. Thankfully it has only a few entries. Then put it away. But I’ve never done the deep dive you describe. I will try it.
I really appreciate how you gather evidence based science and explain why things work and how we can do better. Thank you!
I have been patiently waiting for this one since you touched on it in the AMA with great eagerness. Since childhood I have felt drawn to journaling and it's been a loyal friend to me over the years. Now I cannot wait to find out why it is so powerful, what the practice facilitates as well as more inspiration to continue re-dedicating myself to it again and again (which is necessary). Thank you so much Andrew!
This is really awesome, Andrew! In my world we call it a "Clarity Break" you take 15 minutes, write 3 subjects you may want to write about (problem, situations, current feeling), and by process of elimination and priority, you pick which one to write about. Next, you do a brain dump and write for 15 minutes. Take, 1 minute and relax with deep breathing. Very cool stuff "A" thanks 🙏
What is your world?
EOS
What is EOS ? @@motivason
@@adiluiza3716Maybe Entrepreneurial Operating System.
You are helping so many people. I have tried so many of the protocols that you have talked about on your show, and they have helped me so much with my mental health. You are truly living out of your divine purpose.
VERY helpful episode for we severe trauma survivors with consequent autoimmune and pain disorders! Thank you!!
You make an amazing secretary of education in our country- your knowledge and commitment to humanity could change the course of our country-
Everytime I think Huberman can't come up with an exciting topic he always surprise me with an even more exciting topic!
I know right! Very entertaining
I honestly can not believe all the useful information Andrew provides us with...and to be given this information FREE of charge!
Only thing I pay is the WIFI to watch on RUclips lol. I'll take that any day. It's refreshing just to know there's someone out there who truly wants people to be happy with their lives and in their life.
I'm over here just taking notes till smoke comes out me ears lol.
I've used more than one of Andrew's episodes to help better my life and all I can say is, this guy has helped me more than my own doctors have. Started the carnivore diet, being a person who's lived with chronic pain due to a severe car accident and I'm on day 4 and of course the pain isn't gone, but I can tell it's subsided. I've been doing a lot of resistance Strengthening and yoga. Feeling good!
Thanks Andrew, for Caring enough to steer us all in the right direction in life. ❤
I got into a terrible car wreck when I was 18 and started journaling my thoughts out just because I felt like it. Looking back at it now I realize how much It helped me get over the feelings I was having. It’s so interesting to see that there’s research backing the benefits of what I did unknowingly at the time.
I know, I am one of many who are eternally grateful for your podcasts. Thank you
As people have said time and time again: the relevance of the topics discussed on the HL Podcast can be eearily relevant. Thus, the experience is so for me this week.
Thank you for this episode, Dr Huberman. You rock!
How amazing our bodies are!! I didn't put two and two together with writing on the healing process of auto immunity like Lupus and Fibromyaliga until today as I hear you speak. But as I recall personal improvement a week or so after writing I realize this must be why.. Isn't it so amazing how we are so wonderfully created. This is why a whole body aproch is so important in healing. I hope many doctors hear this podcast. Thank you for all you do! You are a fine teacher with a tonality that draws one too want to learn from you. Truly a gift 🎁 Thank You❤
This is interesting, to write/journal about a particular negative experience. I actually did exactly this a few years ago when I was smoking marijuana. The marijuana triggered like a psychosis in me and a lot of suppressed emotions/memories resurfaced and instinctly, I knew I needed to write it all down to feel better. As I wrote everything down, I could feel the emotions. Because of that experience, I now write in my journal regularly.
That happened to me last night, it triggered my psychosis and i never want to feel that way again. Im done with weed and i dont drink neither so i need to stop suppressing my emotions and heal and talk properly and nice to myself. I hope youre doing okay and youre not alone
Help sir... 🙏🇪🇹🇵🇭🇱🇷🇯🇵🥺
I have the same story, smoked weed and had a panic attack, slowly it gets better, this really helps me fight my anxiety and my panic is starting to vanish. I probably won’t ever smoke again and am now starting to express my emotions and some “traumas” from my childhood
Hey how are you now? It triggered my anxiety? Did you feel better ?
@@julianb.9836hey it did exact with me, how are you feeling now? Did you got recovered ? It triggered my Generalised Anxiety Disorder
As far as the journaling goes, it's been somewhat of a miracle. I just completed my 3rd session. Unexpected improvement regarding the the actual "difficult situation"; incredible turn of character with respect to the written material itself.
Thanks a lot!
Ive been doing something just like this and its really helped me with PTSD. Especially because I relive the same memories so frequently.
I am an avid journalizer. I’ve tried several methods. Did something like this for therapy to overcome abuse and trauma. I did it until it wasn’t beneficial to me. I then destroyed all of the writing to help me psychologically move on from my past. It was a signal to my brain I could let all of that go and it wasn’t part of my present or future. I think it’s great you are sharing this. I think this can benefit a lot of people. 😇
Help... 🙏🇪🇹🇵🇭🇱🇷🇯🇵🥺
This podcast has been the most impactful to me thus far. I have listened to it 3 times, about to listen a 4th time and take notes. I started therapy last week and next week plan an accelerated TMS protocol with Spravato. I plan to exercise this writing protocol next week also. I know it's a lot all at once, but I'm ready!
This entire journaling protocol adds a scientific basis for the saying - our secrets are buried alive. I really appreciate learning this. I've been doing neurofeedback sessions for 2 months and can feel the changes to my brain and emotional bandwidth, and I want to continue to increase my neuroplasticity with this exercise.
Thank you again for another great tool 🙏a proof of concept for the value of not repressing or suppressing our fears and emotions. Systematic desensitization and exposure therapy can be great. I believe the body can do amazing things if we can just allow it.
I had serious mental health issues after a divorce with a strong sense of hopelessness and suicidal ideations. I didn’t journal but when I was able to truly self reflect by surrendering my ego along with recognizing the need for self love and compassion I was able to overcome. I faced what I needed to. Now I’m healthy exercising regularly eating clean lost 35 lbs and learning self care through many tools from Dr Hubberman. Keep up the great work. 😊
It feels 'uncomfortable' to face the emotions during the writing. That is why, it can be very difficult to initiate the writing. But after the writing sessions, it feels so good!! Mind blowing. Life changing.
Wow, thank you for this reminder of the Hoberman writing exercise. I had an english teacher in high school in the late 80s who would do this each year in her class. I had already lived through some very traumatic events at that young age. These exercises were very helpful, and I have used it throughout my life. I will say that each time I have done this exercise, it takes everything out of me, and I generally have to sleep a lot afterward. Being truthful with yourself about your feelings and memories is important to heal from trauma. Generally, I see improvement in PTSD episodes and my Fibromyalgia symptoms. Similar to when you do a deep detox protacal, if you prepare yourself to go through the healing process, getting adequate fluids, good nutrition, fresh air, sunlight, and sleep, your progress can be very positive and affective going forward. At first, it can be painful but then envigorating. ❤
I plan to save this and share it with other. I knew how helpful it was for me but I didn't know all the benefits it truly provides.
Important comment you made! Thank you for sharing. (And yep- same here...I end up sleeping an extra hour or two and still feeling tired on nights when I'm processing what I wrote. Definitely very real, very deep work.) ❤️🩹
I shared this protocol with my therapist and she uses this for many of her clients. She shared much of what you shared as well, but had never heard of you! She has now! Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Just watched this episode and thinking about the tragic event of my life made me cry but I will do this exercise, to at least get the pent up emotions and feelings out of my body. Thank you Dr. Huberman.
I completed this exercise today. I found the re-reading and circling of negative/positive ideas very helpful. The negative ideas far outweighed the positive at first, and then by the end, positive had completely taken over the page. Fascinating. I wrote down insights I had not realized before and was surprised to re-read as I had not remembered what I had written. I will continue this practice. Truly life-changing. Thank you.
Such actionable information! Pen, paper and 15 min times 4. Such a valuable exercise. I had never heard of this particular protocol. Thank you so much for your generosity in bringing this to us!
Imagining the waves of momentum this practice will instigate when implemented makes me smile. Thank you for your efforts in using science to bring people home.
Thank you for sharing this lesser known journaling protocol! I will definitely try it out.
I noticed that I feel significantly better after wirting honestly about my experience and deep diving into/analyzing my negative emotions instead of just focusing on the positive or "rewriting" my story all together.
It's amazing to see that science recognizes that the truth has such a possitve effect on our mind and body since most spiritual practices have had a notion of "the truth will set you free" or "the universe favors the truth" for millennia.
Wanted to pop in here to say thank you. One more day left of my second “subject”. One more left to write about next week.
It’s so interesting what you learn and the links you see. Patterns you create from a belief made in a moment or moments of hurt.
Absolutely love learning and love growing.
Can’t wait to see the results.
Appreciate your time, heart and knowledge.
Bec 😊
I would say that this podcast is the best one yet ! I started practising this the day I listened to it and I can say for sure that in my mind, I have a coherent narrative of the traumatic events. It used to be in bits and pieces and all over the place in my head .. I will be starting with journaling the next event soon. Can’t thank you and your team enough!!
Thank you for your comment! I was hoping for some testimonies here. Also started practicing the protocol today and it's not been easy but I know it's necessary.
Thank you so much for sharing this protocol. I waited until after the holidays to write because I was afraid of how I might react going into the painful experiences of my past. But I’m very glad to report that I survived all 4 writings and feel like a weight is lifted. I feel lighter. I will share this episode with friends.
Been looking for some motivation to get into journaling, this might just be what I need to kick start the habit! Thanks as always for the fantastic work you do :)
same here
Journaling is the best thing that’s happened to me!
Your dad said no to journalism yet here you are still wrapped in the wonderfully transformative world of words🤭 Thank you Dr. Huberman, team, sponsors and supporters☀️ My sister and I will be adding this to our morning prayer routine
Yes, in case we share it, it should be with a trauma informed mental health professional 🙏 Somehow this reminds me a bit of EMDR… I have been applying this journaling and it does work for real. But I got to it from other venues… Acting school and Chubbock Technique. And before we embark in this project is important we learn tools of expanding tolerance window (from polyvagal theory) I use it with somatics… this creates a level of awareness without being completely identified so that we dont get carried away for too long.
Thank you very much Dr Huberman 🙏
Interesting about EMDR... I wonder if the eye movement of writing so quickly and continuously is somehow connected to why this process is so beneficial.
@@Pigeon5380that’s a really insightful point
The fact that I couldn’t listen to more than 37 minutes of this episode before it triggered an almost anxiety attack, tells me this is something I probably should be doing.
I really REALLY don’t want to dig back into that event but looks like I’ll do it over my Christmas break.
Wondering whether it would be beneficial to talk it over with my therapist before, after or both.
I’m a therapist and I highly recommend you let your therapist know you are going to be attempting to undertake this humongous and deeply meaningful task. Just so you can have some support and be given some coping tools to use along the way.
Good luck and Godspeed, my friend. 🙌✨
@MrBungle900 thank you for the experienced advise, greatly appreciated! I'll be reaching out to her before starting. Excited to get this block out of the way and start actually healing it
I was crying at 12 minutes and didn;t know why. I then realised I was viscerally reacting to a few events that started to run through my mind. So, I too think I probably really need this. My first thought was ..."I am far too old to even think of a future"...I am 67. Then I started to laugh: thinking..."grief...between 530 am the sunshine in the eyes, delaying coffee, exercise, intermittent fasting, a sleep routine and ice baths when do I do this damn thing Daddy Huberman? Perhaps a quick jot down in the ice bath? Good luck to you. Let's work on us both doing this for our mental health and wellbeing.
If you're dealing with BIG things, I'd recommend doing your first writing session in the presence of your therapist, just in case you need support.
My thing was big but not 'panic attack' big, and I was not prepared for how activated I felt afterwards (after an hour or so I had to go for a long walk to work that feeling out of my body). I was really down after first two sessions too.
Just did my third session now and I didn't feel emotional at all. And the cohesiveness is dramatically different. I'm also getting important insights each time, so that's a bonus.
@@mimig6511 you’re never far too old! Sounds like you’re killing it 😉 Hell im mid 30s and not even keeping up with all of those.
I finally made it back and listened to the full episode and it was a far more positive experience than my first go. The benefits far out weigh keeping this old thing hidden and unprocessed.
I’m on board, booked in to discuss it with my therapist and get some guidance, then I’m jumping right in it tackling this.
I’ll see you on the other side late December! Heal well new friend MimiG 💚
Hearing how Dr. Huberman believes in God on another podcast makes so much sense to me. Since I started following God I found this podcast back in 2020 and so many of the podcasts would coincide with my healing process and growth as only God can do. Dr. Huberman: Thank you 🙏. Your channeling has been noticed. You change lives with posts like these, and as you would probably agree, being a conduit for God is the highest honor, and this is such an important service to God and humanity. Again, thank you so much.
This sounds so great to be implemented as a yearly practice, to help process the hardships and be able to start the new year in a better mental place. Thank you for sharing this!!!
I've been doing something similar whenever I felt too anxious about something but knowing the specific protocols the scientists used, is a great addition!!!
This mans channel is an absolute Godsend. Thank you so much Andrew! Your videos helped me quite alcohol and weed permanently. I used to journal my thoughts too and would notice my life improving whenever I wrote down my struggles or accomplishments. I thought about picking up journaling again the other day.. low and behold you have a video that just came out about it!
I absolutely love your podcasts Andrew! A small piece of feedback re this one - the fast changing of camera angles is distracting, not something I've noticed before. Your service to humanity is immense, thank you
Today I watched another Dr. Huberman video and as per usual he has a captivating effect on me with his looks, his voice and how smart he is. I paused the video when I saw an expression in his face that made me feel happy for a bit. Happiness is not something that I am good at but watching Dr. Huberman videos helps me feel less alone and, of course, I have huge crush on him. I don't know much about his personal life but I wish he was single and I'd met him in a store and casually start chatting and end up falling for each other then sharing our lives until God decides to separate us for a tiny bit.
My anxiety is bad because my mom just went through a very cruel episode of anxiety and panic that lasted a couple of weeks. I tried to stay strong for her but I do feel that sometimes it is too much trying to be strong for her and manage my own anxiety issues. It was too much that a few days ago I had an awful panic attack of such magnitude that it really made feel that all the progress I had done in years went back to zero in just a few minutes.
Just did Day 1. (Glad for the advice to take a few minutes at the end of the session, definitely needed it!) Thanks for highlighting this specific protocol and the science behind it: very interested to see what shakes loose.
Your videos are always there for when I'm in need, and I'm certain this pertains to many others who enjoy watching and learning about your protocols. You always thank us for our interest in science, but thank you Dr. H for sharing your expertise.
OMG, this pod cast but also the one you just did with Cam Hanes, unbelievable, you are so inspiring and it was a total pleasure to see you talking so candidly and with such a passion ❤thank you.
¡Hola Profe!I have been journaling since I was 5 or 6 years old. My first couple of journals were...well...insightful!During my most challenging times,in order to be brutally honest with myself and non judgemental , I developed a protocol for myself with only two rules. First,that I won't edit,rephrase or reread what I wrote.And second ,that after the note book will be full,I will destroy it.Somehow ,the second part was extremely helpful with "finalizing" and "letting go" of the situation. Now my journaling practice is more on "reflection" level.I will definitely try 4 day approach.Thank You ,for all Your are doing.Your hard work is genuinely appreciated.
Beautiful. I used to journal too since I was 6 or 7, till this day, and I'm currently 22, and during covid I wrote for a year and a half constantly over 600 pages trying to see myself objectively, through all the ups and downs. Writing rituals are so fun, and I'm always happy to discover new ones, and your writing rituals sounds interesting!
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation:
00:00 📚 *Today's discussion focuses on a specific journaling method supported by over 200 peer-reviewed studies, known for improving mental and physical health.*
01:38 🧠 *The journaling method discussed has surprising positive impacts on mental and physical health, including reducing anxiety, improving sleep, enhancing immunity, and alleviating symptoms of autoimmune disorders.*
02:45 🤔 *The discussed journaling method, somewhat cloistered in psychology and psychiatry, is introduced by Dr. James Pennebaker and involves writing about the most difficult experiences in one's life for 15 to 30 minutes.*
11:53 📝 *The specific instructions for the journaling exercise include writing about the most upsetting experience, exploring emotions and thoughts, tying the experience to various aspects of life, and allowing 15 to 30 minutes for writing.*
19:54 ⚖️ *The protocol suggests writing about the same difficult experience four times on consecutive days, with each writing session lasting 15 to 30 minutes, allowing for a profound impact on mental and physical health.*
21:15 📝 *The journaling protocol involves writing about the most difficult experience one can recall, repeating it four times over a month or 4-week period.*
23:18 🧠 *Trauma, as defined by Dr. Paul Kti, is an experience that modifies brain and neural circuitry, impacting emotional, behavioral, or cognitive function.*
25:13 🗣️ *Participants in the journaling protocol tend to fall into two groups: low expressors use less descriptive language, while high expressors use more negative language to describe distressing events.*
27:35 📊 *Both low and high expressors benefit from the journaling protocol, experiencing reduced distress and baseline stress levels three weeks, three months, and even years later.*
30:33 📜 *Natural emotion vocabularies, or patterns of language use, significantly impact emotional states. Those using more negative words naturally tend to have more negative emotions.*
34:56 📉 *Patterns of language use change over the four journal entries, with a shift toward using fewer negative words and more positive words, indicating emotional processing and positive transformation.*
38:45 🚫 *It's crucial not to monitor language too closely during the writing protocol; the focus should be on personal expression rather than creating a polished piece for others.*
41:19 🌐 *The journaling protocol shows significant and long-lasting positive physical changes, such as reduced symptoms in conditions like chronic anxiety, insomnia, arthritis, fibromyalgia, and irritable bowel syndrome.*
44:42 📊 *The journaling protocol involves specific measurements, with the experimental group writing about distressing experiences and the control group engaging in mechanical writing, emphasizing emotional content as a key variable.*
47:24 🩸 *Journaling about traumas has been shown to impact immune function, specifically the activation of T-lymphocytes, indicating a link between emotional expression and physiological responses.*
49:27 📝 *High disclosers, those who reveal more in their writing, show a greater immune response compared to low disclosers, highlighting the significance of the emotional intensity during the writing exercise.*
52:29 💡 *Writing about distressing experiences led to a more robust activation of T-lymphocytes when challenged with an immune-activating substance, demonstrating a connection between emotional expression and immune system function.*
56:37 🔄 *The mechanism behind the positive effects of the journaling protocol involves tapping into neuroplasticity, particularly the impact on the prefrontal cortex's reduced activity during the recounting of stressful experiences.*
01:06:51 🧠 *The coherence of the narrative in journaling, i.e., the story-like structure, increases with each subsequent writing bout, leading to a better understanding of the traumatic event.*
01:07:33 📝 *The writing exercise involves recalling facts, emotions, and connections related to the traumatic event, providing a unique and factual report of one's experience.*
01:08:16 🧘♂️ *Neuroimaging data indicates that the distressing journaling exercise increases baseline activity in key areas of the prefrontal cortex, associated with improvements in trauma symptoms over time.*
01:09:12 🔄 *Counterintuitively, revisiting a stressful event through emotional and detailed writing bouts can lead to relief from stress over time, contrary to distress itself reducing prefrontal cortex activity.*
01:12:16 🤔 *Traumatic experiences may induce a reduction in prefrontal cortex activity, creating a lack of coherence in the narrative and a confusion about responsibility, which the journaling protocol aims to address.*
01:15:46 💡 *Studies show that truth-telling, with a coherent narrative, increases activity in the prefrontal cortex, suggesting neuroplasticity, and enhancing regulation of subcortical structures involved in emotional responses.*
01:20:24 🎲 *Stimulation of the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex through transcranial magnetic stimulation increases honesty in reporting, indicating a link between prefrontal cortex activity and truthful representation of experiences.*
01:22:41 🧠 *The prefrontal cortex's role in organizing understanding and coherence of experiences may explain positive shifts in mental and physical health observed in response to the journaling protocol.*
01:24:17 📚 *The mechanistic understanding suggests that the activation and neuroplasticity of the prefrontal cortex play a central role in the positive effects of journaling on both mind and body.*
01:27:44 💬 *The journaling protocol, despite its simplicity, has shown significant positive effects on mental and physical health, making it a valuable and flexible tool for well-being.*
01:29:23 📝 *The frequency of journaling sessions is flexible; four sessions within a month, either consecutively or spread out, show benefits.*
01:29:50 🖋️ *During each 15 to 30-minute journaling session, continuous writing is encouraged, focusing on a specific event. Grammar and spelling are not crucial, but coherence is helpful.*
01:30:32 📚 *Include facts, emotions, and any associations in your journaling. Negative words are circled, positive words are squared. Analyzing coherence in subsequent readings is optional.*
01:31:14 ⚠️ *The journaling is for personal use, not necessarily for sharing. If shared, it's recommended to share only with dedicated healthcare professionals to avoid potential thirdhand trauma.*
01:32:39 🤔 *Feeling activated or low immediately after journaling, especially for high expressors, is normal. Allocate a buffer of time before engaging in other activities. Avoid journaling just before bedtime.*
01:33:34 🚫 *If the writing protocol induces significant stress, either psychologically or physically, it's advised to stop. Assess personal readiness to delve into potentially distressing experiences.*
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this video saved my life,i had su***dal thoughts .i felt that i have no control on myself from last couple of days. I worte some random painful things about some people including my parents.when i was writing ,my pages ripped off..the amount of pain ,hate,anger i used to carry inside me was visible on the pages. i am feeling a lot better. thanks a lot ..may be this will make my life easier.
You are doing such an amazing job for humanity, sharing all this information with us, thank you so much for everything you do and share!
So much appreciated! 4 questions:
I this video really saying (in non-scientific words) that by exploring your trauma and fears and angers (that which caused deep fears and unwanted emotions that keep you somehow trapped)- you transcend, heal, integrate, become whole/healthy?
2. How do Beliefs manifest physically/chemically in the body?
3. What is subconscious scientifically?
4. What is intuition or gut feeling scientifically?
Amazing! I am currently reading the body keeps a score and it relates to this topic. You explained it so well.
I am reading that also. Excellent excellent book.
You are a beautiful human Andrew, inside and out. Thank you for all you do for the betterment of humanity.
#1 is either 1.Wim Hof ( breath work / box 4:4) or 1.journalling ( start small: index card date and steps taken + streaks )
Prof. Huberman, I love your work and I deeply appreciate your efforts to bring people such high-quality, profoundly meaningful, impactful resources. May you thrive!
I'm going to try to modify this to cover a series of traumatic events/a traumatic relationship. Thank you for another informative, engaging, inspiring episode!
I was wondering that too. I had a very difficult relationship with my mom who is deceased and it’s been many years. I also just left my husband at seven months ago. Needless to say it was traumatic and so is the relationship so I don’t know where to start. But, the relationship with my husband has been very toxic and I think I need to write about it overall, but wasn’t sure that was doable.
For me this is one your most valuable videos and the bar is high. Thanks Andrew!
This totally sounds like "Narrative Exposure Therapy" which is moving traumatizing memories from amygdala to hippocamp. There's a good video on it on YT.
Thanks! This episode was really interesting and useful.
My new year resolution is keeping journal and I just bought a journal! I'll apply the method you shared in this episode on my journal! I appreciate you for teaching science and sharing love, Dr Huberman!
so great! we've been brainwashed to "not talk about anything negative, just look at the bright side"... nope! that's not it. Go into the real stuff, pull out all the stops, keeping going until there's nothing more to get out... then do it 3 more times... it works! You are accepting your feelings as you do this- that's part of the healing. You are listening to yourself...
Please invite Dr. Gabrielle Lyon and Robert Lustig, as the topics of muscle health and insulin resistance are of importance for all of us. Thanks for the great work that you are doing, I have been following you since episode 1, not having missed a single one since then!