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Health Matters: Journaling for When You’re Worried About Your Health

“You’re going to need a biopsy.”

I hadn’t expected to hear those words. My head felt heavy as I tried to process the weight of what the radiologist had just said to me.

It was just supposed to be a routine mammogram.

Instead, I was facing a potentially life-changing diagnosis, and that realization created a tsunami-sized wave of anxiety within me.

I waited for a full week for the biopsy.

And then I waited another three days for my test results.

During those fear-filled days that I spent waiting, I was grateful for the blank pages of my journal. There, I was able to unload my anxiety. There, I was able to release the range of emotions that bubbled up inside me. There, I was able to play out “what ifs” and “worst case scenarios”—just in case. And between my worries, I also managed to find glimpses of hope and gratitude on the pages as well.

In the end, I received the good news I was hoping for: the area of concern turned out to be benign. But what I learned through that journey is that expressive writing can be an incredibly powerful tool when you’re worried about your health.