If your family kept a diary while you were in the ICU, it can be helpful to look at this together. They would have been writing in it each day showing your progress. There will also be details of what was happening while you were asleep.
The diary can be beneficial to go through. It can help if you are struggling to piece together memories and events.
You may not feel ready to go through your diary straight away. When the time is right for you, we suggest sitting with your family and going through it together. Take it slowly if you are finding it an emotional process.
You may have been diagnosed with anxiety, depression or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Talk with your psychologist or psychiatrist about the right time to revisit reading your diary. It may be that reading certain things are just too painful and may interfere with your emotional healing. Be guided by your mental health professional, your own feelings and your family.
This topic was reviewed by an intensive care medicine specialist in July 2022.