Hi, aa3405. I thought I'd not like or be good at journaling, and wondered how beneficial it would be to me. But when I started writing each day, I found it easy an rewarding. I limited myself to half an hour a day, usually in the morning, and was amazed at how many repressed emotions I came up with. I came to realize my boyhood wasn't all happy. I remembered times that were not so good. I'm 83 and grew up during the 1930s Great Depression. Like a lot of people back then, and in today's economic hard times, my folks never had much money even when they worked, and they worked hard. Mom cut up potatoes and chickens at Campbell Soup Company and Dad drove the streetcars in Chicago. Long story short they divorced when I was about 7 and that effected me more than I thought. So in journaling we learn more about ourselves and our early lives and relationships.
You've already found relief fro some of your TMS symptoms. Keep journaling to discover the other repressed emotions.
What do you mean by GI issues?
As for insomnia, I've been there. I found a few ways to get to sleep:
Drink some hot tea (Chamomile, not any with caffeine) or hot milk before bedtime.
Don't watch TV news before bedtime (I don't watch it at all).
Try to slow down your mind an hour or two before bedtime. Read a book, listen to soothing music,
or just sit and meditate while you do deep breathing (breathe in through your nose to a count of about 6.
Hold the breath a few second, then breathe out in a "gush" through your mouth. Think or say
"I feel at peace. I'm ready to go to sleep."
If you can't sleep right away, do deep breathing with your eyes closed, and say a mantra like
"I'm sleepy. I'm going to sleep now." Reapeat it over and over.
Or count to 100 backwards. Amazing how this puts one to sleep. It may take two or more
laps of 100 but it also works.
Don't take worries to bed with you, and don't think about what repressed emotions you may have.
That'll keep you awake.
Think positive, that you will fall asleep and that your symptoms will all go away.
Hope this helps.