A paper-only journal would defend against the state, but not against people you live with. A digital journal can be encrypted, but an intelligence agency could potentially gain access (like, them reading your anti-government rants that may involve violence… that sort of stuff).
So… how to defend against both threats?
(Also, I just realized, paper journals cannot really be easily backed up…)
Can you keep the paper journal in a locked drawer? Will your homies seriously try to break in or pick the lock? Could you use a non-networked computer (old laptop) to encrypt the files, and lock that in a drawer?