45 Helpful Prompts for Journaling About Depression
If you struggle with depression, journaling can clear your head, sort through your feelings, and put things in perspective. Writing is also a great outlet for sadness, grief, stress, worry, frustration, anger, or disappointment.
If you’re consistent, writing will eventually become a new, positive habit and a natural part of your day. However, don’t worry if you don’t write every day or even every week, but don’t stop. Just do the best you can.
If you’re having trouble getting started, the following prompts may help. Pick just one or two, and push yourself a little, but not too much. Although there are no restrictions, don’t push yourself to write about any topic that makes you feel worse.
- What’s your first thought when you wake up in the morning?
- What do you like best about yourself?
- What do you remember about your 18th birthday?
- Name a talent you’re proud of, but nobody knows about it.
- What is your favorite sound? Favorite smell?
- Name four times when you felt joy.
- How do you relax?
- What are six of your best qualities?
- Name three things you are grateful for today.
- Complete this sentence: I forgive myself for _____.
- If you could have dinner with anybody (living or dead), who would it be?
- If you could have dinner with a famous person (living or dead), who would it be?
- Name your destination if you could travel anywhere in the world. What would you do there?
- What do you wish people understood about you, and why?
- Describe your life if you didn’t have depression. How do you think you would feel?
- How do you feel right now, at this very moment?
- Who inspires you? Why?
- Name your five worst habits. How do they impact your life?
- List five things that make you smile.
- What is your best childhood memory?
- What is your earliest childhood memory?
- Name a hobby you would love to learn if time or money didn’t stand in your way.
- What is your favorite holiday tradition?
- What is your favorite movie? What did you like about it?
- How do you make time for yourself? What do you do with that time?
- Name three of your best accomplishments.
- Name the last book you read. What did you like (or not like) about it?
- What are your greatest fears?
- Recall a time when you helped another person. How did you help? How did you feel?
- What advice would you offer to your teenage self?
- Write about a time you made a poor decision. What did you learn from the experience?
- What would you change about your life if you had a do-over?
- What is a unique thing about you?
- Finish this sentence: Today, I am grateful for ……………..
- Note four long-term goals.
- Write about your favorite time of year. What do you like about it? What do you like to do during that time?
- Name four songs that make you feel happy or energized.
- What are your three best qualities?
- Name one way you could love yourself more.
- Write a letter to someone who has wronged you. Tell that person exactly what they did and how it hurt you. (Don’t mail it).
- Write about how you can work toward forgiving that person.
- Write yourself a letter of forgiveness for something you have said or done in the past.
- Devise a schedule for a perfect day.
- If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? Why?
- Write about your most embarrassing moment.
