Journal Prompts for Mental Health
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50 Journal Prompts for Mental Health + Free Printable Worksheet

Have you ever tried using journal prompts for mental health?

Journaling is a wonderful form of self-care and a highly effective tool for improving mental health. Journal writing can help reduce stress, clarify your thoughts and emotions, and empower you with self-knowledge.

Using journal prompts is one of the best ways to begin journaling. It can be difficult to write about anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. So if you have a hard time writing, know that you’re not alone. Mental health journal prompts can help you face the blank page and begin your journaling session with greater ease.

Mental illness is not an easy thing to deal with. To begin to heal feelings of anxiety and depression, deep self-reflection, along with compassion and self-love are needed. All of these things can go a long way to improve mental health.

Please note that you don’t need to face your mental health journey alone. Do reach out for help beyond this article if you need it. A good place to contact is SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services.)

That being said, I hope these mental health journal prompts can be a helpful tool. A PDF printable mental health journal prompts worksheet is included in this article Find it at the end, totally free to download and use as a template for your writing. No email is required.

*This article is for entertainment purposes only. No medical advice is included. Always talk to your doctor about your health concerns including mental health, and before making any health-related decisions. See privacy policy & disclosures for more details.

Journal Prompts for Mental Health

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How Mental Health Journal Prompts Can Help 

Mental health journal prompts are a great way to gain clarity and shine a light on your mental health issues.

When it comes to anxiety, depression, and other mental conditions, it’s easy to feel like you’re lost in a fog all alone.

You may not understand where your negative thinking patterns originate or the root cause of your struggles. You may be unaware of your coping mechanisms or your emotional needs. But, when you gain that knowledge through self-care practices such as mental health journaling, you can begin to improve your mental well-being.

Know that your journal is a safe space to explore negative emotions such as feelings of depression, anxiety, fear, shame, and more. There is no right or wrong way to journal, and a regular journaling practice can be a helpful habit. Writing can be great for bad mental health days, but can also further inspire you for wellness when you’re feeling good.

Before You Begin Journaling for Mental Health

Before beginning these mental health journal prompts, know that working on your personal growth and development, including improving your mental health, is a brave and beautiful thing.

Give yourself a big hug and affirm that you do have the power to heal. You can learn, grow, and evolve. You can bring yourself into balance and enjoy happiness and ease. Journal writing is just one (of many) tools to help you with mental health. 

The mental health journal prompts in this article focus on anxiety and depression since those are two of the most common mental health issues today. However, these journaling prompts can be used for a range of other uses when it comes to mindset or mental health. Feel free to substitute the language used to customize these questions in a way you find most helpful while journaling. 

(You can download these mental health therapy journal prompts below, just scroll down for the PDF.)

50 Journal Prompts for Mental Health

  1. What are the top 5-10 stressors in your daily life causing you anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues?
  2. For each stressor, write out some words associated with your feelings. Is fear, shame, guilt, or other emotions hiding behind the anxiety or depression?
  3. When did your anxiety, depression, or other mental health struggles begin? How far back can you trace these issues?
  4. How did your upbringing affect your mental health?
  5. Describe how your family, friends, and social environment affect your mental health.
  6. How does your job affect your mental health?
  7. Note any changes you can make to improve your work environment, and social circle, and create a more positive support network.
  8. What can you give to others that would improve your mental health? (Evidence suggests helping others can improve mental health.)
  9. What’s the best way you can improve your physical health to feel better mentally? For example: improve your sleep, cut back on alcohol, or eat healthier.
  10. What do you love about yourself the most, including your best personality traits?
  11. Describe some skills you have or would like to develop. Would focusing on skill development improve mental health? Why or why not?
  12. Journal some actions that would help boost your self-esteem. Would improving self-esteem help anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues?
  13. What are some beneficial ways to break out of your comfort zone?
  14. Who has hurt you that you need to forgive? How can you let go of the pain they have caused you? In what ways do you need to forgive yourself?
  15. How does your spirituality affect your mental health? What is your belief system like and how does provide you with a deeper understanding of life?
  16. Write a list of the good things in your life. What have been your most positive experiences? Who or what are you most grateful for?
  17. What changes do you know you need to make, and which are most challenging?
  18. Describe your most frequent emotional states and what triggers those states.
  19. List 10 places you can pull strength from. For example- nature, art, reading, God, your best friend, etc.
  20. What are your dominant thought patterns like? What phrases and self-talk occupy your mind, and where do they originate?
  21. Can you dispute your negative thoughts, and find proof they may not be true? Try refuting your negative beliefs with as much critical thinking as possible in your journal.
  22. What secrets do you hold? How can you heal from them? For example, can you talk about them with a friend or therapist? Can you journal them, paint them, or sing about them?
  23. What would you tell your younger self if you could go back in time?
  24. Now imagine you are forward in time feeling happy and balanced with no mental health conditions. What would your future self say to you?
  25. What physical activities help improve your depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues? Does walking, swimming, or meditating help you feel better? What new physical activities can you try that might improve your mental health?
  26. How do you view yourself? How do you view others and the world? Are you optimistic or pessimistic? Why?
  27. Journal what your best life looks like. What do you think is possible for yourself? And why?
  28. Can you see beyond your best life into an even better future? Can you dream even bigger, and how does dreaming big make you feel?
  29. What matters most to you in life? What is the most important thing to you?
  30. How can you use the following to improve your life: Family, friends, nature, art, reading, technology, deep thinking, helping others, speaking truthfully, being kind, self-love, empathy, open-mindedness, peacefulness, curiosity, quiet, spirituality?
  31. What small changes can you make to your daily routine to improve your mental health? What commitments can you make to care for yourself?
  32. Describe the happiest moments of your life. Who was there? Were you laughing? Relaxing quietly? Dancing? When was the last time you felt happy?
  33. What qualities in other people do you love? Can you see these qualities as a reflection of you?
  34. And what qualities do you dislike? Why do you dislike these qualities?
  35. How can you improve your body image?
  36. Write a love letter to yourself.
  37. Where is the silver lining within the hard lessons you’ve learned in life?
  38. Do you believe that life can be consistently peaceful, happy, and fun? Why or why not?
  39. List some times you worried over nothing. Now write a statement reminding yourself that not everything you fear comes true. 
  40. Describe your identity- who are you and how do you see yourself? What labels do you give yourself?
  41. What identities or labels have your family, friends, or community given you that you have accepted as truth? Are any of your labels true? Are any permanent? How do you know?
  42. How can you shift your identity to see yourself more lovingly?
  43. Who do you admire, or what qualities do you admire in a person?
  44. Write a journal entry describing the present moment in detail. Describe the beauty you see or imagine.
  45. What does love mean to you?
  46. What does success mean to you?
  47. How have your past experiences shaped who you are?
  48. What aspects of personal development inspire you, and how can you incorporate them into your daily life?
  49. Write down 10 goals for the future. They can be small or large, whatever you like, as long as they inspire you rather than cause you stress.
  50. Journal 5 inspirational quotes that make you feel hopeful, happy, uplifted, or inspired.

Mental Health Journal Prompts PDF Printable

You can download and print these mental health journaling prompts here:

Mental Health Journal Prompts PDF Printable for Anxiety and Depression

Feel free to share this list of questions with a friend or family member. Use it in therapy to work through anxiety, depression, or other mental illnesses. Or use it for any personal reason you would like. Print out as many copies as you want.

Please note that these mental health and anxiety journal prompts are for educational and entertainment purposes only.

Journal prompts book
Now on Amazon, check out The Ultimate Book of Journal Prompts!

Final Thoughts 

I hope you have found these journaling prompts for mental health and the free PDF useful. 

Anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions can be incredibly hard to deal with. As you dig deeper into the reasons behind your thoughts and emotions, there’s a lot that can come up. Emotional health is an important aspect of mental health, so please be kind to yourself if difficult feelings emerge. If writing becomes emotionally overwhelming, do take a break.

Please take care of yourself in your self-discovery and wellness journey. Your mental health matters, and you matter! Let me know what you think in the comments!

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