50 Journal Prompts For Mental Health That Will Help You Process & Elevate Your Thoughts!
Last Updated on 01/02/2023 by Nicky
50 Therapeutic Journal Prompts For Mental Health That Will Help You Boost Your Thoughts
I can’t for the life of me figure out why there’s such a stigma surrounding mental health.
Mental health challenges like depression and anxiety are finally being addressed more but for a long time especially when I was growing up, it was customary to seem like you had it all together even when you didn’t (or especially when you didn’t).
Thank God all of that is changing.
We as a society (and perhaps at some churches) are finally discussing mental health and tearing the mask off of these “taboo” issues that are mentally torturing millions of people around the world.
There are so many ways to get help with depression and anxiety and one of my favorite ways is through journaling.
If you’re suffering from these disorders and need some relief then pull out your favorite pen and journal and start going through the journaling prompts I”m going to share with you.
There really is hope of a life without mental turmoil and you can start that healing process right now.
Let’s start writing!
Oh yeah, and this post contains affiliate links to great products that will help you in your health journey. I will get a commission if you decide to buy from these links but I’m only recommending products that I feel confident about.
– Why Use These Mental Health Journaling Prompts
So why use journal writing prompts anyway? I mean how can these little one-lined prompts really do anything to affect my mood or heal my mind?
Well, for one thing, these journal writing prompts will help you process your thoughts and feelings, which can help you better understand what’s going on in your head and inside your body.
You know that feeling of your stomach being tied up in knots all the time (maybe that was just me)?
I would have those feelings and not understand why they were there or what was bothering me.
Sometimes I would start a journal entry like this:
“Lord, I don’t even know why I’m so upset right now.
I don’t understand why I have this anxious feeling in my stomach but You do.
Please help me understand why I’m feeling this way”
And usually, He would reveal to me what my issue was at that time.
I mean it’s kind of hard to know how to fix a problem if you don’t even know what the problem is.
That’s where journaling comes in and why it’s such a beautiful thing. It helps you get outside of your own head, ask the Lord for guidance, and start finding answers to your problems.
Here’s another benefit to journaling for mental health. It also offers an opportunity for creative exploration–a chance to see how the things that bother or frustrate you might relate to larger issues in your life.
The best part about journaling?
There’s no wrong answer!
Journal prompts are meant to spark your creativity and give you insight into what’s going on inside of your head–and sometimes just writing something down can make all the difference in the world.
Writing in a journal offers you a chance to explore and get in touch with yourself.
With these journal prompts, there is no wrong answer, so don’t worry about whether or not the prompt applies to you–just use it as an opportunity for creative exploration!
– What is mental health?
Mental health is a broad term that covers a wide range of variables, and it’s not necessarily easy to define. (source)
It can be defined as the way you think and feel emotionally, what your mental and physical state is like, how you interact with people in your life, or how you cope with stress.
A mental health disorder is a group of diagnosable psychiatric or psychological conditions characterized by abnormal functioning of the mind that interferes with daily life.
Some common disorders include depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and schizophrenia.
A person can also experience a mood or psychotic episode–a period of feeling or thinking abnormally–without having a diagnosis.
Mental health problems are widespread and affect many people in different ways.
They may be caused by genetics, environment, chemical exposure during pregnancy, head trauma, mental illness in the family history—the list goes on.
It’s important to have good mental health because it’s necessary for the healthy development of emotion regulation skills such as self-soothing techniques and problem-solving strategies that help us cope with stressors in our environment.
Want to read this post later? Save it to one of your Pinterest boards!
– Important reminder about journaling though…
Journaling is a powerful tool that can help you improve your mental health, no doubt.
However, journaling is not therapy and it’s not meant to be a replacement for professional help.
I’ve used journaling to help me overcome depression and improve my anxiety.
But I’ve also used online therapy (which I highly recommend) and in-person therapy.
Then of course I used prayer and Bible study as well.
And having a support system of friends and family is important too.
So there are a lot of components to healing from mental health struggles and journaling alone is not going to be enough for most people.
However, if you are struggling with yourself or feeling lost in life, this can be an important way to better understand what’s going on inside of you.
Now let’s dig into these mental health journal prompts!
– Journaling Prompts For Mental Health
Alright now it’s time to use these mental health journaling prompts to improve and elevate your mental health.
To get started, you can use an actual journal, open up an app on your phone or computer, or just pull out a sheet of notebook paper.
Whatever you do, don’t stress about it. Just write from your heart and don’t censor what you say.
- What are your writing goals with these mental health journaling prompts? What do I want to happen through this journal?
- What would it feel like to fire your inner critic?
- Would you miss your inner critic if they were gone?
- Who in your life brings you joy?
- Why do I listen to what my inner critic has to say about me more than what God has to say about me?
- In what ways does my inner critic show up for me in my life right now?
- How does my inner voice support me and how does it hurt me?
- What is a positive aspect of my inner voice?
- What am I feeling right now?
- What has my general mood been the past year?
- What has been going on in my life recently?
- What is on my mind right now?
- When did things start going wrong with/in my life?
- What do I want out of life?
- I feel like the world is against me because…
- I _______________ (have/have not) spent enough time with God lately. Why do I feel this way?
- “I feel like I’m not good enough for my job because…”
- “This is going to be a tough day because…”
- “I feel lonely when…”
- What do I believe would make me happy?
- What steps can I take to be happier?
- Why haven’t I taken those steps?
- What holds me back most in life?
- God says that I am fearfully and wonderfully made but I don’t believe that because…
- I wish I had more time to spend with my loved ones. What keeps me for doing so?
- “I feel alone in my depression because…
- I haven’t told anyone about my depression because…
- I haven’t told anyone about my anxiety because…
- What am I feeling in relation to other people?
- What are my thoughts and feelings regarding other people who feel the same way?
- If my friend told me they were depressed, how would I react?
- What are some emotions you’ve been feeling lately? Do they make sense to you?
- How do your emotions make you feel physically?
- How does your mood fluctuate throughout the day? Is it worse at certain times of the day or week?
- How would someone describe your personality in three words?
- Do any of your friends know anything about the struggles going on inside of you right now? If so, what are some things they’ve said?
- What are my feelings about my body?
- How does depression make me feel?
- What are the negative effects of my depression on my life?
- How did I feel before I was depressed?
- What do I like about myself?
- What strengths do I have that I know can help me fight back against these negative aspects of depression?
- How has this been affecting my life over time?
- Where am I strong in my life as a result of being depressed?
- Describe the person you long to be?
- Name 1 concrete step you can take this week to help you become more like that person you want to be
- If God would answer one prayer for you right now what would you want it to be?’
- I know it’s time to get professional help but…
- I am getting professional help for my depression but it’s not helping because…
- If you could meet God face to face right now, what would you say?
– Will you start a mental health journal?
If you’re struggling with mental health I truly pray for you.
I pray that you will actually use these journaling prompts and pour your heart out to God as you wrestle with these emotions. Journaling helps us process all of the yucky stuff going on in our hearts and minds.
I speak to you not as someone who speaks of anxiety or depression in a hypothetical sense but as someone who has truly lived it.
Mental health is a major component of living a happy and healthy life and when it goes off the rails so many other parts of our lives do too.
By writing down your negative thoughts and feelings, you can better understand what’s going on in your head and inside your body.
These journal prompts offer a chance to explore what’s bothering you, so don’t worry about saying the right things with these prompts–just use it as an opportunity for creative and therapeutic exploration!
– Download A Free PDF Printable Mental Health Journal!
Our mental health depends on spending quiet time with the Lord but it can be so hard to do with everything going on in our busy lives.
I’m hoping the free Renew Your Mind Mental Health Bundle will change all of that. This mental health journaling bundle provides a relaxing escape from the anxieties & stresses of the crazy world we live in.
Just enter your email to access the Renew Your Mind Mental Health Journaling Bundle and you’ll see what I mean!
What’s Included In The Renew Your Mind Mental Health Journaling Bundle:
- The Creative Rest Christian Coloring Book: These 5 beautiful coloring pages are accompanied by words of faith and inspiration designed to help you focus on the positive, relax your mind, and dwell on positive Christian affirmations.
- Joy Comes In The Mourning Grief Journal: If you’ve lost a loved one, then journaling is a tool you can use to begin to heal from your loss in a positive and healthy way. This journal has grief prompts to help you understand the pain and sorrow you are going through.
- The Stress-Less Anti-Anxiety Journal: This journal has a Count Your Blessings, Quiet Time With God, & Today I’m Feeling… pages as well as a Self-Care To-Do List & A Mini Day & Week Planner.
- 15% Discount code to use on any product in the HAYC store!
Plus I add to this bundle all the time
Just enter your email address below and the Renew Your Mind Bundle link will be sent to your inbox!
If 50 Journal Prompts For Mental Health has helped you, please share it on social media!
More HAYC Posts About Journaling For Mental Health
25+ Beautiful Adult Coloring Pages Christian Women Can Use To Boost Their Mental Health
9 Fun & Creative Things To Write About In Your Journal!
9 Creative Ways To Jazz Up Your Boring Journals & Boost Your Mental Health!
20+ Creative Lists To Write In A Journal When You’re Bored Or Anxious
Medical Disclaimer: While Healthy As You Can strives to provide the most accurate information, anything you read on this site is purely for informational or entertainment purposes and should NOT be considered medical advice or as a replacement for a doctor’s care, diagnosis, appointment, advice, etc. I am not a medical professional at all. Any information, tips, or ideas that you try as a result of reading this blog is tried at your, the reader’s, own risk.
Mental Health Disclaimer: While I care deeply about your mental health, please know that I am NOT a licensed medical professional, therapist, counselor, social worker, or mental health professional. Any advice here is not to be taken as medical advice or a diagnosis. IF you need to talk to a licensed mental health professional you can use online-therapy.com (affiliate link) or call a mental health hotline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
