Depression and mood
What is something that made me feel sad today?
Is there something I’m grieving, like a person, relationship, pet, etc?
How can I better take care of myself emotionally when I am feeling depressed?
What would life be like without the depression symptoms?
What specific emotions do I feel today, underneath the darkness of the depression clouds? Why is it important for me to be aware of these emotions?
What emotion is most prevalent today? Where in my body do I feel it? What would I like to feel there instead?
When I think back, _____ was when I felt most alive, alert, curious, and safe. What was happening then? What was I doing? Who else was present?
If there’s one thing that could change in my life now, what would that be? What can I do to start changing my direction?
Where do I feel most depressed in my body? Why is it important for me to know where it is?
When I have the energy, I will ____.
Three times I have been happy in the past
Five reasons my inner critic needs to quiet down
My inner critic is wrong about ___ because ___.
What times of year do I feel my best? My worst? Do I notice a pattern?
Think of a moment when you felt deeply at peace. Write every detail you can think of. what do you smell, hear, see, taste, feel on your skin when you think of this moment?
What steps can I take to ease my depression? What’s worked in the past?
Write about your resilience. Give specific examples of when you’ve shown resilience.
What do I need more of in my life? How could I take steps toward that?
Looking back, were there early signs that I was heading toward depression?
What’s my relationship with food like normally? How about when I’m feeling depressed? (a key here is to separate from the depression. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, it’s important to recognize that we are separate from our emotions and they will pass.)
When things feel hard, I want to remember ________.
What is something you are looking forward to?
What made you upset today?
When was the last time you did something nice for yourself?
What is one thing you are curious to try but have not gotten around to it?
Write about a happy memory in detail.
The last time I felt sad, I felt like ______. What made you feel better then?
What is one self-care practice I can add to my daily routine?
What is one thing I wish I could change about my life?
If depression is a messenger, what is it trying to tell me in this moment?
In what ways has depression helped me survive and kept me safe?
Does depression usually come with other emotions?
How can I improve my relationship with depression?
What am I feeling? When did I feel better/worse? When during the day did I experience this feeling?
What’s making me unhappy/angry/sad? Where do I feel numb? What makes me not want to leave my bed in the morning? How long have I been feeling this way? What am I usually doing when I feel like this? What triggers these feelings? Where do I feel like this?
What challenges am I facing and need to ask for help and support with?
What are the lessons from today that I want to remember tomorrow?
What are better alternatives I could try next time when confronted with similar situations?
What could be a few healthier solutions when feeling depressed or down again
What are a few positive things going on in my life right now?
What is my purpose in this world at this time?