how to journal when you're depressed (and don't have energy)

Depression tells you that nothing matters. That you don't have the energy. That there's no point in trying.

So when people say "just journal about your feelings," it feels impossible.

Because depression doesn't just steal your motivation. It steals everything. Your words. Your thoughts. Your ability to care.

Opening a journal when you're depressed can feel like being asked to climb a mountain when you can barely get out of bed.

This article isn't going to tell you that journaling will fix your depression. It won't.

But it can be a small tool—one that meets you where you are, on the days when everything feels too heavy.

why depression makes journaling so hard

Let's be honest about what depression does:

1. everything requires monumental effort

Tasks that used to be easy—showering, eating, responding to texts—now feel impossible. Adding "write in a journal" to that list? Overwhelming.

2. your thoughts are heavy or numb

Depression either fills your head with brutal self-criticism, or it empties you out completely. Either way, translating that into words feels pointless.

3. you don't believe it will help

When you're depressed, hope feels like a lie. So why would journaling matter? Why would writing change anything?

(Spoiler: It might not change everything. But it might create one small moment of release. And sometimes, that's enough.)

how to journal when you have no energy

Traditional journaling advice won't work here. You need strategies designed for survival mode.

1. lower the bar to the floor

Forget long entries. Forget full sentences. Forget making sense.

One word counts.

Open your journal (or notes app) and write:

• Heavy.
• Numb.
• Survived.

That's it. That's journaling when you're depressed. You showed up. You named something. You're done.

2. use fill-in-the-blank prompts

When your brain won't form thoughts, give it a structure to complete:

• Today was ___________.
• I felt ___________.
• One thing I did: ___________.
• I need ___________.

You don't need creativity. You just need to fill in the blanks.

3. track what you did, not what you didn't

Depression loves to list everything you failed at today. Flip it:

What did you manage to do?

• Got out of bed
• Drank water
• Brushed teeth
• Fed myself something
• Stayed alive

When you're depressed, survival is an accomplishment. Write it down.

4. write one sentence

Not a paragraph. Not a page. One sentence.

"Today was hard."
"I don't know how I feel."
"Still here."

That's enough. Close the journal. You did it.

5. rate your day on a scale (no explanation needed)

Sometimes words are too much. Use numbers:

• Mood today: 3/10
• Energy: 2/10
• Pain level: 7/10

Over time, you'll see patterns. Some days are 2s. Some days are 5s. That's data, not failure.

6. voice record instead of writing

If writing feels impossible, open a voice memo app and talk for 30 seconds.

Say whatever comes out. You don't have to listen to it later. You don't have to transcribe it. Just externalize it.

7. keep it next to your bed

If getting to your desk feels impossible, keep your journal in bed with you.

Write while lying down. Write before you even sit up. Write in the dark if you need to.

Meeting yourself where you are isn't lazy. It's survival.

what to write when your brain is full of darkness

Depression distorts everything. Here's how to journal through it:

when your thoughts are cruel

Depression lies. It tells you you're worthless, broken, a burden.

You don't have to argue with it. Just name it:

"Depression is telling me I'm a failure."
"The voice in my head says I don't matter."
"I don't believe that's true, but it feels true right now."

Naming it creates distance. The depression is saying this. Not me.

when you feel nothing

Numbness is one of depression's cruelest tricks. You're not broken for feeling nothing.

Write about the numbness itself:

"I don't feel anything today. Not sad, not happy. Just empty."
"Everything feels gray."
"I'm here, but I'm not really here."

Numbness is still a feeling. It counts.

when you can't see a future

Depression makes it impossible to imagine tomorrow. So don't try to plan ahead.

Write about right now:

• What do I need in this exact moment?
• What would make the next hour slightly more bearable?
• Is there one small thing I can do for myself right now?

You don't need hope for the future. You just need to survive the next hour.

prompts for depressive episodes

ultra-low energy prompts

• One word for today: _______
• I'm still here.
• Today I survived by: _______

naming the hard

• What hurts most right now?
• What does depression want me to believe today?
• What feels impossible?

tiny wins

• What's one thing I did today, no matter how small?
• Did I eat? Drink water? Take meds?
• What kept me going today, even if barely?

body check-ins

• Where do I feel the depression in my body?
• Am I hungry? Thirsty? Cold?
• What does my body need right now?

what journaling can't do (and that's okay)

Let's be clear: Journaling is not a cure for depression.

It won't fix your brain chemistry. It won't replace therapy or medication. It won't make the pain disappear.

What it can do:

• Give your thoughts somewhere to go besides your head
• Create a record of days you survived
• Help you notice patterns (what makes it worse, what helps even slightly)
• Offer proof that this feeling isn't permanent, even when it feels like it is

It's a small tool. Not a solution. And that's okay.

when journaling makes it worse

Sometimes writing makes you spiral deeper. If that's happening, stop.

Journaling isn't for everyone, and it's not for every moment.

If writing amplifies the darkness instead of releasing it, put the journal down. Watch something comforting. Reach out to someone. Just exist.

You're not failing. You're listening to what you need.

you're doing better than you think

If you made it this far in this article, you're still trying. Even when it's hard. Even when it feels pointless.

That matters.

You don't have to journal perfectly. You don't have to journal every day. You don't have to journal at all.

But if you do—even just one word, one sentence, one acknowledgment that you survived today—that's enough.

You're enough.

Even on the days when it doesn't feel like it.