Dealing with anxiety can feel overwhelming and insurmountable, but there things you can do to help manage the worst of it. You likely already have your own tried and true coping mechanisms in place. However, if you’ve never considered writing out your worries to help alleviate them and help restore your equilibrium, you’re seriously missing out. Here are some journal prompts for anxiety that you may find useful.
Can journaling really help alleviate anxiety?
For some people, yes. According to a 2018 study published in JMIR Mental Health, people who journal report fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as a reduction of symptoms if they are sufferers. Why is that? Well, writing things down means releasing them, which can unburden someone of negative thoughts and feelings which may be holding them down.
While journaling prompts aren’t a cure-all when it comes to anxiety, there’s no harm in trying it. It’s free, easy, and can be done anywhere (so long as you have a pen and a notebook or some paper). Even if you don’t think you’re getting anything out of it, you might be surprised to realize how beneficial it really is.
Journal prompts for anxiety you may find helpful
- How does my anxiety make me feel physically?
- How is my anxiety affecting or even controlling my everyday life?
- What triggers my anxiety? What can I do about it?
- How does my behavior change when my anxiety is high?
- Do I have healthy coping mechanisms for my anxiety?
- How have my relationships suffered because of my anxiety?
- What’s something I can do right here, right now to help lessen my anxiety?
- Is there some way I can reduce my anxiety in the future?
- What have I missed out on in life because of my anxiety?
- What would my life be like without anxiety?
- What am I most afraid of and how does that add to my anxiety?
- Is there anything I can do to change my anxious thought patterns?
- Are there any upsides to having anxiety? If so, what?
- Could going to therapy help me cope with my anxiety?
- Would self-care reduce my anxiety or make it easier to deal with?
- Is there some way I can feel like I’m controlling my anxiety rather than it controlling me?
- Is my anxiety screwing up my ability to get proper rest?
- Is there a particular time of day when I feel more anxious?
- Is my physical health suffering because of my anxiety? If so, how?
- Could exercise or doing something physical help with my anxiety?
- Is my anxiety holding me back in my career? In what ways?
- What are some ways I can improve my productivity when my anxiety is out of control?
- Does doing something expressive or artistic help manage my anxiety symptoms?
- What are some creative outlets I can use to express and manage my anxiety?
- Has my social life gone to hell because of my anxiety?
- Is it possible to socialize without it setting off my anxiety? How?
- How has my anxiety affected my sense of self-worth?
- Would building my self-esteem help manage my anxiety?
- Do I have common negative thought patterns that contribute to my anxiety? How can I change them?
- How can I reframe negative thoughts to reduce my anxiety?
- How would my life be different if I didn’t suffer from anxiety?
- Can living my life as if I don’t have anxiety help me overcome it?
- Do I allow my anxiety to define me? Does that give it more power than it deserves?
More journal prompts to help relieve your anxious thoughts
- Is there a way for me to self-soothe when I’m feeling extra anxious?
- How can I practice more mindfulness in my daily life to help manage my anxiety?
- What are some ways my anxiety lies to me? What’s the truth behind those lies?
- What are some ways I can confront and overcome the fears that spike my anxiety?
- Do I have anxiety around food? If so, how can I address it in a healthy way?
- Does exercise play a role in helping me deal with my anxiety? If not, what are some forms of movement I might try?
- Was there a time I managed to calm my anxiety? How did I do it?
- What are some ways I can incorporate relaxation techniques into my daily routine?
- How has my anxiety affected my spirituality or sense of purpose?
- Are there small changes I can make to my daily routine that might reduce my anxiety?
- What are some ways I can connect with my spirituality and how might that help me manage my anxiety?
- What is one small step I can take today to manage my anxiety?
- What are some things that make me feel safe and secure? How can I get more of that feeling in my life?
- When is my anxiety at its lowest? Can I change things in my life to get more of those times?
- What are some boundaries I can set with my colleagues, friends, and family to manage my anxiety?
- How can I communicate my anxiety and how it makes me feel to the people I love?
- Has my anxiety messed with my ability to make decisions? How?
- Can laughter reduce my anxiety? What makes me laugh?
- Does my anxiety make me distrustful? How can I overcome that to be more vulnerable?
- How has my anxiety created distance between me and the people I care about? How can I change that?
- What can journaling about my anxiety do for me? What do I hope to gain from it?
- Does writing down my anxieties and exploring the reasons behind them give me relief?
- Could music reduce my anxiety? What are some artists/songs/albums that make me feel calm and relaxed?
- How has my anxiety made me doubt myself?
- What are some ways I can start to trust myself more and not let anxiety win?
- Are there any grounding techniques I can use when feeling overwhelmed by anxiety? If so, which ones should I try?
- What are some self-love affirmations or mantras I can repeat to myself when I’m anxious AF?
- Do I allow my anxiety to occupy too big of a space in my mind and in my life? How can I reduce it?
- Could allowing myself to fully experience my anxiety help me move through it?
- Do I have friends who also experience anxiety? Do they have tips that might help me too?
- Are the things I feel anxious about real or am I building them up in my mind? How can I unheighten them?
- Is my anxiety truly not being helped by any of my coping methods? Should I consider medication?
