Mood tracker for depression: see progress that feels invisible
Depression makes it hard to notice change. Recovery is slow, and low days color how you remember the good ones. A short daily log shows the real trend for you, your doctor, or your therapist. This guide covers what to track and how to keep it light on low days.
Last reviewed by the Pixy team. Not medically reviewed. 6 sources.
Pixy is a self-tracking tool, not a medical device or therapy. It cannot diagnose, treat, or monitor any condition. Talk to a doctor or therapist about your symptoms and your care.
If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, get help now. In the US, call or text 988 (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). In the UK, call Samaritans on 116 123. Elsewhere, find a free helpline at findahelpline.com or call your local emergency number.
What depression looks like over time
Depression is more than a bad day. Doctors look for symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for at least 2 weeks.[1]
Symptoms include a persistent sad or empty mood, loss of interest in activities, changes in sleep and appetite, and low energy.[1]
Persistent depressive disorder is a longer form. Symptoms last at least 2 years.[1]
Recovery rarely runs in a straight line. Better weeks and setbacks mix, so a single bad day says little about the trend.
Why depression is hard to track
Memory is a poor record
Looking back, you remember your mood differently from how it was at the time. In a study of outpatients with depression or borderline personality disorder, recalled mood changes agreed poorly with ratings made in the moment.[2]
Progress feels invisible
When improvement is slow, every day can feel the same. A month of colors can show a shift you would not notice day to day.
Low energy kills complex trackers
Long forms are hard to fill in on a bad day. A tracker you can finish in a few seconds is one you keep using.
Appointments come without notes
NIMH suggests taking some notes about your symptoms before a visit.[1] A log means you do not have to remember.
What to track with depression, and why
- Mood once a day
- Shows the trend across weeks, which is what treatment decisions look at.
- Sleep and energy
- Sleep and energy changes are common symptoms of depression.[1]
- Things you did
- A walk, seeing a friend, a therapy session. You can see which days had them.
- Treatment events
- Starting therapy or a new medicine. Your care team wants to know what changed after.
- A word or two about the day
- A short note helps you remember what happened when you look back.
How clinicians use mood records
Measurement-based care means clinicians track symptoms with rating scales at each visit and adjust treatment. In one trial, patients treated this way reached remission more often and sooner than patients in standard care.[3] Those scales are clinical tools your doctor uses. A mood app does not replace them.
CBT often asks you to write down situations, feelings, and thoughts, as in the NHS thought record.[4] A mood log can sit alongside this work.
In a trial with young people seeing their GP, self-monitoring of mood raised emotional self-awareness, and higher awareness went with fewer depressive symptoms.[5] A review of mood-monitoring apps for young people called the evidence promising but limited.[6]
What tracking can look like: a year of depression and recovery
One made-up year: a long low stretch in winter, weekly therapy from mid-March, a slow climb with a setback in May, and a steadier second half with ordinary bad days.
Example: how your entries can look as a trend
This chart is drawn from the made-up entries on this page, using Pixy's colors. Pixy's statistics show a mood chart of your own entries. Pixy does not draw this exact chart, the tag rows below it, or mark episodes. You spot the patterns yourself.
What you can spot in this example
- The climb takes about four months and has a dip in May. On a bad day in May, the chart shows the bigger trend.
- Walks get more frequent as mood lifts. A log shows the pattern, not what causes what.
- Bad days still happen in autumn. Recovery does not mean every day is green.
How Pixy can help you track depression
Pixy keeps a check-in short: pick a color, and add more only if you want to. That makes it easier to keep going on low days.
Tags to create
- therapyDays with a session, so you can see the weeks around them.
- walkOr any activity you want to notice: exercise, time outside, cooking.
- saw a friendSocial contact, often the first thing to drop when mood is low.
- bad sleepPixy has no sleep log. A tag shows which nights were rough.
- med changeStarting, stopping, or changing a medicine.
Setup and routine
- 1In Settings, turn off the check-in steps you do not need. Mood alone is enough on hard days.
- 2Create the tags above in Settings, Tags.
- 3Turn on the daily reminder and pick a time you are usually free, such as after dinner.
- 4On low days, just pick a color. A missing day is fine. Pick up again the next day.
- 5Once a month, open the monthly report. Compare mood counts with the month before.
- 6Before an appointment, open the monthly report or Year in Pixels and show it on your phone, or take screenshots. Pixy has no printable report.
- 7Export your data now and then. Entries live only on your phone, with no cloud backup. The export is a JSON file, useful as a backup or for moving to a new phone.
What Pixy cannot do
- Pixy has no depression questionnaire and no symptom scores. It does not imitate clinical tools such as the PHQ-9.
- Pixy cannot tell you whether you have depression or whether treatment works. Your doctor or therapist can.
- Pixy has no CBT exercises. If you want guided CBT, see the comparison with MindDoc.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Pixy is a self-tracking tool, not a medical device or therapy. It cannot diagnose, treat, or monitor any condition. Talk to a doctor or therapist about your symptoms and your care.
If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, get help now. In the US, call or text 988 (988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). In the UK, call Samaritans on 116 123. Elsewhere, find a free helpline at findahelpline.com or call your local emergency number.
Sources
Facts on this page come from these sources. Numbers in brackets link here.
- Depression. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), revised 2024.
- Clinical assessment of affective instability: comparing EMA indices, questionnaire reports, and retrospective recall. Solhan MB et al., Psychological Assessment 21(3), 2009.
- Measurement-Based Care Versus Standard Care for Major Depression: A Randomized Controlled Trial With Blind Raters. Guo T et al., American Journal of Psychiatry 172(10), 2015.
- Self-help CBT techniques: Thought record. NHS Every Mind Matters.
- Self-monitoring Using Mobile Phones in the Early Stages of Adolescent Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial. Kauer SD et al., Journal of Medical Internet Research 14(3), 2012.
- A systematic review of the psychometric properties, usability and clinical impacts of mobile mood-monitoring applications in young people. Dubad M et al., Psychological Medicine 48(2), 2018.
Guides for other conditions
- Bipolar disorderSpot episodes and early signs like short sleep. Build a simple life chart for your doctor.
- AnxietyFind which days and triggers make anxiety spike, from work to caffeine.
- ADHDCatch fast mood shifts within a day with several quick check-ins.
- BPDLog intense mood shifts hour by hour, next to your DBT diary card.
- PMDDRate every day for two cycles and line your mood up with a period tag.
Start your mood chart today
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