The Role of Gratitude in Mental Health
By Jennifer Voorhaar, LCSW-C
As we enter a very busy holiday season, we know that there will be “hustle, bustle” while we are busy and hectic. We will certainly try to enjoy the fun and festivities, but we can sometimes lose sight of the blessings around us. Whether this is due to grief, sadness, depression, anxiety, or the stress of the expectations, we can work to shift our focus to a mindset of gratitude for improvements in our overall well being.
Some even deal with the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder (the mental health related impacts of less sunshine and less time outside) and may need professional counseling. Regardless of the source of the low mood and high anxiety, research tell us that a daily practice of gratitude can impact wellbeing. Is being grateful and saying “thank you” all if takes to improve our overall mental health? No. However, it certainly can help.
According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, the word gratitude is derived from the Latin word, gratus which means grace and grateful. The word grateful means “appreciative of benefits received” or “affording pleasure or contentment.”
To show gratitude, we express thankful appreciation for what we have and what we have received whether it is a tangible item (food, shelter, gifts, etc.) or intangible (support, phone calls, time with friends, etc.). When we show our gratitude for something we often acknowledge what is outside of ourselves therefore connecting us with others. The others could be a person, a collective community, nature or a higher power.
We know that being grateful and expressing gratitude involves a positive shift in mindset which directly correlates to greater happiness and overall wellbeing. When we acknowledge the good in our lives, we can feel and express positive emotions, enjoy positive experiences, having improved health, better manage difficult circumstances and have strong connections with others. The way that we express gratitude is different for all of us. For some it may involve looking back to positive memories of our past and being grateful for the events of our childhood. For others it might be looking at our current life and not taking our blessings for granted. While others it may be hopeful and optimistic about the future. Regardless of which way we look at gratitude, we know that there will be improved quality of life merely by being grateful. Reading a blog or hearing a friend tell you to be grateful may not be enough for some to embrace the concept of gratitude.
For some, research and data help to solidify ideas. Often in the mental health field, our work is driven by research so it is only fitting to share a bit of research with you to better enlighten the concept. I often share with clients the importance and research-based ideas of gratitude journaling and one study by Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami further supports this idea. These two researchers are leaders in the study of gratitude. In one study they asked participants to write down a few sentences each week and were given a particular topic to write about.
The first group was asked to write down what happened to them that they were grateful for each week. Another group was asked to write down the things that irritated or displeased them every day. The final group was asked to written down events that had affected them (with no emphasis on them being positive or negative). The study showed that after a 10-week period of time, the first group who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation.
It is hard for these kinds of studies to show cause and effect. But we can at least see a connection between gratitude and our overall wellbeing. Other studies at the impact of being grateful has on relationships. One such study showed that couples who took time to express gratitude to their partner left more positive toward the other person but also felt more comfortable expressing concerns in the relationship.
Additional studies show that managers who express gratitude and say thank you to their employees will impact productivity and motivation to work harder. Unfortunately, there have been studies to show no impact on well being based on a practice of gratitude journaling or being grateful toward others. However, with emotional maturity and a mindful pursuit of gratitude, one may experience an overall improvement in wellbeing.
So at this point you might be wondering, “what do I need to do in order to show gratitude?” We can begin by appreciating what we have instead of reaching for the new shiny object hoping for increases happiness. We can enjoy what we have and find satisfaction in what we do have rather than unsatisfied about what we don’t have. We can focus, change our focus at times, on what we have rather than
what we lack. And, we can acknowledge the improvement in our mental health as we shift and change our practice to one focused on gratitude.
As few ways to do this include:
1. Writing thank you notes – express, in writing, your appreciation for what someone did and the impact on your life. I know I love receiving fun mail so drop a note, a card, or a letter in the mail. And, maybe occasionally you send yourself a note because after all we can be appreciative for the way we care for ourselves as well as the way others care for us.
2. Send an email or text – we may not have access to someone’s mailing address so in that instance, maybe you send a text, an email or social media message. Be sure to include what you’re thankful for and how this act improved your life.
3. Think about someone and have a mindset of gratitude – there may be people who we appreciate and have no way of contacting them. Maybe it is the kind person in the grocery store who helped lift a heavy item and we said thank you in the moment but wish we could do more. Thinking about that person and being mindful of your appreciation can impact your overall mindset and create a positive environment in your own mind.
4. Gratitude journal – every day write down the things you are grateful, the gifts received, the acts of service you appreciate and overall the things that happen during your day of which you are grateful.
5. Count your wins – whether you call them blessings, wins or accomplishments, write about them, big or small consider what went well, what improved, etc.
6. Pray – cultivate your faith and use prayer to show and acknowledge your appreciation for your blessings
7. Meditate – be intentionally mindful about what you are grateful, focus on the tangible items or the emotional feelings to bring to light the pleasant experience gratitude brings
Sometimes in the midst of life we lose sight of all that we truly do have to be thankful for. So, this holiday season, I invite you to consider each day just a few things to be thankful for. It doesn’t have to be huge and it doesn’t have to be magnificent. Today I am grateful for the patience and understand of my team as I
procrastinate on writing this blog. I am grateful for the warm coffee I sipped while I started my morning. And, I am grateful for fall weather, falling leaves and chilly weather. Maybe in January I’ll wish for warmer days and sunnier skies but for today, I’ll take the autumn breeze.