The Importance of Gratitude in Addiction Recovery

Drugs and alcohol can take a severe toll on the body and brain, and an overdose can leave a user permanently disabled, or dead. Addiction also puts people at risk for violence and criminal activity. Having the opportunity to pursue recovery can be a cause for gratitude. Not everyone gets a “second chance” at life, so it is important to be grateful for your opportunity. Get a jar of any kind and when something good happens write it on a strip of paper and put it in the jar.

• Finally, gratitude has been linked to improved physical health outcomes such as better sleep quality and reduced inflammation.
• Scientific studies tell us that gratitude can benefit a person’s recovery experience.
• The 12 steps emphasize the importance of a searching moral inventory, as well as making amends, finding social connection, and volunteering.
• It can also help you connect with yourself and others in a deeper and more meaningful way.
• If you feel victimized by experiences, perhaps by talking to others about their reactions to life you can uncover different ways to respond to the events life brings you.

For individuals or their loved ones grappling with addiction, the struggle to escape the cycle of substance abuse and addiction can be incredibly challenging. You see the kindness and generosity of others who support you, inspire you, and make a difference in your life. You also recognize the opportunities and possibilities that lie ahead of you and embrace them with enthusiasm and a positive outlook. If you feel victimized by experiences, perhaps by talking to others about their reactions to life you can uncover different ways to respond to the events life brings you.

Thank Your Way out of Addiction: How Gratitude May Be the Key to Recovery

As I navigated my way through addiction recovery, I discovered the incredible power of gratitude. In this section, I will discuss the various ways in which gratitude can aid in addiction recovery. We’ll explore how practicing gratitude can help us overcome negative thinking patterns and view our situation with hope and positivity. We’ll also delve into how expressing gratitude can help alleviate the stress and anxiety that often accompany addiction recovery. Finally, we’ll explore how cultivating a thankful mindset can serve as a powerful force for positive change, inspiring us to take action towards our recovery goals. As someone who has personally experienced addiction recovery, I can attest to the transformative power that gratitude can have on the journey towards sobriety.

• Many in recovery, particularly early recovery, feel guilty for past mistakes and beat themselves up.
• Small changes like this can help you develop a more grateful attitude towards life and inspire you to make positive changes that benefit yourself and those around you.
• We stand side-by-side with our guests as they do the hard work of looking at unhealthy patterns and behaviors and help them build the tools and skills they need for a sustainable and healthy recovery.

One group was asked to write about things they were grateful for that had occurred during the past week. The second group was asked to write about things that annoyed them that week. The third group was asked to write about important things that had happened that week but whether those things should be good or bad wasn’t specified. After 10 weeks of doing this practice just once a week, the group that had written about things they were grateful for reported feeling better about their lives and were more optimistic. As a bonus, they also reported exercising more and going to the doctor less than the participants who had written about things that annoyed them.

How to Practice Gratitude in Recovery

In these studies, a partner could be either a romantic partner or a close friend. Either way, the more you express gratitude to someone, the more connected you feel. When beginning your new life after recovery, changing the way you view the world can https://ecosoberhouse.com/ be a way to help you along that process. Part of this transformation involves incorporating gratitude into your daily routine. Being grateful for the blessings in your life, whether large or small, helps cultivate a humble, appreciative attitude.

Being thankful is a fundamental part of the holiday season, but it’s also a big part of living a sober life in addiction recovery. Gratitude is not only an essential part of sober living during the holidays but all year long. In working the 12 steps, people in recovery learn the true meaning of gratitude as they experience importance of gratitude in recovery a spiritual awakening in recovery and work to apply it to their everyday lives. Gratitude can be a powerful tool for alleviating stress and anxiety. It works by focusing on what we have in our lives rather than what we lack, and by cultivating a positive mindset that helps us to cope with difficult situations.

Strengthen relationships and social support

The practice of gratitude, meditation, and deep breathing does wonders for calming your physical and emotional being. When you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or depressed, try a guided gratitude meditation to help ground you. Having trouble focusing your gratitude onto a specific person, place or thing? During these Step 10 personal inventories, we can note these tendencies and commit to changing them. Then when we feel gratitude slipping away, we can re-engage with whichever practices help us to feel connected with our Higher Power and other people. During active addiction, we may have taken friends and family for granted or overlooked the simple pleasures in life.