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Gratitude can be an incredibly useful tool throughout your recovery. You’ll also notice the small improvements you make, the support you get from friends and family and the beauty of sober living. As you start to practice gratitude, you’ll notice the power of the words you choose. This should carry over into all the thoughts and conversations you have throughout the day. Try to eliminate negative thoughts and feelings or match them with a positive counterpart. Practicing gratitude is one of the most popular early recovery topics.
- Many people suffering from addiction put this step off for years, and some indefinitely.
- But in recovery, it’s possible to recover hope for the future and to look forward to doing new and better things.
- Gratitude, thankfulness, and appreciation – paying attention to the positive things in your life is an important part of a healthy outlook on living.
- Maintaining a grateful mindset during tough times can also help you remember that they do pass.
- These days are arguably the toughest times to find anything to be grateful about, but they are the best times to hone the skills of a grateful heart and find appreciation for even the little things.
- Recovery is never simple, nor easy, but through gratitude, you may find a more optimistic, productive, thoughtful version of you.
Randal Lea, our Chief Community Recovery Officer is a licensed addictions counselor with 30 years of clinical and administrative experience. Some potential treatment options you may experiment with include MAT, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and holistic options. We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. Having a recovery plan that you can always fall back on gives your recovery some structure.
Committing Your Gratitude to Writing
Gratitude is a muscle that develops with training and practice, and when we make a habit of appreciating the better qualities in life, we strengthen that muscle in our mind. When that muscle grows strong enough, we will reflexively notice the good, and we will see something’s benefits before its real or imaginary drawbacks and limitations. In active addiction, we struggled with the concept of having enough. Moments of quiet contentment were few and far between because our brain was often demanding alcohol or other drugs, and our addiction gave us little choice in the matter.
Why is gratitude important in recovery?
A grateful approach allows you to take on challenges with a positive mindset. For instance, rather than viewing relapse as a failure, you can see it as an opportunity to learn and grow. This perspective can help you stay motivated and committed to your recovery goals, even when times are tough.
Addiction keeps a person stuck in an unpleasant “now” that revolves around getting your next fix. But in recovery, it’s possible to recover hope for the future and to look forward to doing new and better things. When you make that shift into a grateful mindset you radiate a very attractive and influential positivity. Are you looking for more ideas for how to stay committed to sobriety? On the simplest level, gratitude is an appreciation for the good things in your life, even if they might seem insignificant at first glance. Our free, confidential telephone consultation will help you find the best treatment program for you.
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Gratitude becomes like a sweet salve that not only heals but also contributes to your sense of joy for breaking free from substance use. When you’re struggling, you can reach for your gratitude journal or reminders to rebalance yourself. It can remind you of how far you’ve come and all you’ve done to get to this stage of recovery. So how exactly does someone practice gratitude and know they’re doing it right? Figuring that out is a natural first step in the mindful gratitude journey.
One gets to think less of self and more of the efforts of those trying to help. By cultivating this in addiction treatment and in recovery, we develop a better mindset overall and have a much more positive perspective on life. It is easy to feel overwhelmed and pessimistic when living through the challenges of addiction recovery. You may feel like you don’t have the strength or willpower to overcome your obstacles, and you might start to get caught up in negative thoughts and emotions like anger, self-doubt, or hopelessness. However, maintaining a sense of gratitude can help you stay focused on what is important and find strength in difficult times.
Now Is the Perfect Time to Seek Treatment for Alcohol Addiction
Again, if you are just starting your recovery journey, this all may be easier said than done. In early recovery, it can be hard to find things to be thankful for when you are simultaneously battling withdrawal symptoms and the consequences or realities of your drug problem. Gratitude truly is for everyone, but it is so powerful for those struggling through recovery.
- It’s important to keep in mind that things don’t have to have any significance for you to be grateful for them.
- It is from this base that grounding and the feeling of safety can emerge.
- The active, regular practice of gratitude increases happiness, quality of life, and other positive emotions.
- Adopting a grateful attitude can impact almost every aspect of your life in a positive way — your relationships, your mood, your job satisfaction, your health and so on.
Rather than a strictly religious perspective, gratitude is a spiritual practice that is considered the “antidote” to many forms of suffering. A quick way to practice gratitude is by making a list of things you’re grateful for in recovery each day. Keep your lists for a reminder of why you’re working toward recovery- and what the future could be. In your journal, take time to note down the things and events of the day that you’re grateful for. Whether it’s a chance to sleep a little later in the morning or a meeting with an old friend, note it down.
Butch also maintained a private practice, specializing in family of origin work and addiction populations. Since 2016 Jay has served on the board of directors of the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP). As past chair of NAATP’s Ethics Committee, Jay was instrumental in important changes made to the organization’s code of ethics. In addition, Jay serves as Treasurer/Secretary of the Foundation of Recovery Science and Education. He has also served on an advisory committee with LegitScript, certification that lets search engines know which treatment centers operate safely and legally. Gratitude Recovery is a calm, nurturing, family environment where people have the opportunity to settle into a structured routine.
12 Keys Rehab offers compassionate care and understanding professionals who offer treatment without judgment. We offer a 12-step program, complete with support, along with holistic treatments, physical fitness, nutritional meals, and ample time for relaxation and reflections. You may not notice them, but your days are filled with a bounty of blessings — some big, some small. The act of simply making a list of your blessings while in addiction recovery is extremely powerful. Imagine what great things will happen once you take bigger steps toward developing a grateful heart.
Cumberland Heights is a nonprofit alcohol and drug-addiction treatment center located on the banks of the Cumberland river in Nashville, Tennessee. On a sprawling 177-acre campus, we are made up of 2 12-Step immersion campuses, 12 outpatient recovery centers and 4 sober living homes. We believe that each person has a unique story to tell – and that’s why we always put the patient first.
Especially in early recovery, there are a lot of emotions that surface that are no longer being numbed by drugs or alcohol, and these emotions can sometimes feel overwhelming. Gratitude, when practiced daily, enhances hope, increases physical and mental wellbeing, and helps overcome the more difficult times we all face. At its essence, gratitude is feeling joy for the things you have in life.
Defining the Act of Practicing Gratitude
That leads to a cycle of despair, hopelessness and other negative feelings, which in turn lead to returning to being dependent on addictive substances. In fact, many people who abuse substances to fight these feelings also https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/the-importance-of-gratitude-in-recovery/ suffer from co-occurring mental health disorders such as depression, which creates its own set of symptoms. Gratitude is the practice of intentionally focusing on the positive aspects of life and feeling thankful for them.