Gratitude can be a powerful force.
There are many times gratitude has spun me back around after I got caught staring at the darker side of life for too long.
But what about helping with depression?
Fighting against depression can be an uphill battle.
There is a multitude of ways to go about this fight, professional therapy is one of the safest bets.
But therapy alone cannot always solve the depression riddle.
According to this Greater Good Magazine article written by Joel Wong, Ph.D., and Joshua Brown, Ph.D., “Recent evidence suggests that a promising approach is to complement psychological counseling with additional activities that are not too taxing for clients but yield high results.”
WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?
Because fighting against depression is a full-time job; therapy alone is not enough.
In their research, Dr. Wong and Dr. Brown focused on the practice of gratitude. There have been other studies conducted on the practice of gratitude and its effect on happiness and wellbeing. The issue with those studies is that they were conducted with well-functioning people. The question both researchers had to then ask: does gratitude have the same positive effect on people who struggle with mental concerns?
In the study, they split the three hundred participants who were reporting low mental health and preparing for their first session of counseling. Then, they randomly assigned the participants into three different groups: the first group was tasked to write one letter of gratitude to another person each week for three weeks, the second group was to write about their deepest thoughts and feelings about their negative experiences, and the third group was told to do nothing.
The study yielded some fascinating results.
The group who wrote the gratitude letters showed significantly better mental health after four and twelve weeks after the study began. This showed that gratitude writing can be beneficial for those struggling with mental health issues.
A few interesting findings from the study:
- Gratitude takes the focus off of toxic emotions
- Gratitude helps even if you do not share it with anyone
- The benefits of gratitude take time
MY EXPERIENCE WITH GRATITUDE
I was in my late twenties and going through drastic changes in every area of my life.
At the time, I was jobless, low on funds, living in one of the most expensive cities in the world, emotionally fragile, out of shape, confused about my life path, and mulling over my options.
I moved back to my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, and lived with my mom again. Not exactly the ideal situation you dream up in your mind as a twenty-something year old.
Around the same time, other friends of mine had also moved back home into their parents’ houses.
We’d often make jokes about trying to pick up a woman at the bar by saying: “Hey…how’d you like to come back to my parents’ house tonight?”
That experience of having little money, stuck between jobs, and no emotional stability, humbled me to the fullest.
What was one factor that helped get me through it?
Practicing Gratitude.
GRATITUDE IS HUMBLING
Practicing gratitude helps to show all of the people in your life that have helped you in some way, shape, or form.
Gratitude allows you to see with clarity the specific opportunities, experiences, and support these people gave you. It also humbles because when you’re grateful, you begin to realize the abundance of good that is around you. In a world filled with so much negativity and unhealthy distraction, focusing on all the positives can be an important reminder and mood stabilizer.
That winter, when it was cold, dark, and depressing, I made myself a New Years Resolution to write a letter of gratitude letter to people in my life who had made a difference in my life.
I wrote down a list of names, and once a week I’d write a letter and send it out to them. The feeling I got doing this was indescribable. On a purely selfish level, writing those letters was more therapeutic for me than the people I sent them to (at least I think). They made me focus on the positives in my life rather than the negative. And writing those gratitude letters gave me an appreciation for the amount of good I had in my life.
Gratitude helped me turn the corner.
THE FLIP SIDE OF GRATITUDE AND DEPRESSION
Dr. Margaret Rutherford is a clinical psychologist with over twenty-five years of experience. She wrote an article on gratitude and depression which shows an opposing view, at least for certain people who are struggling with what she calls a PHD (perfectly hidden depression). Although she acknowledges the obvious benefits of gratitude, and how gratitude can be a good thing, she argues that people struggling with PHD use gratitude in a negative way.
These people tend to mask their depression by being overly grateful, using gratitude as a disguise rather than a healing technique.
These are the kind of people who always say, “Everything is fine,” when asked if they are alright.
Yet they are struggling internally.
This does not mean gratitude itself isn’t beneficial or that the acts of gratitude, like giving people gifts or saying thank you aren’t friendly gestures. They most certainly are. But when gratitude is used as a mask for depression, as Dr. Rutherford argues, it backfires.
Be careful not to fall into that trap.
If you are struggling with depression and covering it up by being the consummate people pleaser, it’s time to take a long hard look in the mirror and make some changes.
Do not be afraid to seek help – but first, you must admit that you need it.
GRATITUDE TECHNIQUES
There are many different ways to express gratitude. When you are depressed, it can be a challenge to stay afloat mentally and emotionally, so you have to make a concerted effort to practice these techniques. If you are seeing a therapist, consult with them on this topic. They should have methods they can share with you as well. Below are three that have worked for me.
GLAD (Grateful, Learned, Accomplished, Delight):
This is one my therapist recommended to me. It expands beyond just gratitude and has an extra layer of perspective for the day. First, you write out GLAD vertically on a piece of paper. Then, next to the G, write down one thing you are grateful for that day. Next to the L, write down one thing you learned. Next to the A, write down one thing you accomplished. And next to the D, one thing that fille you with delight. Then go back and read them. You’d be surprised how much this little list can make you smile.
Gratitude Journaling:
Gratitude journaling is the simple act of writing down what you are grateful for on a daily basis (or at times of your choosing). This can be people, places, things, events, whatever you are grateful for that given day, write it down in a journal. Whenever I do a gratitude journal I typically write down three things. This is a quick and easy way to stay on top of gratitude.
Letters of Gratitude:
As discussed above with the study performed, writing letters of gratitude to the people in your life, you are grateful for can have positive effects. I would start with any immediate family members or close friends, and then branch out to others. These letters can be as long or as short as you desire. The act itself can be therapeutic.
IN REVIEW
Gratitude can be a powerful and effective tool in the fight against depression.
Studies have shown that the effects of gratitude can be felt months after, especially if they are ongoing. There are all sorts of ways you can express gratitude. Whether if share these expressions with others or keep them to yourself, the benefits will be there.
And if you are someone who is using gratitude as a mask to cover up your depression, it’s okay to admit you are struggling. There are so many resources available to help you.
No matter how stressful life can get with your depression, finding moments, even small ones, to express gratitude can make a world of difference.
So I ask – what are you grateful for today?
If you have any questions or would like a free mindset coaching consultation – contact me at brad@upplifter.com.
Although we strive to provide accurate general information, the information presented here is not a substitute for any kind of professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this information. Always consult a professional in the medical and health area for your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any medical or health-related decisions. For your health-related questions, please seek the advice of a licensed physician or any other qualified health care provider immediately.
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