Describing where we’ve been as a nation in the last 5 years no matter where you stand on the political aisle, your stance on vaccinations, and all things inflation it is fair to say that we are at an all time high in terms of stress, anxiety and depression. Some research shows that there has been a 6% increase in young adults seeking out mental health support and a huge spike in people spending over 50% more in services related to mental health. There is more research being done about our mental health and social media use concerning how much we consume daily and our ability to handle all the new information. Needless to say we are spending more money and we are spending more time focusing on our mental health.

This isn’t a bad thing, in fact it’s good. We have in some ways been forced to be more intentional to think about what we are consuming, how we’re spending our time doing both physically and psychologically.

Our Brains on Chemicals

Our brains operate in different systems just like a computer or our phones. We have the autonomic system, the parasympathetic system and we have things like our amygdala and hypothalamus in there. I’m using a lot of big words, but here’s what you need to know. Our brains were designed to keep us safe. So when you see danger coming, your logical or thinking part of your brain (pre-frontal cortex) shuts down and pushes the information you’re receiving from your senses (hear, see, smell, feel, taste) to your amygdala whose job it is to remember things that are dangerous. If your amygdala decides to pull the fire alarm so that you can quickly make a decision to move out the way, Your amygdala sounds off the fire alarm to the hypothalamus who releases your adrenal glands (adrenaline) which allows you to move quickly out of the way of danger (Fight, flight, freeze stress responses).

Here’s why this is important as we talk about stress and gratitude. People who have OCD, Anxiety, and PTSD have what we call an “over-active” amygdala. Meaning it remembers a lot of things that may or may not be dangerous. So it produces a hyper-vigilance that keeps the gas pedal on the cortisol (which causes us to be alert to the danger). After the danger passes our bodies release hormones that help us to rest and relax. But if we are in a hyperactive state and have high stress levels we are constantly experiencing the stress hormones which is not healthy for us.

While therapy can be helpful to identify the triggers and identify coping and calming practices and tools. It is also helpful to help you identify positive emotions and helpful practices that can enhance positive thinking that boost your mood, reduce anxiety, and promote health with increasing the hours of sleep (due to less rumination and anxiety).

Tricking our Brain

There are many practices that aid you in helping you enhance positive thinking, reduce anxiety and aid with your health. Chances are you’ve already tried it, and it didn’t cost you anything. It can be challenging to maintain and be disciplined to continue it. And sometimes it even gets a bad rap when people who are positive are negatively labeled as “too happy”. But science and neurology backs it up, gratitude is not only beneficial over time to our social relationships, our physical health but of course our psychological health as well.

There are a few positive chemicals in our brains that allow us to feel good:

• Dopamine – Our reward system goes off when we experience something pleasurable like eating something tasty or motivation when we accomplish something
• Oxytocin – Known as the love hormone, we experience this in close relationships or even just hugging a co-worker as it promotes trust and connection
• Serotin – Regulates our mood and our emotions. It keeps us balanced sometimes we take SSRI’s to help us to have a more balanced serotonin level but it is also released in our brain to calm us so that we don’t feel anxious when something dangerous happens
• Endorphins – Our brain’s Advil, our natural painkiller, as it acts as a mood booster and reduces stress. it is released when we laugh, workout, and other positive experiences

So when we do something positive by giving to another person and being generous our brain triggers a release of oxytocin. In addition when we are in either a state of gratitude or feeling grateful our brain begins to regulate the cortisol production which reduces anxiety and stress.

Gratitude triggers the brain to release the neurotransmitters and hormones associated with happiness (dopamine and serotonin) as well. When we have low levels of serotonin and dopamine it can cause depression. Practicing gratitude daily can be a “natural” antidepressant as it produces feelings of contentment and pleasure.

Ways to practice Gratitude

The internet has so many ways to practice gratitude but here are some of my favorites.

• Incorporate into a mindfulness practice. 3 deep breaths using the 5-4-3 method and on the inhale identify one thing your grateful for and on the exhale one thing you’re releasing
  • This is helpful in bringing balance to something that may be on your mind by making space for it but also allowing you to focus your attention on something positive and uplifting which feels more realistic for some
• Grab a journal just for tracking things you are grateful for in the morning and evening before bed.
  • This helps to create morning and evening routines which is helpful for establishing rhythms and routines that enhance our connection to ourselves and our needs.
• Write a letter to someone once a week expressing your gratitude for them.
  • You don’t have to send it if you’re not comfortable but research shows that it will enhance our positive feelings towards others which increases our social interactions and connections which also aids in decreasing depression.

Still not sold on Gratitude as a Practice and Health Benefit?

Research shows that practicing gratitude over time can have positive benefits on your health. It also can increase the amount of sleep because your brain has spent less active hours engaging in negative or stressful activities.

At its core gratitude is recognizing that there are good things happening in our lives outside of yourself. The next step is to recognize where those good things are happening. For some this can be others, nature, or your creator depending on your belief system in a higher power. The point is, as you engage in gratitude your awareness of good things happening in your life shifts your focus from the things that aren’t going right and allows us to appreciate the things and people around us that pour good back into our lives. This is something we desperately need in this hour.

Whether you’re on the fence about how this could be helpful or you’re all in, talking with a professional will only enhance your ability to see the positives in your life. No matter how things are, there is always something to be grateful for. I would be happy to support you in your efforts in moving toward a life that’s balanced, and  whole. Consider reaching out today to get started on your therapy journey!