The Role of Gratitude in Recovery

Alumni of Hawaii Island Recovery’s alcohol and drug rehab programs in Hawaii continue to embrace new strategies and proven therapeutic modalities throughout daily life even beyond our walls. However, even amidst each new development and obstacle, embracing gratitude is a crucial part of sustainable sobriety. The role of gratitude in recovery is profound, and exploring new ways to incorporate gratitude toward oneself and others can further create a robust and effective approach to continuing success in overcoming substance use disorder (SUD) as an alumnus. 

Gratitude in recovery can be a difficult concept to embrace and typically involves several different elements. However, at its core, gratitude in recovery is both an ability to identify things to be thankful for and being ready to actively express thanks or return the kindness received. 

Being able to genuinely identify the support and caring of others and return these notions is a powerful skill at any stage of recovery. However, gratitude in recovery can also have several benefits for those in recovery themselves. Family, friends, peers, and professionals at Hawaii Island Recovery are available to help each person embrace the transformative effects of gratitude and the newfound advantages that come with adopting a more gracious attitude. 

Gratitude plays a crucial role in the development of sustainable and healthy sobriety for alumni. Understanding the personal benefits of gratitude in recovery can empower each person to explore new ways to embrace it in daily life for both themselves and their loved ones.

Gratitude in recovery demands that an individual embrace new perspectives, helping to shift focus away from self-destructive thought patterns and beliefs that may continue to affect an individual as they overcome the extended effects of addiction. Shifting from feelings of guilt, self-blame, and other challenging thoughts to embrace a more positive and gracious mentality can not only help address mental health challenges but also beget a change toward more positive behaviors. 

Building new perspectives in recovery can be difficult. However, exploring gratitude can help an individual better identify positive acts of caring that can challenge any held negative feelings. Identifying active support or the accomplishments of others can also scaffold the necessary skills and perspective to begin seeing such positivity in oneself, building the skills to see the world, a person’s own accomplishments, and their recovery journey in a new light.

Each individual in recovery will also have important relationships either to mend or create. Embracing daily practices to express gratitude can foster these relationships. By recognizing the support others provide and actively thanking them for such specific support, these relationships can further develop feelings of trust, caring, love. Additionally, in general, gratitude can create more meaningful interactions for a healthy and sober future. 

The recovery journey is long and difficult, and staying motivated throughout the stresses and challenges each step of the way can be challenging. Thus, expressing gratitude can empower those in recovery to always identify new supports, progress, and accomplishments in their sober journey. Not only can these continue to help an individual stay motivated to continue reaching toward their next sober or personal goal, but they can also improve a person’s resilience in the face of stress by looking back on the hurdles that they have already overcome. 

Gratitude is a powerful reminder of past accomplishments and progress that can inform a healthier approach to any new challenges that may manifest along. Not only can this further promote a healthier emotional state, but healthy and consistent expressions of gratitude can also be the catalyst to preventing slips and relapse as an alumnus in recovery. 

Each individual will have their own best way to explore and express their gratitude toward the people that support an individual throughout their continued sober efforts. Finding the collection of practices that best fits each individual will be a personal journey, and Hawaii Island Recovery is always available to help introduce new ideas alongside peers and professionals. 

For some, the use of gratitude journals can be instrumental. Not only can these journals be used whenever a person thinks about something another has done or the support received, but they can also serve as working reminders of the care each person has. Likewise, it is also possible to use these journals to express gratitude towards oneself for the development or implementation of new strategies, navigating challenges, or anything else that is worthy of celebration in recovery. By expressing gratitude for small efforts from others, each individual can extend these practices to themselves, better identifying their changes in sobriety. 

Others may utilize daily communication strategies to express gratitude towards others. Making an effort to send one gratitude text, email, or make one phone call a day to identify a way in which a person was supported can ingratiate these new perspectives in daily life while normalizing the practice of expressing gratitude to those who matter most. 

Gratitude plays an important and powerful role throughout any stage of recovery, and alumni continuing to navigate alcohol and drug rehab programs in Hawaii and establishing their sober lives outside of a treatment facility can still greatly benefit from embracing gratitude and the mindsets and behaviors that accompany it. At Hawaii Island Recovery, we champion the opportunity to not just address the use of addictive substances, but also to help each individual take the next profound step in their sober transformation, with gratitude, spiritual healing, and finding new social groups all being just as important as the proven therapeutic modalities used each day. For more information and support, call to speak to us today at (866) 390-5070.