Girl Behind the Fence

According to the National Association of Mental Illness (NAMI), thankfulness or gratitude is a double-edged sword. Researchers found that those who struggle with symptoms of anxiety and depression often felt indebted, guilty, or "like a failure" because they were not able to find anything to be grateful for. On the positive side, studies have shown that those who feel grateful or thankful sleep better, have lower stress, and experience improved relationships. Practicing gratitude also impacts our emotions. The Mindfulness Awareness Research Center of UCLA stated that gratitude does change the neural structures in the brain and makes us feel happier and more content. Feeling grateful and appreciating others when they do something good for us triggers the 'happy' hormones and regulates the effective functioning of the immune system. Dr. Alex Korb stated that gratitude forces us to focus on the positive parts of life, and it helps train our brain to automatically notice these positive things. This is a way of having positive awareness of the present moment. At the neurochemical level, feeling thankful and expressing gratitude releases serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine responsible for managing emotions, including stress, depression, and anxiety.