Beni has come to express his gratitude. Interview with the son of Meron Beniyam. Focusing on gratitude can sometimes feel like a tall order, especially if you live with a mental health condition. Being told to “be more grateful” might sometimes feel like toxic positivity — as if your struggles aren’t real or that you don’t appreciate what you have. But acknowledging the good doesn’t necessarily mean diminishing or denying the bad. Expressing gratitude might even help you become more resilient while boosting your mood.
Many experts believe that negative or unhelpful thought patterns and cognitive distortions may contribute to some mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety. Addressing cognitive distortions and unhelpful thoughts is a key principle behind cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which aims to help people identify and change their thinking patterns. In a sense, gratitude is a positive cognitive distortion.
Instead of focusing on adverse aspects of life or assuming the worst, expressing gratitude encourages you to redirect your attention to the people, places, things, and experiences that make your life richer. Plus, a gratitude practice can help boost your mood — especially if you express that gratitude to others. Writing things down often helps the mind consolidate and process them. By putting your gratitude on the page, you can amplify the emotion for yourself. You can try writing a letter to someone special, yourself, or even things you feel grateful for.
