Thanksgiving works: Gratitude journaling seen to lower stress and negative cognitive processes

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people suffered extreme stress. People couldn’t work and faced financial anxiety, they felt lonely and isolated, they worried about catching a deadly disease or giving it to someone they loved, and their mental health suffered. For researcher Erin Fekete, of the University of Indianapolis, the unfolding pandemic was an opportunity to answer a longstanding question about the best way to cope in moments of suffering. Do we get more relief by reflecting on our thoughts and feelings about what we’re going through, or from turning our minds to the positive things in our lives? It’s a fair question, as research suggests both approaches could help us cope with difficult emotions. Expressive writing, where you reflect on distressing thoughts and feelings, has been found to lower our stress and lead to better psychological and physical health. Gratitude journaling, on the other hand, can also help us feel happier and less depressed. To compare the practices, Fekete tested them with a group of 79 participants during the early days of COVID (between April and June 2020), when lockdowns were common. People first reported on their physical health, their psychological distress (anxiety, depression, and stress), and their positive and negative feelings. They also rated how isolated they were, how much the pandemic had created economic hardship for them, and how grateful they tended to be—all things that might impact their psycholo...
Source: SharpBrains - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tags: Brain/ Mental Health Education & Lifelong Learning anxiety Covid-19 pandemic depression expressive writing extreme stress Gratitude gratitude journaling negative feelings positive-feelings psychological distress Source Type: blogs