How Practicing Gratitude Can Accelerate Your Recovery

Let’s be honest: When we first start recovery, we’re excited about going to New Life Recovery Group meetings, getting a sponsor, and reading the Life Recovery Bible. But then we have a dreadful day, feel down, and are tempted to give up because the process feels slow. That’s when staying committed can feel especially hard. Can you relate?

One practice that can accelerate your recovery is gratitude. It supports your brain, strengthens mental health, and reinforces positive habits. Here are 7 ways focusing on gratitude can help.

1. Practicing gratitude may rewire your brain.
   Although addiction can alter brain chemistry, neuroplasticity allows the brain to heal once the substance is stopped. Focusing on gratitude helps strengthen healthy neural pathways and supports recovery by reinforcing positive thought patterns.
2. Writing a thank-you note can improve mental health.
   Something as simple as writing a letter of thanks to someone who has supported your recovery—a sponsor, a counselor, or friend—can boost your mood and foster positivity. In a study at the University of Texas at Austin, participants who wrote a “thank-you” letter reported feeling more positive afterward and underestimated how much the recipients would enjoy it.
3. Being grateful draws you closer to God.
   Colossians 4:2 (NLT) says, “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.” It reminds us to constantly have an attitude of gratitude through prayer. As you begin and end each day in prayer, tell God why you’re thankful. By telling God why you’re thankful, you will develop a stronger trust in Him.
4. Giving thanks helps to calm you.
   Anxiety. Worry. Fear. Stress. All of these can overwhelm your mind. When you feel anxious, take a moment to pause, breathe deeply, and say aloud three things you’re grateful for. This simple practice shifts your focus, calms your nervous system, and helps restore a sense of peace.
5. Acknowledging your blessings may reduce your risk of relapsing.
   Disconnection, stress, cravings, and unhealthy coping mechanisms can increase relapse risk. Research shows that higher levels of gratitude are linked to better recovery outcomes. In a 2017 study at the University of Minnesota, participants entering abstinence-based treatment for alcohol use disorders who reported higher gratitude had more days of abstinence six months later. Saying aloud or journaling your blessings can help you cultivate gratitude and strengthen your focus on recovery.
6. Focusing on gratitude boosts your mood.
   Dopamine, a brain chemical that regulates reward and pleasure, is naturally stimulated when you practice gratitude. Addictive substances, like alcohol or pornography, hijack the brain by flooding it with dopamine. Gratitude strengthens healthy neural pathways—including supporting dopamine levels—without the harmful effects of addiction.
7. Celebrating small wins motivates you to keep going.
   Keep track of your victories visually. For example, for each month you remain sober, place a chip from the New Life Recovery Chip Starter Kit in a jar. Display it somewhere you’ll see every day—a desk, kitchen counter, dresser, or nightstand—to remind yourself of your progress and reinforce motivation.

Struggling with your recovery and need help? call 800-NEW-LIFE.

by Kimberlee Bousman