Have you ever heard of psychosomatic illnesses? psychosomatic diseases are diseases whose cause is psychological, or at least partly so. More and more studies are highlighting the importance of the link between the body and the mind and in particular between the nervous and immune systems.
In the case of a strong emotion (stress, anxiety, depression etc...), deleterious effects will crystallize in the body: this is somatization.
Stress Is the primary cause of so-called psychosomatic illnesses. To mitigate its effects, gratitude is the attitude to adopt, here are the main reasons.
Gratitude: definition
According to the Larousse dictionary, gratitude is defined as "gratitude for a service, for a benefit received; affectionate feeling toward a benefactor." Gratitude is therefore an attitude, a state of being that leads us to recognize the positive sides of life. This deep sense of gratitude for what is must be nurtured every day in order to enjoy its benefits over the long term. However, I invite you to proceed to this short experiment because nothing is better than to experiment yourself to better understand, feel and make your opinion.
Where you are now, as you read this, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Center yourself on your heart, if necessary put your hand on it and then inwardly and sincerely say a "THANK YOU" with a smile on your lips. This "thank you" is for you. It can be a "thank you for taking the time for you", "thank you for the person you are", "thank you for the good deed you did earlier" or simply a general "thank you". Feel that "thank you" run through your body. You are discovering the beginnings of the effects of gratitude.
The Power of Conscious "Thank You
Giving thanks consciously is a very important act. It allows not only to become aware of the value for the one who receives but also to feel recognized for the one who gives. In both cases, contentment or a positive approach to life is a perfectly balanced scale. The attention is no longer self-centered but directed towards the Other.
Experience: the next time you receive (a gift or a service), thank the person with all the intention that this notion suggests (frank and warm look, audible voice that comes from the heart...). Observe what is happening in you and in her.
Having a positive outlook on life through gratitude
Practicinggratitude is like playing sports. This takes practice... Indeed, you can get caught up in the big and small hassles of life and fall into the trap of complaining and incessant victimization. To cut through all that slump, which can end up translating into painful aches, turn your attention to your successes no matter how insignificant they may be (or seem...). By focusing on the positive aspects of your life (and you do have some), you can turn things around and get out of this rut. It takes time and some mental gymnastics for sure, but gratitude lies behind every success, even if it's just the success of thinking positive!
On the other hand, havinga positive outlook on life leads you to be content with what you have. Not that you should give up on your dreams, butgratitude protects you from the trap of chasing happiness and therefore from some form of permanent dissatisfaction.
The power of gratitude and the present moment
When you live fully in the present moment, you cut yourself off from possible ruminations (past) and assumed projections (future).Gratitude can then move into this freed space. The mind calms down, the body settles down. Emotions are stabilized, organic functions are rebalanced. Neuroscience has been interested in the powers and benefits of meditation on the body and mind for some years now. They noted a real improvement in organ function, especially neural function, when the body is not subjectedto continuous stress.Stress is a vital response of the body to a danger: flight or fight. Only, the stress experienced continuously depletes the adrenal glands resulting in a state of great fatigue. The nervous system is exhausted, the immune system response to aggression suffers, especially sincestress is pro-inflammatory ... It is a vicious circle that sets in...
Stress is a reaction of the mind specific to each person, not everyone manages it in the same way. Meditation and in particular connect to the gratitude within allow to short-circuit the phenomenon previously exposed.
For a long time, medicine has separated the diseases of the body and those of the mind into two distinct disciplines. She now realizes that both are interdependent and many alternative support programs are being developed in hospitals. Thus, in the past there were priests, today there are psychologists, sophrologists, osteopaths, aromatherapists, mindfulness meditation practitioners etc... because for many "physical" problems, gratitude is the first step to healing.