Gratitude for Veterans: Thanksgiving, PTSD, and Resilience

Gratitude is more than saying “thanks” for Veterans; it is a psychological skill that can soften PTSD symptoms, improve sleep and physical health, and strengthen relationships. On Thanksgiving, that skill matters even more. The holiday puts Service, loss, and family expectations in the same room, which can feel heavy. Intentional gratitude practices help Veterans notice what is still good without pretending the hard parts never happened, supporting resilience, purpose, and connection.

How Gratitude Helps Veterans

Studies with combat Veterans show that higher gratitude is linked to fewer PTSD symptoms, more positive emotion, and better day‑to‑day functioning, even when trauma history does not change.

• Gratitude shifts attention from constant threat scanning toward moments of safety, support, and small wins that are easy to overlook.
• Regularly noticing what went right can reduce anxiety and depressive thinking patterns that keep Veterans stuck in worst‑case scenarios.
• Feeling thankful toward others makes it easier to accept help, reducing isolation and strengthening bonds with family, friends, and fellow Veterans.

Why Thanksgiving Matters

Thanksgiving is a built‑in pause point where Veterans can intentionally balance grief, pride, and gratitude instead of letting the day run on autopilot or avoidance.

• The holiday normalizes talking about gratitude, which can make it safer to share what still hurts and what you are thankful for.
• Moments of thanks at the table can reinforce social support—one of the strongest predictors of long‑term mental health in Veterans.
• Choosing gratitude practices for the day gives structure and purpose, especially if holidays usually feel chaotic or emotionally loaded.

Everyday Gratitude Practices

Simple, repeatable practices—not grand gestures—do most of the work. Many take less than five minutes and can be done quietly, even in a busy household.

• Write down three things that went well today and why, focusing on specific details instead of generic “family” or “health.”
• Send a short text, email, or note to one person each week explaining something concrete you appreciate about them.
• Use a pocket notebook or phone note labeled “Good Moments” and add quick entries whenever something small goes right.

Support and Next Steps

Gratitude is powerful, but it is not a solo fix for PTSD, depression, or moral injury. It works best alongside real support and treatment.

• VA Whole Health and many state Military programs offer structured gratitude tools, classes, and journaling guides designed for Veterans.
• Peer groups, faith communities, and Veteran Service Organizations can provide places to practice gratitude together without pretending everything is fine.
• If you are in crisis, practicing gratitude is not enough—contact the Veterans Crisis Line by calling or texting 988 and pressing 1.

FAQs

What practices increase gratitude in Veterans?

Short daily practices work best: writing three good things before bed, keeping a small gratitude journal, sending specific thank‑you notes, or pausing to name one thing you appreciate before meals. VA Whole Health handouts and workshops walk Veterans through structured gratitude exercises step by step.

Where can Veterans get free Thanksgiving meals?

Free or low‑cost Thanksgiving meals are often offered by VA medical centers, Vet Centers, VFW and American Legion posts, churches, and local nonprofits. Many communities publish annual holiday meal lists through 2‑1‑1 helplines and local news sites. Check with nearby Veteran organizations or VA social work teams for this year’s options.

Give an example of a PTSD study involving gratitude.

One well‑known study of Vietnam War Veterans compared those with and without PTSD and found that Veterans with PTSD showed significantly lower dispositional gratitude. It also showed that, even among Veterans with PTSD, higher gratitude predicted better daily mood, more meaningful activity, and stronger self‑esteem, suggesting gratitude is a useful resilience target.

Key Takeaways

• Gratitude is a proven psychological strength that can help Veterans manage PTSD symptoms, anxiety, and depression without denying the reality of their experiences or losses.
• On Thanksgiving, intentional gratitude practices give structure to a potentially stressful day and help Veterans balance painful memories with connection, pride, and small present‑moment wins.
• Simple habits—three good things, gratitude journaling, and specific thank‑you notes—rewire attention toward support, opportunities, and meaning rather than constant threat scanning.
• Gratitude can improve sleep, physical symptoms, and energy levels, which makes it easier for Veterans to follow through on treatment, work, and family responsibilities.
• Practicing gratitude with others, including family, fellow Veterans, faith communities, or support groups, deepens relationships and counters isolation and numbness.
• Gratitude is a complement—not a substitute—for professional help; Veterans in distress should connect with VA care teams or the Veterans Crisis Line.

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Seven Ways Gratitude Strengthens Veterans

Gratitude is not fluffy self-help; it is a measurable psychological resource for Veterans. Military.com recently highlighted how gratitude improves mental health, resilience, and relationships for Service Members in a feature on seven ways gratitude can strengthen you at Thanksgiving. Combined with research in Vietnam Veterans and modern cohorts, it paints a clear picture: cultivating gratitude can make life after service more survivable and more meaningful.

• Reduces PTSD symptoms: Higher dispositional gratitude has been linked to lower PTSD symptom severity and lower odds of developing PTSD over time in Veteran samples.
• Builds resilience: Gratitude helps Veterans find meaning in what they endured, making it easier to bounce back instead of staying stuck in past events.
• Improves mood: Regular gratitude practice interrupts constant threat scanning and rumination, reducing anxiety and depression in multiple positive-psychology trials.
• Supports physical health: Grateful people report fewer aches, more exercise, lower blood pressure, and better sleep, all risk areas after Military service.
• Strengthens relationships: Specific appreciation helps partners, kids, and battle buddies feel seen, which directly counters isolation and emotional numbing.
• Rewires the brain: Gratitude exercises activate reward and regulation circuits, gradually reinforcing more balanced, hopeful ways of thinking.
• Restores purpose: Focusing on what still matters—family, service, faith, community—supports optimism and forward momentum in civilian life.

Why Gratitude Hits Different on Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is already a national ritual about pausing and giving thanks, which makes it uniquely suited to Veterans wrestling with mixed emotions. The holiday shows up whether you are ready or not, but that predictability can be useful: you know when conversations, memories, and expectations are coming. Using gratitude intentionally on this day can anchor you in connection instead of letting the day be swallowed by stress or avoidance.

• Balancing hard and good: Gratitude lets Veterans acknowledge joy, stability, or growth without denying grief, guilt, or anger about what happened downrange.
• Structured connection: Table traditions—sharing what you are thankful for, reading notes, saying grace—provide low-effort ways to connect when words are hard.
• Honoring sacrifice: Thanksgiving messages, speeches, and news stories often spotlight Military families, reminding Veterans their service still matters to the country.
• Built-in reflection: Even five quiet minutes with coffee or a walk outside can become a yearly “systems check” on what still deserves gratitude.
• Safe experimentation: If you want to test a new gratitude habit, Thanksgiving is a natural place to try it once without committing forever.

Evidence: What the Research Actually Says

Multiple studies back up what many Veterans already feel anecdotally: gratitude and other positive emotions are protective in the long run. A 2006 study of Vietnam War Veterans in Behaviour Research and Therapy found that those with PTSD showed significantly lower dispositional gratitude than those without PTSD, and higher gratitude related to better daily well-being. More recent work in large Veteran cohorts shows that higher trait gratitude predicts lower incidence of major depression, generalized anxiety, PTSD, and suicidality over time.

Study / population	Key focus	Main finding about gratitude	Why it matters for Veterans
Vietnam War Veterans, mid-2000s	Links between gratitude, PTSD, and well-being.	Veterans with PTSD had much lower dispositional gratitude; higher gratitude related to better daily mood and functioning.	Suggests that building gratitude could buffer PTSD-related distress and improve daily life even when symptoms persist.
Large Veteran cohort, multi-year follow-up	Dispositional gratitude and mental health outcomes.	High gratitude predicted lower incidence of PTSD, depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts over time.	Shows gratitude is not just a feeling; it is associated with reduced risk of serious mental health problems.
Student Veterans with disabilities	Gratitude, PTSD symptoms, and dropout intentions.	Higher gratitude related to lower intentions to drop out, even after accounting for PTSD symptoms and academic struggles.	Indicates gratitude can help Veterans persist in school despite symptoms and stressors.
VA Whole Health and positive-psychology pilots	Gratitude journaling and sleep, energy, and mood.	Gratitude journaling improved sleep, energy, optimism, and willingness to help others.	Offers low-cost, low-risk tools that can be integrated into daily routines alongside treatment.

Practical Gratitude Practices Veterans Can Start Today

Gratitude practices work best when they are simple, specific, and repeatable. VA Whole Health handouts on creating a practice, such as the “Creating a Gratitude Practice” tool, suggest starting with small, daily actions instead of dramatic life changes. Veterans can mix written, spoken, and action-based gratitude to match their personality, faith, and level of comfort with emotions.

• Three good things: Each night, write down three specific things that went well and why, even on days when everything felt hard.
• Gratitude journal: Keep a small notebook or phone note where you briefly record people, moments, or abilities you are grateful for daily or weekly.
• Letters and texts: Send a short message to a battle buddy, mentor, or family member explaining one concrete way they made your life better.
• Faith and prayer: If you are spiritual, build explicit thanks into existing prayer or meditation routines instead of adding a brand-new practice.
• Service and giving back: Volunteer with Veteran nonprofits, mentorship programs, or your unit’s family readiness group as an active form of gratitude.

Practice	Time required	How it works	Why it helps Veterans
Three good things	Five to ten minutes nightly	List three positive events and what caused them.	Retrains attention away from constant threat scanning toward noticing small wins and support.
Gratitude journal	Ten minutes a few times a week	Write down people, abilities, or moments you appreciate.	Creates a physical record Veterans can revisit on rough days.
Gratitude letters	Twenty to thirty minutes per letter	Describe specific ways someone helped you and, if possible, read it to them.	Deepens connection and can reduce unresolved guilt or unfinished conversations.
Whole Health audio or video	Ten to twenty minutes per session	Follow guided gratitude practices from VA Whole Health resources.	Offers structured, Veteran-focused exercises you do not have to invent yourself.

Gratitude, PTSD, and When Veterans Need More Help

Gratitude can make a real difference, but it is not a magic fix or a substitute for treatment. Some Veterans feel frustrated when well-meaning people say “just be grateful” as if that erases trauma, grief, or moral injury. Healthy gratitude work sits alongside therapy, medication, peer support, and sometimes spiritual care. VA stories like “Practice Gratitude” from Butler VA Health Care show how journaling and classes are integrated into Whole Health, not used instead of care. If symptoms are severe or life-threatening, professional and crisis help come first, with gratitude as a supportive tool—not the whole plan.

• Complement, not cure: Use gratitude alongside evidence-based PTSD treatments, not instead of trauma-focused therapy, medications, or peer support groups.
• Watch for pressure: If gratitude feels like pretending nothing bad happened, slow down and acknowledge hurt before forcing thankful thoughts.
• Know red flags: Intense nightmares, hopelessness, heavy drinking, or thoughts of self-harm signal it is time to contact VA, a Vet Center, or another professional.
• Crisis resources: In the U.S., Veterans in crisis can call or text 988 and press 1, or use VA’s online chat, for immediate support.
• Small wins count: Even in active treatment, micro-moments of gratitude—a safe person, a good night’s sleep—can make recovery feel slightly more possible.

How Veterans Can Find Free Thanksgiving Meals and Support

Many Veterans do not just grapple with emotions at Thanksgiving; they are also dealing with tight budgets. Across the country, VA medical centers, USO installations, Operation Homefront, food banks, and community groups offer free or low-cost meals and grocery kits for Military families. Programs like Operation Homefront’s Holiday Meals for Military distribute meal kits nationwide, while community events such as the Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner in San Antonio serve thousands of sit-down meals with no proof of need required.

• Check VA and USO: Look at your local VA medical center events page and USO installation schedules for holiday meal giveaways and dine-in celebrations.
• Operation Homefront: Holiday Meals for Military events provide groceries and kits so eligible families can prepare a full holiday meal at home.
• Food banks and nonprofits: Regional food banks, churches, and community centers often run Veteran-focused Thanksgiving drives or open community feasts.
• Local news roundups: City newspapers and TV stations usually publish lists of free Thanksgiving meals and turkey giveaways during November.
• Veteran organizations: VFW, American Legion, DAV, and local Veteran groups frequently host free holiday dinners or coordinate ride-shares to community events.

Building a Gratitude Habit After Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving can be the start, not the end, of a gratitude habit for Veterans. Once the dishes are done and guests have left, the real question is how to keep even a small amount of this mindset alive in ordinary weeks. It does not require perfection or constant positivity—just a willingness to notice and name good moments, people, and strengths a little more often than before.

• Pick one anchor: Attach gratitude to something you already do daily—morning coffee, evening meds, or walking the dog—to keep it from getting forgotten.
• Set realistic goals: Aim for a few minutes of gratitude practice several times a week instead of promising a perfect daily streak you cannot maintain.
• Use reminders: Sticky notes, phone alarms, or quotes on the fridge can keep gratitude on your radar during busy or rough weeks.
• Involve others: Invite a battle buddy, spouse, or friend to trade one thing you appreciate by text a few times a week.
• Review progress: Look back over journal entries or texts each month to see how much good you would have forgotten without writing it down.

The Bottom Line

Gratitude will not erase trauma, but it can give Veterans more psychological armor heading into Thanksgiving and the rest of the year. The research is blunt: higher gratitude is tied to fewer PTSD symptoms, less depression and suicidality, better sleep, and stronger relationships. VA Whole Health teams, Military behavioral health providers, and organizations like the Texas Military Department are already teaching these tools because they work. Using Thanksgiving as a starting point, Veterans can experiment with simple practices, seek out free meals and community events when needed, and keep building a gratitude habit that supports—not replaces—professional care.

References Used

• Military.com – “7 Things You Didn’t Know About Gratitude This Thanksgiving”
• Kashdan et al. – Gratitude and hedonic and eudaimonic well-being in Vietnam War Veterans (2006)
• VA Whole Health – Creating a Gratitude Practice
• VA Butler Health Care – Practice Gratitude
• Operation Homefront – Holiday Meals for Military
• Raul Jimenez Thanksgiving Dinner – Official site

Frequently Asked Questions

How does gratitude help Veterans with PTSD symptoms?

Gratitude will not erase PTSD, but it can blunt some of the edges. Studies in Vietnam War and post-9/11 Veterans have found that higher dispositional gratitude is linked to lower PTSD symptom severity, better daily functioning, and less hopelessness. Used alongside evidence-based treatments, it becomes another layer of protection rather than a cure-all.

Can gratitude replace therapy or medication for Veterans?

No. Gratitude is a powerful complement, not a substitute, for professional care. Positive-psychology and Whole Health programs use gratitude to support sleep, energy, and meaning, but they still recommend trauma-focused therapy, medication when appropriate, and crisis resources when risk is high. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 and press 1 in the U.S. or seek emergency help immediately.

What is a simple daily gratitude exercise for Veterans?

One of the simplest is “three good things.” Each night, Veterans write down three specific things that went well and why: a text from a buddy, a safe drive home, a short moment of calm. VA Whole Health materials show this kind of practice can improve sleep, energy, and overall outlook when done consistently for several weeks.

How can Veterans practice gratitude if they feel numb or angry?

Feeling numb or angry does not disqualify you from gratitude; it just means the bar for “good” may be very low at first. Start with neutral or factual items—a warm shower, a quiet minute, a pet, a paycheck—rather than forcing big feelings. Over time, small repetitions can shift what your brain notices first. If numbness or rage never budges, talk with a clinician; it may signal deeper trauma that needs targeted treatment.

How does gratitude affect Veterans’ sleep and physical health?

Gratitude journaling and similar practices have been linked to fewer physical complaints, more exercise, lower blood pressure, and better sleep quality in multiple studies. For Veterans, those gains are crucial because chronic pain, insomnia, and cardiovascular risk all trend higher after service. Even modest improvements can make days and nights more manageable.

How can families support a Veteran’s gratitude practice on Thanksgiving?

Families can help by keeping things specific, low-pressure, and real. Instead of pushing generic “be grateful” speeches, invite each person at dinner to share one concrete thing they appreciate, and do not argue with whatever the Veteran chooses. Offer options like writing notes, going for a walk, or volunteering together. If the Veteran says certain topics or rituals are too triggering, respect those boundaries and shift plans accordingly.

What are signs a Veteran should seek professional help instead of relying only on gratitude?

Gratitude is not enough when a Veteran feels hopeless most days, cannot sleep for long stretches, drinks heavily to cope, or has thoughts of self-harm or hurting others. Other red flags include constant panic, uncontrolled rage, or losing interest in everything that once mattered. In those cases, gratitude can ride along, but therapy, medication, peer support, and crisis lines like 988 (press 1) become the priority.

Does gratitude help Veterans who are still on active duty or deployed?

Yes. Research on resilience and positive emotions suggests that gratitude and related strengths help Service Members cope with ongoing stressors by broadening perspective and building psychological resources. In practical terms, that can mean better problem-solving, less burnout, and tighter unit cohesion. Even short practices—like ending briefings with shout-outs—can make a difference over time.

What VA resources teach Veterans about gratitude and Whole Health?

VA’s Whole Health program publishes handouts such as “Create a Gratitude Practice” and offers classes, videos, and podcasts on gratitude as part of a larger self-care approach. Many facilities also run group visits or workshops around National Gratitude Month and holidays like Thanksgiving. Veterans can ask their VA provider or Whole Health coach how to plug into local offerings.

How long does it take for a gratitude practice to start helping a Veteran feel better?

Results vary, but positive-psychology studies show that consistent gratitude practices can shift mood, optimism, and sleep in as little as two to six weeks. For Veterans, especially those juggling PTSD or chronic pain, the changes may feel subtle at first—slightly easier mornings, fewer blow-ups, or more willingness to connect. The key is staying consistent long enough for those small gains to stack up.