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? [Read more…] about Thanksgiving works: Gratitude journaling seen to lower stress and negative cognitive processes