The Concept of Gratitude

Health

Insights from Science and Islamic Tradition

01 September 2024 | Onur Stevens | Issue 161 (Sep - Oct 2024)

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The Concept of Gratitude Insights from Science and Islamic Tradition

From a biologist perspective, gratitude is actually the body experiencing “feel good” chemicals or neurotransmitters released from the brain, called serotonin and dopamine.
From a psychologist’s perspective, it is a positive emotional response when someone is willing to show appreciation and return kindness
Although gratitude offers numerous benefits, many people find it challenging to practice it daily. This difficulty stems from a fundamental aspect of human nature: we are hardwired to react from a place of survival.

Happiness is a primary goal for all of us – a goal to reach and maintain in our lives. For thousands of years, people have tried many ways to achieve this essential goal. One prominent approach to attain happiness is “gratitude.” In this article, we will cover this concept from various perspectives, including science, psychology and faith. Most probably, you have heard about or tried some form of a “gratitude practice” as a part of a therapeutic method to achieving a positive life. What is gratitude really? How do we define or practice it? Does it really make any changes in our life or bri...