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For many people, November is the beginning of the holiday season. It is the time of year when many of us reflect on our blessings and share our hearts and acts of giving with loved ones and others who are less fortunate than us.

Gratitude is sometimes felt automatically and strongly, especially when it is practiced on a daily basis. Even though gratitude is a feeling, one can cultivate and practice an attitude of gratitude despite life's many complications and difficulties.

Gratitude is an important spiritual component of recovery from addiction. We have come a long way in understanding the biological components of addiction and scientists are developing new medications to assist addicts in recovery. However, addiction is a peculiar disease in that medications alone will not fully address the problem.

Addiction is a disease that requires the participation of the addict in bringing about and maintaining remission. Medications can ease the discomfort and pain of detoxification and physiological cravings. However, simultaneously, the recovering addict will need to develop and practice new ways of thinking.

Why is gratitude so important for someone in recovery? A feeling of gratitude has a calming effect and contributes to the generation of positive thoughts. To nurture feelings of gratitude, a recovering addict needs to make a commitment to examine his thoughts and begin to counter the daily negative and unproductive mental monologue.

By examining his blessings, he creates a new way of looking at his life. Instead of focusing on what is missing in his life, he focuses on what he actually has that is meaningful to him. Instead of squandering his energy to attain illusory things that he thinks will make him happy, he focuses on that which gives him a sense of contentment and gratitude. Feelings of gratitude force the recovering person to focus on the moment and to realize that in that moment all is well.

Addiction is a condition that makes the addict seek contentment and peace of mind through external things including but not limited to alcohol and drugs. Gratitude, on the other hand, is a condition in which contentment and peace of mind emanate from within. Most individuals in recovery face the daunting task of writing a gratitude list. This is an exercise that requires the recovering person to think about a list of things he is grateful for in his life. This task is the first exercise in cultivating gratitude. It is not an easy task for those who have spent many years focused on what is missing in their lives. But with practice, the gratitude list becomes easier to generate and feelings of gratitude deepen as one recognizes the gift of recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction. Gratitude for the gift of recovery from addiction is the beginning of a life marked by grace and sustainable recovery.

Arpi Hovaguimian, LCSW is the Executive Director of the Alcohol & Drug Council. The Sober Talk column is published in The Ithaca Journal on the first Thursday of each month.