People who feel a sense of gratitude tend to be happier, healthier and better in dealing with stress. Two psychologists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) conducted a study on male drug abusers and they discovered that having a grateful disposition was associated with lesser drug use. Grateful abusers, in particular, have less severe drug use, and they are more likely to use positive coping mechanisms – such as taking action to address their problems or seeing the positive aspects of the situation – to manage stress and problems in their lives.
These findings, which were first reported in the journal Substance Use & Misuse, could be incorporated into policies and interventions to help individuals better cope with drug problems.
