How Gratitude Strengthens Veterans on Thanksgiving 2025

Written by: VA Loan Network Editorial Team

Reviewed by: VA Loan Network Editorial Team, Editorial Team

Updated on November 28, 2025

Gratitude is more than a feel-good emotion for Veterans. It is a practical psychological skill that can soften the impact of trauma, strengthen relationships and calm an overworked nervous system. On Thanksgiving, gratitude offers a powerful reminder of connection, purpose and hope, even when memories, losses or current hardships feel especially heavy or overwhelming.

Quick Facts

Gratitude is associated with lower PTSD symptoms and better overall well-being in multiple Veteran-focused research studies.
Simple practices like journaling, letter writing and brief daily check-ins can build gratitude even when life circumstances remain difficult.
Thanksgiving naturally invites reflection, making it a powerful annual reset point for Veterans and their families.
Many VA facilities and community partners host free Thanksgiving meals or meal kits specifically for Veterans and their loved ones.
Gratitude is a complement to, not a replacement for, professional PTSD and mental health treatment and ongoing support.

FAQ’s

What practices increase gratitude in Veterans?

Research-backed practices include keeping a short daily gratitude journal, writing thank-you letters, briefly pausing
before meals to notice what is going well, and sharing appreciation out loud with battle buddies or family. For many
Veterans, volunteering or mentoring younger service members also deepens gratitude, perspective and meaning over time.

Where can Veterans get free Thanksgiving meals?

Options vary by community but often include events hosted by VA medical centers, Veterans Service Organizations,
churches, civic groups and local restaurants. Many facilities partner with businesses to provide drive-through turkey
kits or sit-down meals, especially for Veterans facing food insecurity, social isolation or homelessness during the holiday.

Give an example of a PTSD study involving gratitude

One landmark 2006 study of Vietnam War Veterans found that those with post-traumatic stress disorder reported
significantly lower levels of dispositional gratitude than Veterans without PTSD. Higher gratitude was linked with
better daily well-being, suggesting it may serve as a protective factor alongside formal trauma treatment and support.

Key Takeaways

Gratitude helps Veterans manage PTSD symptoms by shifting attention from threat and loss toward safety and meaning.
Regular gratitude practice strengthens resilience, making it easier to rebound from setbacks and daily operational stress.
Thanksgiving provides a natural yearly reminder to pause, reflect and express appreciation for people, freedoms and progress.
VA’s Whole Health program offers structured tools to build daily gratitude habits tailored to each Veteran’s values.
Community partners and VA facilities frequently host free Thanksgiving meals, reducing isolation and honoring Veterans’ service together.
Gratitude complements, but never replaces, evidence-based PTSD care; professional support remains essential when symptoms interfere with life.

How does gratitude affect Veterans’ PTSD and mental health?

Gratitude does not erase trauma, but it can soften its impact for many Veterans living with post-traumatic stress.
Research on Vietnam War Veterans found that those with higher dispositional gratitude had fewer PTSD symptoms and
better daily well-being, according to a Behaviour Research and Therapy study available through
PubMed.

Clinical and community studies with Veterans suggest gratitude is linked to fewer intrusive memories, less emotional
numbing and lower overall PTSD symptom severity, especially when it is combined with trauma-focused therapy, peer
support and practical coping strategies for day-to-day stressors.
By shifting attention from constant threat scanning toward moments of safety, appreciation and competence, gratitude
can interrupt anxiety spirals, reduce rumination and help Veterans feel less trapped in continuous fight-or-flight
modes that drain energy and hope.
People who practice gratitude regularly often report improved mood, better sleep, fewer aches and pains and greater
motivation to exercise, which can indirectly ease operational stress and physical wear accumulated over years of
training, deployments and reintegration.
Gratitude tends to widen perspective, making it easier to notice acts of kindness, available resources and personal
strengths, which in turn supports resilience, realistic optimism and a sense of progress instead of permanent
damage or failure.

Treat gratitude as a small daily exercise, not a forced positive attitude. You can acknowledge pain, anger and grief
while still looking for one or two things that went slightly better today or felt even a little less overwhelming.
When talking with a therapist or peer-support specialist, ask how gratitude practices could complement your existing
PTSD treatment plan so that journaling, breathing or letter-writing exercises align with your current coping tools
rather than competing with them.
Notice specific moments when symptoms ease slightly—a calmer conversation, a decent night of sleep, a shared laugh
with family—and record these as evidence that your nervous system is still capable of regulation, connection and
recovery, even if progress feels slow.
If gratitude practice feels impossible or triggering, scale back instead of quitting. Brief mental thank-yous,
noticing one helpful person, or appreciating a moment of safety can be enough to keep the skill alive during
difficult stretches.

Area of well-being	How gratitude helps	Example for Veterans	Research insight
PTSD symptoms	Supports less avoidance and more balanced thinking, making intrusive memories and hypervigilance feel slightly less overwhelming as other parts of life become easier to notice alongside them.	Noticing small daily victories, such as staying through part of a crowded event or sleeping an extra hour without nightmares or severe startle responses.	Studies of Vietnam War Veterans found those without PTSD reported higher dispositional gratitude than those with diagnosed PTSD, pointing to a potential protective role.
Mental health	Encourages attention to sources of joy, connection and progress instead of focusing exclusively on threat, loss or regret, which can reinforce depression and anxiety over time.	Recording three things that went better than expected each day, even on difficult days, to build evidence that life includes more than hardship, frustration or numbness.	Higher gratitude has been linked with less depression and greater life satisfaction in both Veteran and civilian samples across multiple positive psychology studies.
Physical health	Promotes healthier routines like exercise and sleep hygiene by increasing motivation and reinforcing the belief that taking care of the body is worthwhile and deserved.	Taking a short walk while silently thanking your body for what it can still do after injury, illness, chronic pain or aging has changed your abilities.	Grateful people in several studies report fewer physical complaints and more engagement in health-promoting behaviors, which can gradually improve energy and stamina.
Resilience and meaning	Helps Veterans make sense of adversity by highlighting strengths, lessons learned and ongoing opportunities to contribute in civilian life, rather than viewing experiences as only harmful.	Reflecting on how surviving difficult deployments cultivated courage, leadership or empathy that now benefits family, coworkers, fellow Veterans or community members in practical ways.	Positive psychology research consistently links gratitude with greater resilience, optimism and perceived purpose across varied populations, including military and Veteran samples.

Gratitude is not a cure for PTSD, and it should never replace trauma-focused treatment when that is needed. Still,
evidence from Veteran samples suggests it can be a powerful protective factor, especially when woven into professional
care, peer support and daily life in manageable ways.

What everyday gratitude practices work best for Veterans?

Everyday gratitude practices work best when they are simple, concrete and repeatable. VA’s Whole Health program
recommends options like brief journaling, mindful reflection and expressing appreciation to others, as described in its
guidance on creating a gratitude practice at
VA’s Whole Health Library.
The most effective routine feels authentic, fits your schedule and does not minimize real hardships.

Keep a small notebook by your bed and list three things you appreciated each day, focusing on details such as who
helped, what felt meaningful or where you noticed even brief relief in your body or emotions.
Write gratitude letters or emails to people who made a difference during or after service, whether or not you choose
to send them. Naming their impact can strengthen positive memories and reinforce a sense of worth and belonging.
Link gratitude to existing routines—like drinking morning coffee, putting on your boots or commuting—by briefly
asking yourself what gives you strength today, what resources you still have and who is quietly in your corner.
Experiment with creative practices such as gratitude collages, photo collections or private voice notes on your
phone if writing feels difficult, letting images and spoken words capture what still matters and deserves
acknowledgment.

Choose one small practice you can realistically do most days, such as writing three lines before bed or pausing for
thirty seconds after waking to notice something that feels even slightly okay or supportive.
Decide where this practice fits in your schedule and link it to an existing habit—like brushing your teeth or
feeding a pet—so it becomes automatic instead of something you must remember from scratch every morning.
After a few weeks, review what feels helpful and what does not. Adjust the practice so it highlights real strengths,
support or progress instead of pushing you to pretend everything is fine when it clearly is not.
If symptoms intensify or old memories surface, talk with a mental health provider about how to adapt your gratitude
routine so it supports, rather than replaces, evidence-based treatments like trauma-focused therapy or medication.

Over time, small, honest gratitude practices can shift how you see yourself and the people around you. Many Veterans
report feeling less isolated and more hopeful when they keep expectations realistic and allow themselves to miss days
without abandoning the practice entirely.

Why is Thanksgiving a powerful time for Veterans to practice gratitude?

Thanksgiving creates a cultural pause where families, communities and units reflect on what they value. For many
Veterans, that pause brings both painful memories and meaningful connections. The Texas Military Department’s “Give
Gratitude a Shot” campaign describes how intentional gratitude supports physical health, mood and resilience during the
holidays, as highlighted on tmd.texas.gov.

Thanksgiving gatherings can remind Veterans they are more than their service history, helping them notice current
sources of support, security and purpose even when intrusive memories or anniversaries of loss fall close to the
holiday on the calendar.
Shared meals create chances to talk about service on Veterans’ own terms, whether that means telling lighthearted
stories, honoring fallen friends, or simply accepting appreciation without feeling pressured to disclose painful
details before they are ready.
Focusing on present-moment experiences—how food tastes, who is sitting at the table, what feels safe right now—can
ground Veterans who otherwise spend holidays scanning for threats or reliving combat situations in their minds.
National messages of thanks for military service during November can counter feelings of being forgotten, especially
when paired with concrete gestures like free meals, cards from schoolchildren or community events that celebrate
Veterans’ ongoing contributions.

Before the holiday, think ahead about situations that usually make you tense—crowded rooms, noise, alcohol or
certain conversations—and plan brief gratitude breaks, such as stepping outside to breathe and notice one thing you
appreciate in that moment.
During the meal, look for small opportunities to express specific thanks, like acknowledging the person who cooked,
someone who supported you during deployment, or family members who adjusted traditions to make the day less
stressful.
If “go around the table and share” rituals feel overwhelming, consider writing a short note of gratitude for the
host or bringing a card that shares appreciation without putting you on the spot in front of the group.
After Thanksgiving, reflect on what went well and what felt hard. Use that information to adjust next year’s plans,
perhaps scheduling quieter gatherings, attending a Veteran-focused event or volunteering to serve meals to others.

For some Veterans, Thanksgiving may always carry mixed emotions. Using the day to practice small, realistic expressions
of gratitude—while still honoring grief, anger or exhaustion—can create new memories that sit alongside, rather than
replace, difficult ones.

Where can Veterans find free Thanksgiving meals and community support?

Free Thanksgiving meals for Veterans are usually organized locally through VA medical centers, community partners and
Veterans Service Organizations. For example, the Milwaukee VA Health Care System has highlighted an annual
restaurant-hosted Thanksgiving meal for Veterans in need in a news release on
VA.gov.
Similar events take place at facilities and clinics across the country each holiday season.

Many VA medical centers and community-based outpatient clinics coordinate turkey drives or boxed-meal giveaways with
local sponsors, often prioritizing Veterans experiencing homelessness, financial hardship or limited transportation
options around Thanksgiving and other major holidays.
Restaurants, grocery chains and civic organizations sometimes host sit-down meals on Thanksgiving Day itself,
offering reserved seating times for Veterans and their families so no one has to spend the holiday completely alone
or without a hot meal.
Veterans Service Organizations such as American Legion posts, VFW halls and nonprofit drop-in centers frequently
organize potlucks, catered lunches or evening gatherings that combine food with music, raffles and informal peer
support among former service members.
Faith communities, food banks and mutual-aid groups may provide holiday food baskets, grocery cards or community
dinners open to anyone in need, often with special outreach to local Veterans identified through VA or county
Veterans service offices.

Start by contacting your local VA medical center’s social work or community outreach office in early November to ask
whether they know of scheduled Thanksgiving meal events, turkey drives or food assistance programs for Veterans.
Check announcements from nearby Vet Centers, American Legion or VFW posts, county Veterans service offices and
trusted nonprofit organizations, paying attention to whether events require advance registration, proof of service
or specific arrival times.
Review your VA facility’s website and social media feeds for news stories or event calendars describing holiday meal
giveaways, then call to verify details such as transportation options, guest limits and accessibility accommodations.
If travel or crowds are difficult, ask social workers, chaplains or community nonprofits whether delivery options,
smaller gatherings or alternative food assistance are available so you can still receive support without becoming
overwhelmed.

Source of support	Typical Thanksgiving offering	How Veterans usually learn about it	Best suited for
VA medical centers and clinics	Drive-through turkey kits, boxed meals or on-site holiday lunches coordinated with community sponsors and local volunteers.	VA websites, social workers, peer specialists, posted flyers in clinics and word of mouth among regular visitors and support groups.	Veterans already connected to VA care or living near major facilities with established Thanksgiving or holiday meal programs.
Restaurants and local businesses	Free plated meals on Thanksgiving Day or vouchers redeemable for holiday dinners during a set time window, often limited to a certain number.	News stories, social media posts, flyers at VA facilities and information shared by community organizations or Veterans groups.	Veterans who prefer restaurant-style gatherings, enjoy social settings or have reliable transportation on the holiday itself.
Veterans Service Organizations	Potlucks, catered dinners, raffles and social events held at posts, halls or community centers, sometimes extending into the surrounding weekend.	Post newsletters, chapter meetings, outreach from service officers and personal invitations from fellow members or regular attendees.	Veterans seeking peer contact, informal support and opportunities to serve alongside other former service members during the holidays.
Faith groups and charities	Community dinners, food baskets, grocery cards or mobile deliveries for people who cannot attend in-person events because of health, transportation or caregiving responsibilities.	Church bulletins, food bank calendars, community hotlines and referrals from VA chaplains, social workers or local agencies.	Veterans facing food insecurity, mobility challenges or limited social networks who want low-barrier holiday support, with or without religious affiliation.

Holiday meal programs change from year to year, so it is essential to confirm dates, eligibility, guest limits and
transportation options directly with organizers. Asking early increases the chances of reserving a spot or arranging
alternatives if large gatherings are difficult or triggering.

How does gratitude strengthen relationships, resilience and purpose after service?

Gratitude is strongly social. For Veterans, it can repair strained relationships, deepen unit-style bonds in civilian
life and renew a sense of purpose after service. VA’s Whole Health gratitude handout explains how noticing and
expressing appreciation can improve health, sleep and mood in daily life, as outlined in its downloadable guide at
VA.gov.

Naming specific things you appreciate about family, friends or fellow Veterans—such as reliability, humor or
patience—helps them feel seen, which can ease tension built up during deployments, transitions or periods of
withdrawal caused by PTSD or depression symptoms.
Regularly remembering acts of support from others can counter beliefs like “no one understands me” or “I am a
burden,” replacing them with more balanced narratives that highlight mutual care, shared effort and the value you
still bring.
Gratitude activates brain regions involved in reward and emotional regulation, so repeated practice can make
positive emotions more accessible, even for Veterans who have spent years expecting disappointment, betrayal or
danger around every corner.
Focusing on contributions you can still make—mentoring younger service members, volunteering, raising children or
supporting neighbors—translates gratitude into purpose, reinforcing the sense that your experience matters and your
story continues beyond military service.

Choose one relationship you would like to strengthen and offer one specific, sincere thank-you each week, focusing
on behaviors or qualities the other person can realistically repeat and feel proud of providing.
Schedule periodic check-ins with trusted peers or mentors where you trade stories of appreciation—times when someone
showed up for you, opportunities you received, or ways your own strengths have grown despite hardship or injury.
Consider volunteering in roles that naturally evoke gratitude, such as serving meals, supporting fellow Veterans at
appointments or mentoring students, so that appreciation flows both toward you and outward from you to others.
When difficult conversations arise, pause afterward to identify at least one thing you respect about the other
person or yourself, which can keep conflict from overshadowing the entire relationship or your sense of worth.

Long-term research with Veterans suggests that higher dispositional gratitude is associated with lower risk of
developing new depression, anxiety or PTSD symptoms and fewer suicidal thoughts. At the same time, gratitude practice
works best when combined with evidence-based mental health care, social support and practical problem-solving.

The bottom line

Gratitude will never erase combat memories, moral injury or loss, but it can change how Veterans carry them. Research
with Vietnam-era and post-9/11 Veterans suggests that higher gratitude is associated with fewer PTSD symptoms, better
mood and stronger social support. Simple practices—journaling, brief reflections, thank-you notes or volunteering—help
many Veterans notice sources of strength that were already present but overshadowed by stress. Thanksgiving provides a
yearly opportunity to experiment with these skills in the context of shared meals, community events and moments of
national appreciation. If you find that symptoms remain overwhelming despite gratitude efforts, reaching out to a VA or
community mental health professional is an act of courage, not failure, and professional treatment can work alongside
everyday gratitude practice. If you are in crisis or thinking about suicide, contact the Veterans Crisis Line or local
emergency services immediately.

References Used

Frequently Asked Questions

Can gratitude alone treat PTSD in Veterans?

Gratitude can ease distress and support recovery, but it is not a stand-alone PTSD treatment. Evidence-based
therapies, medications when needed and strong social support remain the foundation. Gratitude works best as a
supportive skill used alongside professional care.

How often should Veterans practice gratitude to see benefits?

Research suggests even weekly gratitude exercises can improve mood and well-being, but many people notice more
change when they practice briefly most days. Consistency matters more than length, so choose a realistic routine
you can sustain over time.

What if I feel nothing when I try gratitude exercises?

Feeling numb or disconnected is common, especially with trauma histories. Instead of forcing big emotions, start
by noticing neutral or slightly positive details, such as a quiet moment or a kind gesture. Over time, emotional
responses often grow gradually.

Are there gratitude practices for Veterans who dislike writing?

Yes. You can speak gratitude out loud, record brief voice notes, take photos of meaningful moments or silently
thank people during daily routines. The key is sincerely noticing value or support, not producing perfect wording
or elaborate journals.

How can family members encourage a Veteran to practice gratitude?

Family members can model gratitude themselves, gently invite the Veteran to share highlights from the day and
acknowledge small efforts. Avoid pressuring them to “be positive.” Instead, emphasize choice, respect and
appreciation for what they already manage under difficult circumstances.

Does forcing positivity make trauma symptoms worse?

For some Veterans, pretending everything is fine can increase shame or avoidance. Healthy gratitude does not deny
pain; it simply broadens attention to include moments of safety, connection or progress. Therapists can help
distinguish helpful gratitude from unhelpful toxic positivity.

Can group gratitude activities help Veteran peer-support groups?

Many peer groups use short gratitude check-ins to start or close meetings. Sharing one thing that went well can
build trust, highlight strengths and reduce isolation. Facilitators should keep participation voluntary and make
room for honest, mixed feelings.

How does gratitude interact with moral injury or survivor’s guilt?

Gratitude can feel complicated when someone is grieving or questioning past actions. It may help to focus on
present-day support, values and opportunities to do good now, while processing guilt, grief or moral pain with
professional, spiritual or peer support.

Are there digital tools that help Veterans track gratitude?

Many general wellness apps include mood or gratitude journals, reminders and photo logs. Some Veterans prefer
simple phone notes or calendar entries. Choose tools that feel private, easy to use and sustainable rather than
overwhelming or filled with unnecessary features.

When should a Veteran seek professional help instead of relying on gratitude?

Seek professional help when nightmares, anger, withdrawal, substance use or hopelessness interfere with work,
relationships or safety. Gratitude exercises are not an emergency intervention; they work best alongside care
from clinicians, peer specialists and supportive communities.

VA Loan Network Editorial Team

The VA Loan Network Editorial Team is comprised of dedicated mortgage specialists and financial writers committed to providing veterans and service members with accurate, up-to-date information on VA loan benefits, eligibility, and the home-buying process.

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