Practicing Gratitude This Thanksgiving While Living With HS

By IAHSN – Healing Through Hope & Community

Thanksgiving is often seen as a time to celebrate blessings, gather with loved ones, and enjoy comforting traditions. But for those living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), the holidays can bring extra emotional and physical challenges:

• Pain or discomfort during travel
• Stress about food choices and flare-ups
• Worries about odors, draining wounds, or seating comfort
• Feeling left out of activities or family conversations
• Anxiety about explaining HS to others (or hiding it completely)

If this season feels complicated, you are not alone. Gratitude does not mean ignoring the hard parts — it means acknowledging the good that still exists alongside them.

And sometimes, the most meaningful gratitude comes from the smallest moments.

Why Gratitude Matters for HS Warriors

Practicing gratitude has been shown to:

• Lower stress levels and reduce inflammation triggers
• Improve emotional resilience and sleep quality
• Shift focus from pain to possibility
• Strengthen connections and support systems

It doesn’t cure HS — but it helps your heart and mind heal, and that matters.

5 Ways to Practice Gratitude This Thanksgiving (Even on a Tough Day)

1️⃣ Reflect on What Your Body Can Do

Instead of focusing only on the pain:

• Notice how your body keeps showing up
• Appreciate your strength on hard days
• Celebrate every small victory

Your persistence is powerful.

2️⃣ Lean Into Support

Think of one person who has shown you compassion:

• A caregiver
• A friend
• A medical provider
• Someone in the HS community

Let yourself feel gratitude for being understood — even by just one person.

3️⃣ Notice One Joyful Moment Each Day

A laugh, a warm cup of tea, a kind message, a good breath…
Tiny moments count. They add up.

4️⃣ Speak Kindly to Yourself

This season can stir up comparison and self-criticism.
Your gratitude can sound like:

“Thank you, body, for carrying me through today.”

Gentle self-talk is a gift only you can give yourself.

5️⃣ Honor Rest Without Guilt

Needing rest doesn’t make you weak — it means you’re healing.
Gratitude includes listening to your body and treating yourself with compassion.

A Thanksgiving Message for the HS Community

If you’re struggling today — physically, emotionally, or both — this is for you:

You are not a burden.
You are not alone.
You deserve to feel joy, comfort, and belonging.

And every day you rise and keep going, you show incredible courage.

Today, let’s be grateful for:

✨ The strength to keep fighting
✨ The resilience built through every flare
✨ The community that understands
✨ The hope that tomorrow can be softer

We’re Grateful for YOU

At IAHSN, we are thankful for:

• Your bravery
• Your honesty
• Your advocacy
• Your heart

This community continues to rise because of warriors like you — showing up for yourselves and one another.

May this Thanksgiving bring you peace, comfort, and moments of joy that remind you how deserving you are of love and care.