Everyone says that giving is better than receiving, that helping out a friend— or even a stranger—will result in happiness and a sense of satisfaction within ourselves. Of course it feels great to reach out to people, but are there actual health benefits that come with the act of giving? According to Michael J. Poulin, assistant professor of psychology at the University of Buffalo, along with researchers from other areas of the country, giving is good for your body! Poulin’s five-year study, which included the self-reporting of 423 older married couples, concluded that helping people in one’s home or community “reduces the association between stress and mortality for the helpers.” The study, which took into account the participants’ original stress levels, how much time they spent helping friends and family, as well as their various ages and health conditions, concluded that those who spent more time dedicated to lending a hand to others essentially lived longer. The study is discussed in this article.
While twenty years of studies have shown that social isolation, loneliness, and stress are often causes for physical illnesses (such as headaches, body inflammation, and problems with learning and memory), no other research has proven that providing help and reaching out in society have physically positive effects. There is evidence proving that such isolation and anxiety even leads to premature death, but no one has ever attempted to study the flip side of the coin. Not until now. The effects of stress on the body are known to be extremely severe, and Poulin has discovered how much life can change if we limit the stress, appreciate what we have, and are willing to help other people.Perhaps more importantly than showing the health benefits of helping, Poulin’s findings exhibit how social processes in general may influence physical health. The way we act and the choices we make in terms of interacting with other people have now been shown to play a major part in our body’s functioning. What do you think about Poulin’s findings? Have you ever thought about our emotional/social decisions playing a part on our body’s physical condition? Could you relate this study to anyone in your life?
I agree with Poulin's finding. I think it makes sense that when we give to other people, we are helping our physical health. I know that when I participate in community service, I feel better about myself and less stressed. I think that when we are helping other people we are happier with ourselves. When we are happier with ourselves, we often physically feel better.
ReplyDeleteI think that I could relate this study to my grandpa. My grandpa gives a lot of time and money to the poor. He is never really stressed and doesn't get sick often. I think that since he donates so much time to the poor, he appreciates how much he has and is happy with his life. His happiness allows him to stay physically healthy.
I definitely agree with Poulin's study. I can say from personal experience that I have felt better both physically and psychologically after helping people or volunteering. This summer I volunteered at a hospital for 3 hours every week for 10 weeks, and I definitely noticed an improvement in the way I felt both physically and mentally. I felt more relaxed and at ease and less tense and anxious than I normally feel. I also noticed how my response to others was more calm and positive than before volunteering. One day after volunteering I went straight to work, and I noticed that I felt more happy and energized than I normally do at work. I think that the notion of helping others should be an automatic given, but the fact that it can have both positive psychological and physical effects just makes helping others even more worthwhile, and should motivate people to help out their family, friends, and the rest of the community.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Poulin's study because I really do feel as though I am a much happier person when I do something to help another person. I feel extremely humble that I can make someone's day a lot brighter by not do something selfish and bringing a smile to their face. My main sport is basketball and most of that game is about scoring. High school basketball is very competitive where you see that everyone wants to be the best. This sometimes gets to people's heads and all they care about is scoring and getting written about in the Bergen Record. Whereas for me, I do not care about scoring and will make the extra pass so that my team can win and someone else can score. I believe that helping others is a great thing and everyone should do it. Most often, you will see that if you help someone, they are definitely looking to help you back in return or help other person. Volunteering and being selfless is an act that is cutaneous.
ReplyDeleteI mostly agree with the idea behind Poulin's finding. I feel that volunteering and lending a helping hand is beneficial in the sense that it makes you feel less isolated, and less alone. While I don't believe that is is necessarily a stress reliever but it can absolutely improve your mood. After working with the elderly at a nursing home I volunteer at in Old Tappan, I always feel more accomplished and fulfilled. I feel proud to have done something that wasn't for my own selfish gain, and I am more likely to have a good day. While this is true, I don't believe that a bad day can be improved simply by helping someone else out.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Poulin's study because I truly believe that social interaction, whether you are helping someone out or simply getting involved in your community, can improve your overall happiness and in turn lead to improved health. I never really thought about being generous relating to physical health, but it makes sense that when you are happy and feel good about yourself, you feel better physically as well. Personally, when I do some sort of service or help out someone else without getting anything in return, I feel a sense of worth and purpose. My grandma is the perfect example of this because she always makes conversation with people wherever she goes and ends up giving them some sort of advice or comfort. She always feels good and lives a very healthy life, and I think it is largely due to her social and generous nature. It's a good feeling to know that something you did impacted someone in a positive way, and makes you feel physically better as well. Being selfish does not result in the same feeling of fulfillment, and can result in an overall feeling of unhealthiness.
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