Counseling Services of Barbara Reade, L.C.P.C.
Bel Air, Maryland 21014

Phone: 410-803-1510

Email: reade.lcpc@yahoo.com

Benefits of Altruism

Research findings suggest that by helping others, we improve our mental health and counter the negative effects of stressful events.  The euphoria after performing a kind act is called "helpers high."  It involves sensations that strongly indicate a sharp reduction in stress and the release of endorphins.

* According to a study in Psychosomatic Medicine, the very nature of focusing outside the self reduces the self-focused nature of anxiety and depression.

* A 10-year study of the physical health and social activities of 2,700 men found that those who did regular volunteer work had death rates two and half times lower than those who didn't.

* In Psychology Today, Dr. Herbert Benson states that altruism works the same way as yoga, spirituality and meditation.  It is a technique on how to forget oneself and experience decreased metabolic/heart rates, lower blood pressure, and other health benefits.

* New medical research at Stanford University Arthritis Center found rheumatoid arthritis patients who decreased their depression by increasing their sense of personal effectiveness, were far better at pain control.

* Altruism reduces chronic hostility that negatively damages the body.

Helping can also enhance our feelings of joyfulness.  Psychologist Sandra Levy found that joyfulness is the second most important predictor of survival time for a group of women with cancer.

* According to Scientific American Mind, current research shows that we are not only capable of altruism but it is possible that our genes even guide us toward such behavior.

* Altruism helps by increasing social contact and decreasing isolation.

Research has shown that stress-related health problems such as acid stomach, obesity, and sleeplessness improved after performing kind acts.

* A computerized analysis of over 3,000 volunteers of all ages across the country showed a cause-and-effect relationship between helping and good health.  Research concluded that altruism can diminish the effects of diseases and disorders both serious and minor, psychological and physical.

Sources: The Boston Globe, Scientific American Mind, The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, WebMD Medical News, and Washington and Shady Grove Adventist Hospitals. The Health Tip of the Week is for educational purposes only. For additional information, consult your physician. Please feel free to copy and distribute this health resource.