It’s true that you can feel better just by receiving another’s affectionate touch. After all we all have receptors in our skin that send messages directly to the brain. Just think about the last time you were given a hug or a pat on the back or someone putting their arm around your shoulders. And this feel good sense can be especially strong if the touch is given by a person whom you love or care about. In fact, it has been shown that you can get a boost of Oxytocin, often referred to as “the feel good hormone” from this sort of physical affection. This hormone promotes positive feelings and builds and maintains a positive outlook, which is why it feels so good! Research featured in Biological Psychiatry magazine explains that it’s long lasting too, the benefits of human touch given to newborns being measurable even 10 years after birth.
Similar Posts
Hoarding: A Primer
Hoarding is a mental health disorder in which people pack their homes with so many items of limited or no use that they can create health risks to themselves and anyone they live with. This need to save items is often compounded by getting upset when they are confronted about their hoarding and the need…
Q&A: Depression and Adderall
Is Adderall ever used off-label for depression? Adderall is primarily used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Some doctors may prescribe Adderall off-label for depression, although it’s not a standard or recommended treatment. Off-label use of Adderall for depression might occur when other treatments have been ineffective, but this should be conducted…
Sleep and Stress
Stress often has a very negative effect on healthy sleep, impacting quality and duration. It does this in a number of ways, including extending how long it takes to get to sleep and fragmenting sleep. A lack of healthy sleep can then actually increase your stress levels and have a severe impact on physical and…
Planning the Use of Antidepressants
It can be a very trying time when starting a regimen of anti-depressants. For that reason, amongst others, it’s not the right time to also plan an exit strategy to get off anti-depressants. People just getting started on antidepressant should stay focused on feeling better and laying the groundwork for a healthier future. If somebody has…
Q&A on Understanding Eating Disorders
How serious are OSFEDs compared to other EDs, such as “typical” anorexia and bulimia?Other Specified Feeding and Eating Disorders (OSFED) are categorized as such due to their symptoms being less frequent or not fully meeting the criteria for specific eating disorders such as what are known as threshold EDs Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge…
Q&A on Parental Burnout
What is parental burnout? Parental burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and/or mental exhaustion suffered by parents (or caregivers) due to long term stress and the serious demands of raising children. It can manifest as feelings of overwhelm, irritability, detachment, and a sense of dread of being not able to meet parenting responsibilities. It’s…
