The Benefit of Touch
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The Need to Be Touched
Touch is one of the six senses that the majority of the human race possess, and one that is crucial to the human psyche. As a whole, Humans are affectionate and display touch on a regular bases. But as humans evolve and the world changes, we change. Now society and social acceptances determine our abilities to give and accept touch. Research has shown that human interaction through touch is an important component in growth and development as well as has an effect on our overall health and day to day mood.
Find a reason to touch and to love and to live
A look inside the Human Beings Need for Physical Contact
By nature, humans are socially interactive beings. But as generation’s progress, some countries and nationalities, show little if any physical interaction. A hand shake, a hug, a nudge or a kiss are each part of many human’s day to day actions and interactions with one another, are often limited or prevalent to us determined by how we were raised as well as where we live. In Puerto Rico, people touch about 180 times during a sit down gathering, in France the amount of times people touched is dropped to 120, where as in America, the average number of times touch occurs is an appalling 2 times within a 60minute time frame. No wonder so much of the populations in America suffer from Depression and other Psychiatric Disorder’s, we don’t touch, and it is affecting our ability to effectively interact as well as think. Our parents as well as the world around us have taught us the limited touching method (particularly Sigmund Freud), and we have now continued to pass down our no touching methods to our children. Shame on us for not touching and showing more support and affection.
A mothers love and embrace can go a long way
The Healing Touch
Why do we need touch?
How and/or why does touch affect us each so dramatically?
Other than human communication, a simple touch can reduce anxiety and relieve stress. Take for example a crying child. A crying child will reach out for their mother to hold them. Not because a mothers arms can relieve the cause of the tears, but because the simple touch and embrace of a child’s mother provides protection, security, understanding, compassion and extends concern and love to the child.
Perhaps this is the truth behind a mother’s ability to heal with a kiss?
Be Happier
If you are struggling in your relationship, ask yourself, Have we touched lately?
A touch is a natural and effective way to decrease a person’s level of anxiety. When you notice another person appears overly anxious and you have no concern of them being a sociopath, reach out and offer a hug- you may just make their day and cure their nerves.
When a baby is born into this world, it is customary that the infant and the mother are given time to bond, within moments of the newborns arrival. Both mother and baby feel an instant bond the moment that they touch. Infants often become relaxed, and a mother’s pain is forgotten. This is a touch that is much needed in the growth and development of the mother child relationship. When marriage is interrupted by life and busy schedules overtake family togetherness time, take a moment or two each day to cuddle, to hug and show some love to one another. Without touch a relationship can lose its focus and lovers can quickly drift away from love. Revive the love within your relationships with a little touchy feely time. Your relationship will be closer and longer lasting than a touchless affair.
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Feel Better about this World
People with High Blood Pressure often find that getting a dog or finding a loving relationship can reduce their tension and stress and further reduce their blood pressure than those who take medication alone. After surgery, being touched (patted or a back rub or leg massage) has also shown to speed recovery times and keep people from relapsing into illness. If nothing else, reach out and touch someone and allow yourself to be touched, to ensure that you are doing all that you can for your health.
Although the world is full of optimistic and pessimistic beings, studies show a positive view of the world and of life is associated with how much touching we do. People who receive hugs and warm greetings feel more connected with the outside world, further connecting them to a more relaxing and optimistic life.
Touching means so much, it can assist us in communicating feelings and emotions; it can calm and even heal. Touch is a benefit that we all have available and should be taking advantage of as much as possible. If you feel alone, depressed, and isolated from the world, try accepting a hug to gain a new outlook on life.
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AA Zavala...thanks for commenting. Perhaps the world would be happier if we all just held hands every once in awhile, lol? I mean... If you hold someones hand, you cant very well show hate and violence as easily. Touch takes away that detachment we have or form...can break barriers-it should be required :)
Hi H.C. , You know , Im an older guy and when I was younger touching was just not something most people did.I grew up in the late fifties and sixties and I was also very reserved socially. However since then , in later years , hugs and touches have become far more popular and acceptable in our culture . I must say some people may treat it as trivial but I truely believe touching is extremely important. And the touch on the hand or arm by a woman just plain feels great. Hugs are so important for all of us , great hub. And a hug for you!
Touch really is so important- great Hub!
Oh, yes, HC. Touching relieves our sense of isolation, of being alone in the world. What a great topic for a hub and I love the way you treated it.
What a wonderful hub :) I grew up as a very shy little person, and only really came out of my shell in my early twenties. Plenty of hugs and touch from my mum, but I always avoided touching other people whenever possible. Even when I found my confidence I still felt uncomfortable with hugging friends or shaking hands or little touches on the arm, or whatever. But then I had my children and it would be accurate to say that every day since that first one, I have hugged, kissed, and touched them affectionately many, many times every day :) And that has helped me to feel comfortable with accepting touch from my own friends. I can quite happily hug my friends now, when they need to be hugged.
Having said that - I do still avoid hugging or touching some people. Some people are just TOO tactile for me, and seem to need to be touching someone all the time. I don't think they're weird for that! It's just that I'm not like that myself. I still have my own personal space that is quite important to me. I think it sometimes depends on my mood - I'm a fairly solitary person, and I enjoy being so.
Thanks for this hub - I've found it very useful indeed :)
Linda.
ahorseback- this hub was researched and composed to convince myself I need to open up and not shy away from affection-and touching all together. It was pretty cool to learn about and I am glad I did the leg work to be able to write in this. Thanks for your comment and input... Hugs back at ya!
Simone Smith- thank you ma'am for reading! I always knew touch was important-I never realized all I have learned. It is quite powerful and needed for us all. :) Thanks for commenting
Paradise7-Thank you... it is hard to come up with hubs that have not been completely saturated and covered...At least any that may be of any interest. So I turned and looked at myself and asked myself...what is wrong with me? What are my quarks and issues... this is one, on a list that goes on and on...lol...thanks for the support and comment!
Lady Wordsmith...Thank you-Thank you! I feel quite honored to have both you and Simone stop by this hub, and both leave positive comments. I appreciate you sharing your story and insight on the topic as well. I know where you are coming from. Even after children, it took me awhile to realize that touching is very important for them as it is for me and our relationships. I have forever long been a 'Nerd, Geek, Dork" whatever the word may be, and was picked on quite often, which contributed to my standoffish approach to others. My parents, although have five children...I guess were too busy keeping up with us, to show us how to accept and give affection or show endearment through touch...it is something I have had to realize and work on, on my own. From what I have gathered-there are many people who have experienced the same....
Thanks again for the comment- I greatly appreciate your feedback!
H.C. Porter , I would have thought you would be a big hugger , with the little ones. If you become the hugger with them .......you win big time.!Trust me.
Excellent hub Holly!!! It is so nice to be touched and loved by others. I think it does in fact calm you when someone comes up to you and give you a warm hug that really means something, not as some do, fake and not meaningful.
Voted up and beautiful and congrats on your score of 99.. one more to go Holly 100
ahorseback ... I do hug and love on the kids... with them it is a little different. It took me a while to be open and affectionate, but it came more natural than allowing another adult to touch and offer support... As I have always said...I am an constant improvement...each day I get a little more better at simply being me :) Thanks :)
The clean life...I completely agree with your response to the hub... When a hug means something, it is so much more powerful than a fake hug that barely includes touching. Thanks for reading and for commenting :)
Well done. Touch is one of the most basic and fundamental needs of human beings. Studies have shown that children who are touched and hugged thrive from an early age. And I like your advice about giving someone hug. Thanks for writing.
Namaste.
Hc,
its funny i was jut thinking about this past couple weks and i've been trying to hug my boys more often, my wife- im all over her regardless.
I have not seen my daughter in over a yer - and Im not sure if i will ever see her again, I wish I would have been able to hug her more-not that that would have changed much- I think itis time for a hub about her...
Thanks HC... more than you know...
TH
Hi H.C. - Great hub! I also grew up in a family with a distinct absence of touch. I am aware of what the influences for that were...and I am a very kinesthetic-tactile person, so I came across as a rather needy kid because of that...and perhaps that may be a reason that I lost my virginity rather prematurely.
I have a daughter who relishes a very touchy-feely relationship with me. We hug each other zillions of times and she often asks for comfort in the form of a hug, or a kiss on a boo boo.
So it should not have come as a great surprise that both sets of grandparents could not relate to my wanting to nurse her - and said I should do so behind closed doors, isolated from adult conversation - which felt somewhat like punishment in the form of social banishment. I was seen as a problem when I would not bottle-feed her...it was an inconvenience for my in-laws, who wanted my husband and I to disappear when we visited them so that they could have all the time with our baby when she was 9 months old without the awkwardness of her wanting us (I still think that this is rather unnatural).
I think that relationships that involve touch are more prevalent in the UU church that my family has joined than in the local Catholic church, and it played a significant role in my choosing them as my faith community (which I realized as I read your hub), though my mother is rather scandalized by my alleged abandonment of my faith. Oh well. We love our new community....feel more connected, our contributions welcomed, almost literally, "with open arms." Thanks again for this hub!
Great HUB!! As a massage therapist, I truly understanding the healing power of touch. I even used the same study in my couples massageswq, regarding touch in various countries and the correlation to the health in those places. It was interesting that only London had a lower "touch rate" than the US.
fantastic hub, i never knew that the act of touching could be such therapeutic balm to humanity until i read your article. Personally, i'm the kind of person that believe i need to do a lot of work on myself with the help of God, to improve my human relational ability. I really need to open up to people. But there is a danger here, some people might misuderstand the touching to mean something else, how do you handle such people?
Deborah Demander...thanks for the comment and for reading- I am so glad you enjoyed the hub. With so many people knowing the benefit, I wonder why so many still do without it?
TH...thanks, and you are welcome...glad it helped at a needed time. I also hope that you and your daughter get another hug sometime soon and many more that follow.
Seafarer Mama-Thanks for reading and for sharing some insight into your experience with the matter of touch. I have never considered the religious aspect of it all-but you have made a very good point. Thanks again for commenting, I really appreciate the feedback and perspective.
S10ec_biz talk, Yeah, I would have thought that America would have been a little more touchy feely than what the studies show...thank you for sharing from a more career oriented perspective...I appreciate the feedback! :)
ememstephen...thanks for the comment and for reading. I am glad it gave you some insight. I am not sure how to answer your question, other than be careful and dont go hugging someone that you are not sure is willing to accept it.
Beautiful hub. Right on with the information. It is the primary reason I am leaving my current relationship-lack of touch.
Congrats on your '100' score. :)
Very cool hub.Im big with the friendly hug instead of the handshake.
Ray
Denise Handlon-thanks for the congrats...I wonder how long the score will stick? ;) I bet a lot of relationships end because they lack touch...which leads to the lack of emotions... Very unfortunate... Thanks once again for reading and commenting, I appreciate the feedback :)
aware...good for you! you shall never be without love in your life for that reason alone :) Thanks for the comment and for taking your time to read, I appreciate your feedback.
A very informative hub about a very affirmative principle in human interconnections.
thanks.It was a great read.
Debarshi Dutta- Thank you for commenting and for reading, I am glad you got something out of this information... :)
WOW love this! Anything dealing with human connection I can relate to. Im a TCM Specialist dedicated to improving the mind, body, soul connection. Touch is so important for a healthy exsistence. Great Job! voted up + AWESOME
TCM Specialist...thanks, so much for the comment-I am thrilled you enjoyed the read. I agree-Touch is very important!
wow, you have taken me back to my childhood days when i like staying in my mothers arms:it gives me much comfort and protection and makes me feel loved. Good flashback.
Voted up. Excellent advice. I would have appreciated it if you'd quoted your Freud source because I'm studying counselling and psychology. I didn't realise he taught limited touching. Nevertheless a great hub!
sunchild28- i think that the comfort we get from when we are young is carried with us through our lives...hope it has made you a strong and compassionate person! thanks for reading!
aslanlight- thanks and to answer your question...
In Freud’s early work he used touch-but when he found himself in situations which jeopardized his research-he abandoned it...
Basically Freud felt that it was impossible to distinguish the difference between sexually gratifying touch and nurturing touch when transference analysis were being made... so to keep from distorting the findings during transference, particularly when dealing with hysterical patients, the No Touch Theory came to be, touch was only explored when in session and only in the patients Dream World. Freud never truly explored touch-just dismissed it for his work to keep his work and findings as untainted as possible... Hope that helps clarify the Freud reference?
Very great Hub! I often touch people, even those who I do not know very well. I think that this behaviour may be annoying for someone, but it is my istinct.
Thanks for this interesting page!
This is so true and appropriate!
Touch is very important to the human existence and so frequently overlooked or ignored.
fucsia-I think that is great...it lets on that you are a caring person and not closed off to others...Thanks for the comment and for reading :)
Curiad -Thanks for the feedback, glad you liked the hub...and I agree 110% with your comment!
Good hub, touching is very important for the human personality. We are not cogs nor machines
Very true. Research doen a few years ago on hygiene, got nurses and parent touching babies as little as possible. Babies were dying at one serious rate. They started touching more often and proved the importance of touch.
marwan asmar- thank you for the feedback, I completely agree with the importance!
HennieN-thank you for the additional info---that is pretty cool. touch can heal-that is for sure :)
Nice information you shared in here H.C Porter which actually force me to remember many years back when i was still the only child and the first daughter of parents parents,i was been treated with lots of care and high amount of attention,and touches always.
Love, love and ..... love.
Sun-Girl , thanks I am glad I could provoke some memories for you :) Thanks for commenting, I am glad that you liked the hub :)
celeBritys4africA- Thanks! Thanks! and Thanks :) Glad you liked!
That helps a great deal, thanks! I haven't come across that in the text books.
aslanlight- glad i could clarify for you-and glad you asked so I could clarify it for you...sorry I did not explain within the hub :)
Touch is one of the most important of the senses in my opinion. To touch and be touched - there is nothing more sensual. A brilliant piece of writing as always. Thank you for reminding me.
acaetnna-thanks so much for leaving yet another wonderful and kind comment...I am glad you enjoyed the hub :)
Not sure how I missed this but I could not agree more...There is nothing like the human touch and you touched (pun intended) a couple here...There is an Art of The Human Touch...thanks
mtsi1098 - you didnt miss it :) looks like you found it to me :) Thanks for the comment, and I couldnt agree more with your comment
I love Hugs. I got some really nice thoughts.Thanks dear H.C Porter
God, If only the woman I have supported for five years would read and understand this!
sweetguide... hugs definitely have the power to heal :) Thanks for the comment, so glad you came across some of my work!
Curiad, if only half the people in this world could understand this... it seams like the world is slowly getting cold, as in cold hearted... it is a shame too. thanks for commenting, I appreciate the feedback.
A.A. Zavala Level 7 Commenter 13 months ago
Touch is important. It's a basic form of communication, yet can be important in all reationships. Thank you for sharing.