When you volunteer, you make a difference in people’s lives, but guess what? Volunteering can benefit your mental health as well.
- Volunteering can make you happier
There is a notable relationship between volunteering and happiness, as revealed by research. A 2020 study from the United Kingdom found that those who volunteered felt more satisfied with their lives, and those who volunteered for at least a month reported improved mental well-being compared to non-volunteers.
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What’s the science behind that? Being kind to others and helping them can release a chemical messenger in the brain called dopamine, which can give you a feeling of happiness. Additionally, serotonin, which regulates your mood, can be increased, too.
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- You can reduce depression through volunteering
Research has shown that volunteering is associated with lower levels of depression especially in the elderly.
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Suffering from depression often results in an increase in negative thoughts, which trigger negative actions like sitting all day or engaging in negative behaviour.
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Volunteering encourages you to get up and leave the house to engage in a positive activity, taking a break from your negative thoughts.
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- You can reduce stress through volunteering
Volunteering helps you meet new friends who provide emotional support and can alleviate stress, allowing you to forget your worries.
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Volunteer work can help lower stress and anxiety levels by boosting the production of hormones that enhance happiness, such as oxytocin, serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins.
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- You can improve your mental fitness through volunteering
You most probably know what physical fitness is, and how important it is to develop muscles, but have you heard of mental fitness?
Mental fitness refers to the ability to achieve and keep a state of well-being while developing an awareness of your thoughts, behaviours, and emotions.
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You can improve your mental fitness by volunteering for roles that involve critical thinking and problem-solving. As many studies have shown, this kind of volunteer work can decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s disease which affects memory, thinking, and behaviour.
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Conclusion
Your kindness to others becomes a gift to yourself. Gaining the mental health benefits mentioned above, is the secret for a longer life.
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