It is astonishing how something as simple as a hug can change a person's frame of mind. Being where I am today, there are not a lot of opportunities to obtain a genuine hug. In return, if something erratic happens (which it did), it is just me and my stuffed monkey Davy.
Earlier this week, I ended something that was considered a life changing event. Overall, it created an unfavorable personality. My state of mind temporarily transitioned from a happy, free spirited, adventurer to a pessimistic, apathetic, brute. I remained in this removed disposition for at least one and a half weeks. What changed this negative behavior? Simple, a genuine act of kindness such as a love-filled embrace. Or in this case, multiple embraces.
Recommended for you
Now let me explain. I managed to land myself in a place in which I lacked support except for me and my stuffed monkey Davy. An opportunity in which I though would have been beneficial, backfired into an unwanted realization. Fuel was added to the fire which left a radioactive wasteland behind the chaos. A bad intention, awful retaliation, and and a crash and burn. So you may ask yourself, what is the point of telling you this?
This was what helped me realize how powerful hugging may be. When I finally took a break from my current location, I had business to attend to at a local college. At this point, I was not wanting to do anything or be seen by anyone, but it had to be done. During my time there, I took a pit stop and spontaneously ran into a friend of mine. It was strange because she was not supposed to be there and I was not exactly myself. I stopped and spoke for a few mins, but was still not feeling all that great. At the end of our conversation, trembling with anxiety, I received a hug from this individual. It was nice to have a friend after two weeks of being completely on my own. When I left the room, I felt a small amount of contentment. It was as if I had forgotten about being angry for a few minutes.
Later on that day, I ran into another great friend. She displayed the same amount of kindness and squeezed me tight with concern. Still, my state of mind was dull, but it was improving. I started to get my light back that got blown out from the chaotic event. I went home and sat and pondered about how those friends love me. Why was I starting to feel better?
Easy, the hugs I received had represented the absence of he affection that I was unable to have for weeks. With those two hugs, my personality started the process of recovering emotionally. A speedy recovery is the key to happiness. Alright, you heard my side, but what is the science behind this?
When a person hugs another person, their body releases something called Oxytocin and Dopamine. These lower both our heart rates and stress levels. This allows pressures in the brain to increase, nervousness to decrease, and infinite amounts of bonding. Which overall will help a person to gain a more emotional balance in their time of need. So, next time you see someone you really care about upset, offer to give them a hug, it could be the one ounce of support they were devoid of.
