Altruism, is it really good to give?

The science behind why giving feel’s good

Giving feels pretty good. Other than it being good for my pride I was never sure why that was.

Over the past few days, I’ve been looking at it in more detail. It turns out that science has the answers actually.

The science behind the feel-good factor

If you have ever given anything to charity, paid it forward in the line, or any act of kindness. Chances are you felt pretty good about it afterward. Other than our pride what causes that?

  1. Giving stimulates our brains. Altruism feed’s the pleasure, social connection, and trust centers in the brain. These produce endorphins which are known as the helpers high. In turn, because we feel good, we are more likely to repeat the behavior.
  1. It decreases stress. Helping others calms us down and focuses our minds on other people’s issues. This has mental and physical health benefits. People who give or volunteer have lower stress levels and lower blood pressure. Compared to those who don’t practice altruism. According to some studies in the U.S.
  2. The more we give, the better our chances of receiving. The more connections we build over time, the better the chance that we will receive ourselves in a time of need. What goes’ round comes around as they say.

There are other studies that suggest that when someone expresses gratitude. It is also good for our health, which again persuades the brain to repeat the behavior.

As it turns out Altruism is good all round then. This may be one of the reasons it’s increasing. Society may be feeling the collective benefit.

Whatever the reason, it’s always nice to be nice. As it turns out it’s evenbacked by science.

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