How a touch can heal our body and soul
Scientific litsketch on boosting mental health
Can a physical touch be a remedy for fear? Can a touch on the shoulder heal people's hearts? Do we have the power to improve others’ mental health simply by touching their shoulder?
Research shows that receiving a touch on the shoulder can reduce the anxiety we have about death when we have low self esteem (Koole et al., 2014). Those who have low self esteem that they are not satisfied with who they are struggle more with the fear and anxiety of death. They also have a greater desire for interpersonal touch, which when it’s received, they report lower anxiety about death.
In an experiment, people were divided into two groups. Group One was given a light 1 second touch on their shoulder blade by a female experimenter as she asked them to fill out a survey. Group Two was asked to fill out the survey without the touch.
The results showed that giving a touch on the shoulder made people with low self esteem feel less anxious about death. When we are not satisfied about ourselves, receiving a friendly touch on the shoulder can reduce our anxiety. This means that we can also help reduce other people’s anxiety with a touch on their shoulder.
The inner strength we give and receive through a touch is quite extraordinary. It’s amazing how we all possess the power to heal others with a touch.
Koole, S. L., Tjew A Sin, M., & Schneider, I. K. (2014). Embodied terror management: interpersonal touch alleviates existential concerns among individuals with low self-esteem. Psychological Science, 25(1), 30-37.