This archive report was first published on 21 May 2020.
The Power of Kindness in Mental Wellbeing ¶
As I reflect on a personal experience, I am reminded of the importance of kindness in mental wellbeing. A few years ago, I was going through a tough time, struggling with my mental health. It was during Mental Health Awareness Week (May 18-24) that I learned about the theme of kindness and its impact on our mental wellbeing.
According to mentalhealth.org, kindness is a cornerstone of our individual and collective mental health. It strengthens relationships, develops community, and deepens solidarity. When we experience acts of kindness, stress is reduced, we get a fresh perspective on life, and friendships grow.
One of the benefits of kindness is that it increases oxytocin, the love hormone, which helps reduce blood pressure, increases self-esteem, and optimism. Kindness also makes us happy, releases the feel-good hormone serotonin, and makes us stronger and more energetic.
During these challenging times, it's essential to practice kindness towards others and ourselves. We can do this by offering to help others stock up on groceries, making donations to the less fortunate, and checking in with friends and family. We can also be kind to ourselves by practicing positive self-talk, taking breaks, and nourishing our brains.
By being kind to others and ourselves, we can reap the benefits of kindness and build a more humane society. As the theme of Mental Health Awareness Week reminds us, kindness has the ability to unlock our shared humanity.
Benefits of Kindness
- Increases oxytocin, the love hormone, which helps reduce blood pressure, increases self-esteem, and optimism
- Makes us happy
- Releases the feel-good hormone serotonin
- Makes us stronger and more energetic
- Protects our overall health
- Stimulates our brain's pleasure and reward centres
