Practicing Kindness Has Positive Impact on Mental Health, APA Poll Finds

In a world where much feels outside of our control, U.S. adults largely recognize the positive feelings that stem from practicing small acts of kindness.This was one of the major takeaways from APA ’s most recentHealthy Minds Poll, which asked 2,210 adults living in the United States about the ways in which they practice kindness, most often see others practicing acts of kindness, and more. According to the survey, 89% said that showing others kindness made them feel better, and 90% said receiving an act of kindness made them feel better.Those polled were also asked to reflect on their feelings of anxiety over current events. (The survey took place October 16 to 19 —less than two weeks after the attack by Hamas on Israel.) Two-thirds of respondents (67%) reported feeling anxious about international conflict—up 12% from last month’s poll.“When we are feeling stressed or sad, doing something for others, no matter how small, boosts our mood,” said APA President Petros Levounis, M.D., M.A., in a news release. “Whether it is an innate response that rewards altruistic behavior or a mental reframing that puts positivity in the world , doing something for someone else makes us feel better.”In the past three months, 93% of respondents did something kind, including 69% who had greeted a stranger, 68% who reported holding a door open for someone, and 65% who had given someone a compliment. Other ways that respondents reported practicing kindness included the following:39...
Source: Psychiatr News - Category: Psychiatry Tags: anxiety APA poll donation gratitude greeting strangers happiness Healthy Minds Poll helping others hope impact of kindness on mental health Petros Levounis Saul Levin volunteering Source Type: research