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Why Volunteering Will Make You Happy ― The Scientific Research

Why Volunteering Will Make You Happy ― The Scientific Research

Volunteering is one of the best means that you can give back to your community and there are hosts of Ways to Volunteer. You can volunteer to help in feeding programs, participate in neighborhood cleanups or regularly lend a hand in preparing beds for the homeless. As long as you make yourself available to help, your efforts and sacrifice in whatever shape, size or form, will contribute to making your community a better place.

As a volunteer, you also get to reap tons of benefits for yourself—the best benefit of which is that such experience will make you a happier individual. This is not just a pitch to get you to volunteer. Studies do indeed show that volunteering will make you happy.

The ‘Happy’ Volunteer

Volunteer

While there are other studies that suggest that being helpful to others makes you happy, one particular research focuses on volunteerism. Experts from the research team conducted a survey among the residents of 100 randomly selected communities. The survey revealed that the communities with the happiest residents were those with high levels of volunteer activities.

The research also suggest that active volunteers from such communities had a better quality of life, were healthier and claimed to be very content with their lives. The communities also enjoyed low crime rates and the students from the area did well in school. The study does seem to correlate happiness with helping others. While more studies may be needed to support this, the research team strongly believes that a strong link exists between volunteerism and overall life satisfaction.

Altruism and Happiness

Why Volunteering Will Make You Happy ― The Scientific Research

Aside from the research that focused on volunteerism, a number of other studies have also shown strong evidence that being altruistic can result in more lasting happiness and personal growth. One of such studies used magnetic resonance imaging or MRI to determine which part of the brain is stimulated when giving. The MRI images showed that the part of the brain that is stimulated by being altruistic is the same part that is activated by good food and sex.

The experiments led the researchers to conclude that giving is genetically programmed in the brain and gives off intense pleasure in response to the “altruism” stimuli.  Just like the conclusion from the study on volunteerism, these similar studies also suggest that helping others may result not only in happiness but in healthier and more meaningful lives.

Other Benefits of Volunteerism

Other Benefits of Volunteerism

More scientific studies also suggest that active volunteers enjoy many benefits to physical and mental health. For example, volunteering helps reverse the effects of stress and anxiety. Working with other volunteers promotes interaction and collaboration, which can have positive effects on an individual’s psychological health. Social contact has been shown to have anxiolytic effects and can improve mood. Regular interaction with others can also help those suffering from depression as the interaction establishes a support system that can counteract depressive episodes.

Volunteerism also boosts self-confidence. Being able to contribute to the community gives one a sense of accomplishment. Volunteers are also able to build character, which makes them more likely to have a better view of life and encourage them to set future goals that are more meaningful.

The most important benefit of volunteerism, it would seem, is that it gives one a sense of purpose, no matter whether the person is a teenager or someone who has long been retired. It doesn’t take a scientific study to prove that helping others give meaning and direction in the volunteer’s lives. Perhaps the simplest conclusion to this discussion is that helping make others happy will make you happy.

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