Thrive Magazine 2022 - A Guide to Your Health and Wellness

GIVING BACK

Giving back enriches your life, the lives of those around you

Written by Tim Luipersbeck

Director of marketing & communications Community Foundation of Washington County, MD Inc.

Wellness can be defined by more than nutrition, exercise and general self-care. If you listen to most experts on this topic, you may be inclined to believe that different forms of enrichment – whether it be cultural, or even philanthropic, are just as important.

The act of physically volunteering can benefit you in many ways. Stress reduction, a boost in cardiovascular health, finding a sense of purpose, and more, are all great byproducts of giving back. You do not need a doctor to tell you giving feels good. Any individual who has volunteered knows this first-hand.

But charitable acts, in general, can still have many positive results. It should not be too surprising that they provide many mental health benefits and can easily lead to increased happiness and enhanced self-esteem. The positive effects of charitable giving can extend well beyond the immediate result of improving others’ lives, and there are plenty of scientific studies to back up that notion.

Giving back makes people happier, reduces stress

At its very core, giving makes us feel better. Charitable acts spike levels of happiness and emotional health, giving philanthropists a great jolt. This “warm and fuzzy” feeling can impact brain activity and diminish anxiety.

The physical benefits of being a humanitarian can be related to stress reduction and to decreasing heart rate and high blood pressure, two leading causes of heart attacks and strokes.

Giving back combats depression

Given the circumstances, as we are still amid a global pandemic, an estimated 50 million (19.6% of American adults) have experienced a mental illness as recently as 2019. Those numbers have, no doubt, inflated over these past years. To counter, scientific evidence reveals that humans secrete serotonin (a mood-mediating chemical), dopamine (a feel-good chemical), and oxytocin (associated with tranquility) when “good” things happen. Philanthropic acts certainly encourage these feelings, which can lend a swift hand in the battle against depression. Depression itself has been linked to several physical ailments, including heart disease.

Giving back can extend your life

The benefits that come from altruism do more than simply make a person feel good. While scientists do not know exactly why generosity reduces the risk of a shorter life, researchers can draw parallels between having a sense of purpose to longer lives among older adults. One study found that helping others reduced the risk of early death, most likely by countering stress.

Since 1997, the Community Foundation of Washington County, MD, has specialized in establishing relationships with philanthropists both new and seasoned. In fact, we are considered the experts in philanthropic giving in Washington County. It is not only our duty to keep in tune with the community’s needs, but we also work with a lot of first-time donors to contribute to a particular cause they are passionate about, or to create a fund of their very own. When you donate, you are not only helping others, but you are also helping yourself. It is truly a win-win.

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