Do you think volunteering benefits your mental health? Many people say that volunteering helps you feel good, and we’re here to tell you it does. However, there are some differences between volunteering for others and for yourself. If you are unsure of whether volunteering will be beneficial for your mental health, consider these tips:
Benefits of helping others
While many volunteer experiences are rewarding and gratifying, not all volunteering is equal. For example, a study in the Journal of Happiness Studies looked at data from nearly 70,000 participants who answered questions about their volunteer habits and their mental health on a regular basis over the course of 20 years. Volunteers rated their life satisfaction and overall health higher, while those who volunteer only occasionally said they also had better mental health. The authors concluded that volunteering has many mental health benefits.
Benefits of helping yourself
The positive health and life satisfaction benefits of volunteering have been documented, but little is known about the cumulative effects of the experience. This study looked at the effects of volunteering on both self-oriented and other-oriented mental and physical health outcomes. Volunteering was associated with greater physical and social well-being, a decrease in depression, and a higher sense of life satisfaction.
Benefits of self-oriented volunteering
Among the many health benefits of self-oriented volunteer work, several have been identified, including improved physical and mental health, as well as better social well-being. The benefits of self-oriented volunteering are generally positive, and researchers are investigating the health benefits of different kinds of volunteer work. Previous research has shown that all types of volunteering have positive effects on mental and physical health. In addition, the benefits of self-oriented volunteer work are generally shorter-term, so they can be a great way to get the health benefits of volunteering without the long-term costs.
Benefits of other-oriented volunteering
Although the benefits of volunteering for other-oriented causes are well-established in the general adult population, there has been little research on the cumulative effect of volunteering. This study examines the contribution of volunteerism to multiple health outcomes. It uses a population-based sample from Texas, the Survey of Texas Adults (2004). The authors used multivariate linear regression and a Wald test of parameter equivalence to explore the associations between volunteering and a range of health outcomes.
Benefits of volunteering to lower blood pressure
One study from Carnegie Mellon University suggests that older adults who volunteer regularly reduce their risk of high blood pressure by 40%. This finding is significant because volunteer work is a natural anti-hypertension remedy that can be effective without pharmaceutical drugs. Hypertension is a common health issue that affects 65 million people in the U.S. It also plays a significant role in the development of other health problems, including heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Benefits of helping others to reduce depression
Despite the proven benefits of volunteering for mental health, not much is known about the cumulative effects of self and other-oriented volunteer activities. One study sought to investigate the relative contribution of self-oriented and other-oriented volunteering to health outcomes. Data from the Survey of Texas Adults 2004 was used to examine relationships between self and other-oriented volunteering. The authors used multivariate linear regression and the Wald test of parameters equivalence to examine the associations between self and other-oriented volunteering.
