Caresses Also Heal

Hands help us communicate and express ourselves. Words are often not enough to convey everything we want to say. At other times, words seem to be superfluous and hinder communication. In those moments we can always rely on caresses.  

The healing power of caresses

The caresses are therapeutic gestures loaded with meaning, expressions that have more power than any drug.

A hug or a hand touching the face or back promote the release of oxytocin. This hormone, known as “the love hormone”, is key to bonding. Therefore, physical contact is important to create emotional bonds.

Holding babies and direct contact with their skin is essential for their emotional development.  The gestures of affection provoke the expression of shared feelings. They also promote confidence, since they also show dedication.

Not receiving caresses as children can make it more difficult as adults to give and receive affection. It costs more to express any emotion, especially if we want to express it physically. Physical contact is often perceived as “dirty.”

Stroking to relieve stress

Human contact has a clear calming effect, it is a simple balm where we feel integrated and reaffirmed. Without any contact, it is possible to fall into sadness and isolation that could lead to depression.

It is valid for any age: abandoned children, couples with little contact, the elderly without someone to show them affection … Human beings are social animals, who grow thanks to contact, affection, compassion and tenderness, giving and receiving.

So much so that an article published in 2016 by the London Journal of Primary Care concludes that Neglect, parental inconsistency, and a lack of love can lead to long-term mental health problems, as well as reduced overall potential and happiness.

Physical displays of affection are so common that we can observe them even in animals. Our pets wait for us when we get home to seek our company and sit on our lap.

They give us their affection and we are forced, almost without wanting to, to reciprocate. As if it were the most important thing in their world: feeling loved, feeling a caress.