G&STC Director Jesse Kahn Talks With Katie Couric Media About Physical Touch and Mental Health
CHECK OUT G&STC’S DIRECTOR JESSE KAHN TALKING WITH KATIE COURIC MEDIA ABOUT PHYSICAL TOUCH AND MENTAL HEALTH.
Why Physical Touch Is Important
“People are ‘wired’ for touch. Physical touch does things for us like: release oxytocin, reduce stress and calm our nervous system, making it an important, core physical and emotional need. And it’s not just humans! The need for physical touch is natural and you can see it reflected in other animals like chimps, whose social practice of grooming one another are sometimes used to calm tempers and soothe conflicts.
It also helps meet another core human need: connection. Physical touch helps improve intimacy between people, whether it’s through holding hands, cuddling on the couch, giving someone a hug, or having sex. It’s social bonding. It literally brings us closer together.”
The Symptoms of Touch Starvation
“The big one is loneliness. You might not realize you’re craving physical touch from others, but if you find yourself feeling frequently lonely and longing for the close company of others, then there is a good chance your need for touch isn’t being met. This is obviously very common right now, since so many of us are physically isolated due to the pandemic.
Other symptoms would be things like increased symptoms of depression or anxiety, higher stress than usual, feelings of dissatisfaction in your relationships, or difficulty sleeping. Or if you find yourself seeking out things that stimulate your sense of touch (heated blankets, fuzzy clothes or blankets, holding a pet, taking long showers to feel the hot water, etc. this could be your unmet need for touch trying to make do with what you have.”
Physical Affection Can Be For All Relationships
"If we can see physical affection as commonplace within all of the relationships in our lives — not just romantic ones — we would see that need met much more across the board. While some people are openly physically affectionate with their friends and not just their romantic and sexual partners, there is this idea that romantic relationships should be the most intimate and closest relationships in your life, which a lot of people then translate to physical touch.”