The magic of cuddling

Synfany13

What are the benefits of cuddling?
When we touch – cuddle, hug, or holding hands – our bodies release “feel good” hormones. These hormones include oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin. Once the hormones are released into our bodies we experience feelings of happiness, relaxation, improve mood, and lower levels of depression.

When we cuddle, we do much more than just relax and have a good time, we gift our bodies the gift of wellness and happiness.

For those with ADHD symptoms, cuddling boosts our dopamine, helping us increase our motivation 😊

pmvines

I disagree. I think it is potentially harmful to someone who might be naive or looking into alternative forms of treatment to say that cuddling helps depression and ADHD. Sure , it can help temporarily reduce some symptoms here and there , but there are going to be people who will take that as meaning that it is a cure, and that all you have to do is keep cuddling and poof it's gone. I speak out about this every time l hear people tote medical and psychological cures from cuddling because I dont feel that it does anything other than deliver skeptical and false promises , which can be harmful and is like selling snake oil.

ShaneSchrute

@pmvines it’s possible @Synfany13 ‘s statements might not have a lot of science behind it. I don’t care really because cuddling gives me peace of mind, a peaceful feeling & joy; all things medical science has never given me (besides some illicit things that actually do something good.) I’ve had depression and anxiety of various levels since I’m 8. So I’ll take cuddling as a piece of my answer.

Is it temporary? Yup. What isn’t? Permanence is an illusion. Suffering comes from railing against that fact y’all.

@Synfany13 ? We should cuddle!

pmvines

@Syins yeah dont get me wrong, I love to cuddle and advocate for doing whenever one can. So many benefits, whether placebo or real. But the benefits dont really extend beyond temporary and there is no true science to prove anything beyond just being enjoyable. The people who say it does all these amazing things are misinformed , or they are wanting more people to see it and through hopeful naivety book more sessions with them, which to me is irresponsible thing for a pro to do. I know some people truly believe they can be healed through hugs and it's sad when folks use that to their advantage. General statement, not saying OP has any Ill intentions or anything like that

ShaneSchrute

Well again everything is temporary. You should come to terms with that. You’ll be happier. And if a placebo makes me feel better then that’s real enough for me. You might not want to discount anything that makes someone feel better when that’s their GOAL.
Have a super day!

I totally agree with @pmvines. Cuddling is wonderful for so many reasons and it helps us all feel good. But it should not be looked as a cure or solution for any type of mental illness.

ShaneSchrute

@Btown I respectfully don’t care. Antidepressants were no cure at all for me; made it worse. I was on 11 different kinds or combinations for years. Medical science has little to offer us as far as curing our minds. And frankly it’s irresponsible to pretend that antidepressants are going to work on someone who hasn’t seen benefits in years. Little is known about how the mind really works. The so-called “hard question of consciousness” has yet to be answered. So I’ll just do what makes me feel better; regardless of the science.

@Syins Not sure why you changed the subject. Sorry antidepressants did you no good. They didn't work for me either. Happy cuddling.

warm_embrace

Back to the original topic: The Magic of Cuddling. When I turned 60, I decided that I was going to become a collector of “beautiful magical moments”. I believe that whoever has collected the most of them before they die, WINS! I’ve since added many beautiful and memorable magical moments to my collection while cuddling!

cde123

I think many people with what's categorized as mental issues are in fact just missing positive reference points in their lives, which cuddling can provide. Whether it's bad experiences in the dating scene, family problems, abuse, trauma, uncaring people or whatever else – building positive memories can create a foundation stronger than drugs or mental health treatment may provide. Therapists understand this and send people to cuddle or develop relationships as part of their treatment plans. If you're self-aware enough, you can just start cuddling by yourself, creating your own form of treatment without needing to see a formal therapist.

TheFunCartel

I believe that whoever has collected the most of them before they die, WINS!

So there can only be one. I never imagined cuddling to be like Highlander. What a violent way to relax.

warm_embrace

@FunCartel, I’ve got a head start on you, but welcome the competition! 🤗😊😂

quixotic_life

quoting @Synfany13

"For those with ADHD symptoms, cuddling boosts our dopamine, helping us increase our motivation 😊"

Damn!! If only this were the case for me...

"Once the hormones are released into our bodies we experience feelings of happiness, relaxation, improve mood, and lower levels of depression."

I disagree. It doesn't lower our levels of depression. It simply provides a temporary distraction from the expression of our symptoms. The depression is still fully present.

pmvines

@Syins nobody is discounting anything, I said that cuddling is enjoyable and of course feels good . Why else would I be here past 6 yrs with like over 60 people met from here ? You are personalizing me stating there lack of actual concrete facts, and that there is no long term effects nor "curing " of things . Nobody is saying that cuddling is not a good thing or discounting you, or anybody else for that matter . You are being defensive . It can be both awesome and amazing, as well as not a cure for things . I love cuddling but live in reality, and prefer to not have something I love reduced to snake oil .

Synfany13

No offense , but prescribed meds are also temporary and addictive as well. I never said anything about cure. By the way, I didnt make any of this up
https://intermountainhealthcare.org/blogs/topics/live-well/2015/02/cuddle-and-hug-your-way-to-better.

Take whatever resonates with you, what does not, simply discard it ✌😘

warm_embrace

I have also been cuddling for many years on this site and it’s predecessor sites. My mental health has benefited from cuddling. There’s plenty of research to support the notion that cuddling and intimate platonic physical contact are beneficial for one’s mental health. Back to the OP’s original point, kind of like magic!

PeopleLikeUs

Anything that reduces anxiety acts as a cure for a lot of stuff, especially anxiety, which is my favorite magical aspect of cuddling.

Cuddle_RN

@Synfany13 your link isn't working.

https://psychiatry.org/patients-families/addiction-substance-use-disorders/what-is-a-substance-use-disorder
"Substance use disorder (SUD) is a complex condition in which there is uncontrolled use of a substance despite harmful consequences...The most severe SUDs are sometimes called addictions...Symptoms of substance use disorder are grouped into four categories:

Impaired control: a craving or strong urge to use the substance; desire or failed attempts to cut down or control substance use.
Social problems: substance use causes failure to complete major tasks at work, school or home; social, work or leisure activities are given up or cut back because of substance use.
Risky use: substance is used in risky settings; continued use despite known problems.
Drug effects: tolerance (need for larger amounts to get the same effect); withdrawal symptoms (different for each substance)."

You stated that prescribed meds are addictive. That is not compatible with the definition of addiction from the APA.

Synfany13

Wow some people take it way too personal. Please if my post does not resonate with you, just keep going. Life goes on. ✌

Synfany13

For those that understand where I am coming from, keep enjoying the magic.
💚✌

This is not a new topic. It has been discussed in several threads throughout the years with basically the same results. It is really a good healthy activity that benefits people to different degrees.

DaringSprinter

Cuddling's not magic, and I wouldn't call it medicine—but it is nice, and it can help with some things. Like the hot turmeric drink I make for my joints.

Just don't try marketing it as something people should do instead of getting actual medical treatment for whatever medical conditions, and... well, probably fewer people will suffer. Giving "the gift of wellness and happiness" takes more than cuddles!

They can be a real nice boost, though.

PeopleLikeUs

@Synfany13 - I remember when a vegan diet was quackery. It's now the recommended diet for every hospital in Southern CA. The man responsible, T. Colin Campbell, is an Ivy League graduate, professor, and scientist at Cornell U. He's performed the largest dietary study to date. He was also able to cure himself from the effects of Agent Orange with two, two-week water fasts a year apart at True North Health Center, also thought to be quackish. His success wasn't without enormous criticism. I believe your health experiences with cuddling are as valid and real as anybody despite what some of the health police might think. You're a great addition to CC. I'm glad you're here.

JoannaLuvsCudln

@pmvines and everybody else who has an opinion about the effects of human touch on humans that they sourced from……I have no idea but it definitely was not any academic research journals on neurology or psychiatry or counseling or psychiatric nursing or perinatology or any type whatsoever

And I have a feeling no textbooks were involved, either—however, Dunning-Kruger doubtlessly was

People with opinions mansplaining women who obviously know more about what they’re talking about than they do makes me type paragraphs like this. I need to make a template

JoannaLuvsCudln

@ people Like Us That’s great that he’s feeling better but that’s not evidence of anything. That’s an anecdote. If you want to prove something, you need to use the scientific method, conduct research experiments that are reviewed by your academic peers to determine it meets the rigorous standard required to be classified as a properly conducted study and published in academic research journals, and THEN those results must be shown to be duplicated in similar related studies performed afterward by other researchers. That’s what makes science science. Everybody’s body reacts to every single thing that enters it differently so don’t confuse yourself and definitely don’t let anyone con you out of any money because of anecdotes. (And beware if this bs they pull in commercials, sales pitches, etc : just saying “studies show “ “a study shows” doesn’t mean jack if 1) you don’t know who conducted the study and why—-if it was not independently done, chuck it—if you don’t know if the study would stand up to academic peer review—chuck it—if it’s only one study they’re citing, chuck it. You need years of duplicated results to really feel confident in them) And you’ll still find out very often years later that many things we thought were right were wrong. Because of other studies and their peer review, publication, duplication, etc etc etc)

PeopleLikeUs

@JustGr8Cuddles I know

warm_embrace

@JustGr8Cuddles, and others:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/touch-starved. Just Google “touch starvation” and you’ll find a plethora of academic research on the subject.

Looks to me like cuddling is a “cure” for that! Just like eating is a “cure” for hunger. Back to the OP’s original point, just like magic!

JoannaLuvsCudln

@ People Like Us Your initial statement is not true. The state law signed by Jerry Brown in 2018 makes having the option of a vegan meal/diet a right guaranteed by the state in prisons and hospitals. It’s about having access to a diet that involves strongly held convictions/beliefs that are a large part of how ppl self-identify and live their lives, similarly to access to kosher or halal food for those to whom that is extremely important. So you’ve been misinformed .

I’m addition, Hospitals do not recommend diets. They are written as a doctors order for each individual patient according to their specific needs, and nutritionists often need to be consulted. FYI no reputable medical association is going to recommend a vegan diet as a blanket statement it’s not gonna happen. For one very big reason, you are going to need major supplementation due to the lack of enough B12 bc humans evolved as omnivores and need fibto either eat enough meat or take Regular Vitamin B12 injections in order to ensure B12 deficiency does not occur . Doesn’t make much sense to me that you’d have to take shots at all top supplement any diet that reached the level of adequate. And it won’t make sense to any doctor but you could probly find someone with right letters after their name who would say it for the right amount of moolah

PeopleLikeUs

Hospitals recommend diets on their websites for health reasons.

There's not enough B12 in animal products. We have historically gotten B12 from dirt, bugs and fecal matter so much so that our bodies don't make it. Same with vitamin C from plants.

I prefer to get my B12 from cyanocobalamin.

This isn't really the thread for this @JustGr8Cuddles. My initial intention was to support the OP.

Minestrone101

I really don't think scientists will write a proposal for millions to test and isolate a variable of cuddling and test tens of thousands of people or at least several hundred to create a suitable demographic to represent more people, etc.

They're studying the effects of sleep and exercise...and even finally understanding the effects of yoga (which is two to three thousand years old) - before modern science acknowledged and studied the benefits of yoga, did they not exist?

I'm not trying to debunk modern science - just critiquing it's metholodgy sometimes. Also, maybe people's worship of it as well.

Oh, and I love the post and I'll take it for what it's worth. I believe OP was speaking in correlations and hypothesizing as opposed to laying a concrete case for a medical miracle (which it sort of is).

If laughing a lot can cure illness, maybe someday there will be an actual cuddle prescription.

olderguy

NOPE!!!