Counselors and psychiatrists have known for years that volunteering and serving others can help improve mental health and decrease depression symptoms. There’s also a great deal of science to support this. Researchers at Exeter Medical School in England reviewed the results of 40 studies over 20 years and found that volunteering consistently led to an improvement in mental health, a decrease in mortality, and in some cases, an improvement in physical health, as well.
Why volunteering helps
What are some of the benefits of volunteering? There are many! Here are just a few:
- Volunteering develops social connections which are necessary for us as human beings. Even if you have social anxiety, something like dog-walking allows you to connect with a few people (briefly, while you pick up and return the dog) who have interests similar to yours (dogs, animal well-being). This gentle human interaction and the time spent with animals can create needed connections.
- Volunteering can create changes in thought patterns in so many ways. Our thoughts affect us metabolically, changing our thought processes, our chemistry, and our health. Negative thoughts produce more negative thoughts, which further depress our physiological responses. When we volunteer, our minds focus not on our own negative thoughts, but on the needs of others, stopping that vicious cycle, at least for a time. This cessation of negative thoughts can eventually overflow into the times when we are not volunteering.
- Volunteering gives you a sense of purpose and satisfaction that you may not have felt for a while. It’s a healthy distraction and can help you put your own life in perspective. It forces us to take positive actions, leading to more positive thoughts, which then have a positive effect on our bodies and minds.
- Volunteering can improve your physical health. A four-year study by Carnegie Mellon University followed 50 adults who volunteered and found that those who volunteered more than 200 hours a year were less likely to develop high blood pressure and were more likely to experience psychological well-being.
Suggestions to get you started
While it’s natural to think, “I don’t want to do anything or even get off the couch. How can I volunteer?” there’s a great maxim to keep in mind: Action precedes motivation. Even if you don’t “feel like it,” or if you’re afraid you won’t be able to keep it up, try one day at a time, and you’ll find that motivation follows.
Practice thinking the opposite of the negative excuse you give yourself. You could try, “Well, at least it’s better than just sitting here all day, and besides, I’ll get in a little exercise and I’ll treat myself afterward.” Remember, studies show that volunteering really does help. Remind yourself that when you’re trying to talk yourself out of it.
So the next question is, volunteer to do what?
Choose a volunteer activity that fits your interests and skills and will not feed your negative thoughts. In the NYC area, where I live, there are a wide variety of volunteer options, from cleaning up local parks and walking dogs for the local dog shelter to reading to underprivileged children at the local library and delivering food to shut-in elderly people.
Or you could start with something less formal, like making cookies for a neighbor who is having a rough time or offering to babysit for a friend or relative. Make a plan to do some small act of kindness every day. This helps you keep your eyes open for ways to help others, even if it’s just a kind word, which can also turn your thoughts outward instead of inward.
There are many strategies that can help overcome depression naturally. Volunteering is one of them. Please don’t think you’re alone in what you’re feeling. If you’re struggling with depression, contact me to see how I can help you on your path to wellness.