Why You Should Volunteer
As Terri Guillemets once said, “The world is hugged by the faithful arms of volunteers.”
Whether it be through the services of the American Red Cross, or the endeavors of Peace Corps, volunteering has a special place in the world, because people think of it as a way to give back to the world and their respective society. Whenever we hear about someone volunteering, we think of them surrounded by warm rays of light, perhaps with a friendly smile on their face. It’s gotten to the point where many colleges and employers even look favorably upon those who volunteer.
However, did you know that there are health benefits to volunteering as well? Not only does it have physical benefits, but mental and emotional benefits as well. Below are just a few of such examples.
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1. Decreases the risk of depression
Depression, especially severe depression, can often lead to suicide. As such, it’s important to decrease depression, and one of the ways you can do this is by volunteering. In fact, it’s been proven that when you help others, you become happier, even if it’s just a little bit. Not only do you get a sense of accomplishment whenever you help others, you are are tasked with various responsibilities that allow you to build up your self-esteem. You also get to see problems that bring you out of your own problems, and present yourself in a way that makes you useful to others. You can build social connections, and can even connect you with a support group that you yourself may even need.
2. Helps your heart
Volunteering has also been known to help your heart. A study done by Harvard Medical School has found that volunteering has been linked to lower blood pressure, as well as manages stress. Volunteering also forces you to move around (in person at least), so it improves your circulation system. Because it helps lower stress, it in turn lowers cardiovascular disease Many individuals have also reported to have higher mental and emotional benefits, all of which help promote heart health, all of which will be explained below.
3. Improve Mental and Emotional Benefits
Volunteering allows you to participate in activities that will help you lead a fulfilling life. As stated before, volunteering helps you connect with other people, and because of that, allows you to see just how you’re making a difference in other people’s lives. It soothes the symptoms of stress and anger, and can even boost your confidence.
4. Live a long, healthy life
Not only is volunteering a good way to keep yourself physically and mentally active, but it helps provide you with a sense of purpose. I, myself, have had experience in this. After all, there’s a reason why health professional schools ask that students volunteer at least some of the times. What’s more, many employers often look favorably upon candidates who volunteer.
Volunteering helps you develop experiences, and test the waters of a new career that may benefit you in the future. Not only this, but volunteering also helps teach you different types of skills. Volunteering can help you focus on both your goals and interests, as well as understand different perspectives. Who knows? It may even give you a new hobby along the way.
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Conclusion
Volunteering has many different benefits, both physically and mentally. Not only has the act itself helped cardiovascular health, but it decreases the chance of serious mental conditions such as depression. What’s more, volunteering helps you build up a social network, and learn skills that could benefit you in the future. Overall, volunteering is a special activity that brings people together, and helps us prove ourselves time and time again as kind, compassionate, and, for lack of a better word, hopeful.
