CG Lucio Madrid

Madrid

Updated Monday, April 8, 2024-18:01

Few things are as comforting as the hug of a friend. We saw this in the pandemic, when the measures imposed to stop the spread of the

coronavirus

robbed us of direct contact with our loved ones.

As social beings, we need physical contact, a closeness that can also help

reduce pain and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression

. This is confirmed by a new review of studies published in the latest issue of

Nature Human Behavior

.

The analysis, which has systematically reviewed the scientific literature on the subject, highlights the benefits of contact

in both physical and mental health parameters

, at all ages and in different contexts.

"We know, from the classic WHO definition, that health in general and mental health in particular are connected in at least three dimensions, physical health, emotional health and social health. In this way, Any benefit we have in each of these three legs will have an impact in some way on the others. Physical contact, emotional contact, looking into each other's eyes, being accompanied, etc. We know that it is essential not only for improving health. mental, but also on physical health.

The physical, the emotional and the social are connected

", points out the thread of the results of the review of studies Guillermo Fouce, psychologist, professor at the Complutense University of Madrid and president of Psychology without Borders .

To know more

Health.

The hugs that the coronavirus stole from us

  • Editor: ROCÍO R. GARCÍA-ABADILLO Madrid

The hugs that the coronavirus stole from us

Evidence in scientific literature

The authors of the research, led by Julia Packheiser, reviewed a total of 212 studies with data from 12,966 people to evaluate the benefits of interventions related to physical contact (such as receiving massage sessions or, in the case of babies, performing the kangaroo method) and try to find out if the type of approach or its origin had an influence in some way.

After the analysis, the scientists found clear evidence of the benefits of physical contact, even with robots, although the union between people was what provided the most benefits for mental health.

"

In the end, physical contact is an expression of support

, it is an expression of closeness, it means feeling accompanied," emphasizes Fouce. "In all the fragility indices, one of the issues that is most taken into account is the possibility of feeling accompanied, of someone accompanying, supporting. It is something fundamental," adds the psychologist.

Touch, the work showed, was especially effective in the physical sphere in regulating levels of cortisol, a hormone related to stress; to reduce to some extent pain and weight gain in newborns.

In the mental sphere, there was also a positive impact on anxiety or feelings of depression.

The research showed that, in adults, there were hardly any differences whether the physical contact came from a family member or a health professional, although it must be taken into account that the majority of interventions analyzed were related to massages and not to physical contact. affective. In babies, however, a greater benefit was seen

when close contact came from the parents

.

For Fouce, the contact provided by a family member and that provided by a health worker "are different levels of support. I think that a family member or someone close to you

is going to be more significant support

, but we must not forget that the contact of professionals health care is also essential. It is something that we work on a lot with professionals when they are trained, for example, to deliver bad news or in humanization projects. In a serious situation, it is essential that someone shakes our hand and explains to us what is happening. and what they are going to do."

The review of studies also found that frequent and repeated contact over time

is more beneficial

than isolated contact.

"In many comprehensive and humanistic treatments, all these types of comprehensive actions are being incorporated so that work is done on the person in all their dimensions and from social support. The social relationship has a great impact on the improvement of the physical state and the improvement of the emotional state," says Fouce.

In their conclusions, the authors of the meta-analysis call for new research that explores the effectiveness of different interventions related to physical contact and whether the interventions are equally effective in different cultures.