The hug is one of the gestures made by human beings that manifests in the purest way the humanity that characterizes us. With a hug we transmit messages of great depth that, sometimes, are not possible to express in words. The hug is one of the means that allows people to console, stop any type of conflict and truly unite heartily with their neighbors.
From this Psychology-Online article, we will get closer to the true power of a hug and its psychological benefits main. In addition, we will expose the different types of hugs that can be expressed between people and, finally, we will comment on the main and great advantages of giving or receiving pure and sincere hugs.
What is a hug
The hug is a gesture with which human beings transmit a whole series of conciliatory messages to your interlocutor as joy, welcome, consolation, containment, security, etc. Let’s look at the different meanings of a hug:
- People are sociable beings with a primal innate need to remain united, from the heart, to everyone. In this context, the hug constitutes a media that reflects the different manifestations of this cordial union between human beings.
- A hug becomes a social instrument which guarantees trust among each other, the feeling of security, calm and tranquility and fraternal and peaceful coexistence within a community.
Currently, with the current situation of covid-19, the new social regulations that prevent human approach and the display of affection, through hugs, is one of the main causes that is generating great anxiety among people, high levels of insecurity, fear and All of this causes a climate of invisible aggressiveness as a result of people not being able to emotionally show their positive affections to their loved ones.
Although this norm has been dictated to us as necessary right now, we must make great efforts to remain united in heart, even if we cannot manifest it physically, for the incredible strength that this archetypal human need gives us to combat and overcome any type of , as we will see in the last section on the benefits of a hug.
Types of hug
There are as many types of hugs as there are internal emotional manifestations we wish to transmit. The very essence of the hug is positive and Its ultimate goal is to unite people who hug each other.. However, while people have certain emotional deficiencies, as a result of inappropriate events that have occurred in our lives, there are certain hugs that, contrary to what they should, transmit somewhat more negative sensations. Therefore, we will separate the types of hugs into positive and negative displays of affection.
Positive signs of a hug
What is transmitted in a hug? Let’s see what are the types of positive samples of this act:
- Brotherly hug: that hug that gives security, cares and protects.
- conciliatory hug: the one who reconciles two people after a certain disagreement or simply brings them closer together
- comforting hug: when the hug is given to comfort and support someone in a vulnerable situation
- affectionate hug: which represents a display of love and unconditional dedication to our neighbors.
Negative signs of a hug
What happens when you give a hug? Let’s see the types of hugs with negative displays of affection:
- Diplomatic hug: given in a less than affective way to close certain business or diplomatic agreements or given for social convenience.
- Hug full of pride: This is given by people with high levels of arrogance who feel superior to others and are condescending to them.
- insincere hug: they are those that occur between two people who, sincerely, do not want to give it to each other, hiding behind certain negative feelings towards the person they are hugging with
Benefits of a pure and sincere hug
As we have mentioned, a pure and sincere hug is, in itself, a gift for the person who receives it. With the hug we give ourselves to the other person, we give everything we are and the best of ourselves. Next, we will see the physiological, emotional and psychological benefits of a hug, both in the person who gives it and in the person who receives it:
- Gives a great inner peace.
- It unites us inextricably with our neighbors.
- Alegra the heart.
- It calms us in times of uncertainty, providing security and trust.
- Purifies our interior from bad emotional states and thoughts.
- Strengthens our immune system.
- It fills us with gratitude and great drive to act.
- Heal emotional and physical wounds.
- Resolve conflicts that seemed unsolvable.
- Increases our capacity for understanding and empathy. In this article, you will see.
- Breaks all kinds of barriers by melting the heart.
- Gives great life force.
- Break the fears.
- Protect, calm and care.
Taking into account the multiple benefits that giving a hug brings to people’s health, and given that we are currently prevented from doing them due to the pandemic, from here we encourage you to let’s hug each other with our hearts, with good words, good thoughts and good actions. A beautiful way to perpetuate the great benefits of the long-awaited, right now, hugs.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
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Bibliography
- Zaccagnini, J.L. (2010). Friendship and psychological well-being: the role of “c-friends”. Encounters in Social Psychology, 5(1), 63-72.