The effects of self-compassion on our health
Don't you think one of the biggest problems in today's world is lack of compassion? Compassion has almost become a forgotten emotion. The world is full of people who are uncompassionate towards animals, people, and nature.
While it may seem like an unnecessary action to talk about self-compassion in this situation, in fact, the compassion we give to the outside world has a very close relationship with the compassion we give to ourselves. Self-compassion can contribute to the increase of compassion in the world, and moreover, self-compassion can be good for our health.
Self-compassion is a concept found in Buddhism, the teaching of Buddha, who is considered by some to be the world's first psychologist because he was one of the first people to study the structure of the mind. The concept of self-compassion, which has been discussed in the Eastern world for thousands of years, recently entered the psychological literature when American psychologist Kristin Neff published two articles describing the structure of self-compassion. So what are the effects of self-compassion on our physical and mental health?
One study tested the relationship between self-compassion, perceived stress, health behaviors and a comprehensive index of physical health. Participants, 176 people, completed an online survey published on Amazon Mechanical. According to the results, self-compassion has an indirect effect on physical health.
The research suggests that taking a kind, accepting, and mindful stance towards one's flaws and failures may have benefits for reducing stress and improving health behaviors. The results of a study also revealed the positive effects of self-compassion on physical health.
Because self-compassion can lead to better physical and mental well-being, it can lead to a healthier life. Individuals with high levels of self-compassion tend to engage in a range of health-promoting behaviors that can subsequently have a positive impact on physical health
They found that students with high levels of self-compassion tended to use emotion-focused acceptance, positive reinterpretation, and externalizing negative emotions rather than maladaptive, avoidance-focused strategies to cope with low test grades. The degree to which people cope effectively with stressful life events is a primary determinant of their subjective well-being. As some research has shown, self-compassion also helps us to reduce our stress levels.
People with low levels of self-compassion tend to focus on the negativity of the situation when faced with stress. In contrast, those who are able to maintain perspective and approach the situation in a mindful way cope with stress more successfully. We can benefit from the positive effects of self-compassion on health by treating ourselves with compassion and care as we would treat our best friend.
