First Psychology blog

Volunteering is a powerful force that not only benefits the recipients but also enriches the lives of the volunteers themselves. The act of giving back to the community through volunteer work has been proven to have many benefits on our overall wellbeing.  According to a study published by BMJ Open : “A person involved in volunteering will have more resources, a larger social network, more power and more prestige, and this in turn leads to better physical and mental health. It has been found that the positive effect of volunteering on physical and mental health is due to the personal sense of accomplishment that an individual gains from his or her volunteering activities. Volunteering may also provide a sense of purpose, particularly for those people who have lost their earnings, because regular volunteering helps maintain social networks, which are especially important for older people who are often socially isolated.” How giving back can improve our mental wellbeing 1. Better ...

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, many of us are thinking of ways to demonstrate our love and dedication to those closest to us. But what happens after Valentine’s Day? Will your loved ones have to wait another twelve months before your next declaration of affection and appreciation? Don’t worry, help is at hand! We’ve come up with some simple guidance to help you show people you love them all year round – not just on 14 February. Relationships are important, they help us grow and contribute to our confidence and feelings of self-worth – so let’s take the time to nurture them. Every little helps Valentine’s Day may be the time for grand gestures, but throughout the year most couples find it’s the little things that matter. With busy schedules and lots of people juggling home and work life, couples can soon fall into bad habits and start to take each other for granted. As this article shows, it’s those small, thoughtful acts of love that will help you avoid this. Taking ...

Christmas is nearly here. How do you feel? Is the stress beginning to set in and your credit card groaning from over-use? Christmas is the season most associated with giving. But rather than this being an opportunity to show off to the neighbours or stock up on the latest gadgets and technology, there is actually a psychological benefit to giving – when it’s done with the heart, rather than the wallet. There have been many studies on the act of gift giving over the years. This one by Yale University is about why sometimes our gifts miss the mark, even when we’ve put a lot of thought into them and is well worth a read. It’s a complex subject and the giving/receiving of gifts is an important part of the relationships we have with other people. It is often said that it’s the giver, rather than the recipient, who reaps the biggest psychological benefit from the sharing of gifts. This makes perfect sense when you think about the time and effort that goes into finding the perfect gi...