By definition, altruism is “the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being others.” So, to break it down a little bit more, it means that you act kindly to others, even when you may not be receiving something in return.

I had no idea there was a word for this a few years ago. It was a big pet peeve of mine when I would see people refuse to help out unless they were getting paid or given something else in return. I grew up in a household where my parents were always so generous and eager to make everyone feel comfortable and at home, it was just how we lived. As I grew older, I noticed that not everyone was so kind and that the world that I had felt so comfortable in became a much darker and surprising place.

Being altruistic is beneficial to one’s health. There are lots of books out there these days on this practice. A popular, Altruism, Happiness, and Health: It’s Good to Be Good” begins with saying, “Altruistic (other-regarding) emotions and behaviors are associated with greater well-being, health, and longevity.”

Another study was conducted and followed 846 people from the Michigan area. They were interviewed about stressful events they had experienced and also whether or not they had helped friends or family members in the past year. The conductors of the experiment concluded that, “helping others reduced mortality specifically by buffering the association between stress and mortality.”

Many use altruistic methods as a way to relieve stress and studies have found that those who volunteer lead happier lives. An article published on The Independent (a UK based website) included stories of people who made a difference in their lives by being altruistic:

“I sit on a chair next to my bath wearing a black binbag. I crook my neck at an angle as my sister sprays my hair – and half of my face – with warm water. She dispenses shampoo into her hands and massages it into my head. Her small, familiar hands with blotches of eczema touch and massage my scalp, loving me, ridding me of any last trace of “hospital smell”. I cannot wash my own hair because I cannot raise my left arm. I have just had an operation to relieve my body of breast cancer. I am terrified. I am alive. I am loved. But now, I have clean hair.”

Go out of your way to help someone up if they’ve taken a tumble. Or better yet, if someone is stumbling home, offer them an arm. If it has health benefits, then why not?

Sources:

Post, Stephen G. “Altruism, Happiness, and Health: It’s Good to Be Good.” International