Consequences of touch deprivation
There is no better way to demonstrate the importance of touch than by examining what happens when we are deprived of it. Most of us have experienced the sensation of touch deprivation at some point – the need to feel the benefits of touch. But touch deprivation can also have more serious consequences.
In the 19th century, infants in their first year of life commonly died from a disease called Marasmus, a Greek word for “wasting away”. Doctors later discovered that this disease was caused by a lack of touch: babies not touched on a regular basis would literally starve themselves to death.
An amazing study completed in the 20th century by touch researcher Ashley Montagu found that children deprived of loving touch suffer the consequences in their bones – small lines of retarded growth, known as Harris lines, appear at the ends of the tibia and the radius.
And the need for touch doesn’t diminish as we age. In fact, research on adults has proven that touch is essential for physical and emotional well-being: regular touch can lengthen life and cut down on doctor’s visits. Touch provides solace, safety, tenderness and soothing.
Touch Benefits
The power of touch is felt most strongly in four areas.
Biological
Studies on infants and children link touch very directly to healthy physical development. And in people of all ages, touch reduces stress, releases seratonin and oxytocins and reduces cortisone levels in the body.
Communicative
There is perhaps no more effective way to communicate than through touch – in fact, touch produces a series of neural, glandular, muscular and mental changes that we interpret as emotion.
Psychological
Touch provides reassurance and comfort and aids in the development of self-identity and self-esteem.
Social
Research has linked the quality of touch experiences to competence in interpersonal relationships. The ability to trust others, and understand the needs of others, is directly related to touching.
Adding touch to your life
Feel the need to add more touch to your life? Why don’t you…
- Experiment with hugs. Try different types and lengths of hugs. Notice which you like best and when, if ever, you want to stop.
- Read to a child, even when they are in the sixth, seventh and eight grades. Make it a tactile family thing to do.
- Make early contact. In the first two minutes you make new contact with someone you care about, touch them in a loving way.
- Have an emotional touch day. Pick out a particular day, and for every emotion you experience, use touch to express how you are feeling.
- Prepare your skin to be touched. Keeping skin healthy makes you more receptive to giving and receiving meaningful touch. A recent Leger Marketing survey conducted on behalf of Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion found that three-fifths of Canadians feel most comfortable engaging in touch when their skin is healthy-feeling.
