Rates of depression and anxiety are increasing, particularly among young people. One effective treatment for these conditions is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on identifying and changing negative thought patterns to help restore happiness.
However, CBT may not fully address the need for social connections, which are crucial for mental well-being and can also help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression.
To explore the most effective way for individuals with depression and anxiety to benefit from social interactions, researchers at The Ohio State University conducted a study. They randomly assigned participants to one of three activities.
The first group was instructed to perform three random acts of kindness for strangers, such as buying someone a coffee or offering to clear snow from their driveway. The second group was asked to plan a social activity two days each week, which is defined as “big or small activities you intentionally plan with others for enjoyment.”
The third group was given a workbook to fill out twice a week, designed to help them identify and manage distressing thoughts.
After five weeks, all three groups showed reductions in depression and anxiety. However, the group that practiced random acts of kindness experienced the most significant improvement, with the benefits lasting up to five weeks.
Jennifer Cheavens from Ohio State University commented to Greater Good, “We thought the group focusing on recording distressing thoughts might have an edge, as it's a well-established method for addressing depressive and anxiety symptoms.
But the kindness group performed as well or better, and they also experienced increased social connection, which didn't occur in the other groups.”