Research shows that non-sexual physical contact has a significant impact on our emotional and physical well-being https://nihrecord.nih.gov/newsletters/2006/02_24_2006/story03.htm
Despite these findings, and our hyper-sexualized tendencies, The United States of America is one of the most touch-phobic countries in the world. A global study on touch rated #USA among the lowest touch countries studied https://drsircus.com/general/touch-hugs-massages-health/
In contrast, the high-touch countries include #France, #Italy, #Greece, and #Spain. In fact, researchers fear that our lack of platonic touching leads to violence, particularly in young males. In one study, American adolescents were shown to touch each other far less and be more aggressive toward their peers compared with French adolescents https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10730699
While there are many reasons why Europe has a much lower violent crime rate than the U.S, could a lack of healthy physical connection add to this trend? In 2012, research conducted by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime found that the U.S. had a homicide rate of 4.8 per 100,000 people compared to only 0.3 per 100,000 in Iceland, 0.7 per 100,000 in Sweden, 0.8 per 100,000 in #Denmark and #Spain, 0.9 per 100,000 in #Italy, #Austria and the #Netherlands, 1.0 per 100,000 in #France, and 1.2 per 100,000 in #Portugal and in #Ireland.
I am a hugger and when I first traveled to Asia, I found that hugging takes time. No hugging. Chinese were physically reserved. Thankfully it is changing now. Why Chinese Have Been Slow to Embrace Hugging http://www.sixthtone.com/news/1000611/why-chinese-have-been-slow-to-emb…
10 Things Europe Does Way Better Than America
https://www.alternet.org/2014/07/10-things-europe-does-way-better-ameri…