Kindness as an Aid to Anxiety

Abby Ernst describes herself as someone who struggles with anxiety. In 2023, she took a class with Dr. Jennifer Cheavens at Ohio State University, and one assignment was simple: go out of her way to do something kind for someone else. So, she started holding doors open for strangers, giving out compliments and leaving positive sticky notes around campus. An anxious person, she admitted she was hesitant to do this at first, but when she started, she felt a wave of reassurance.

Abby's experience isn't an isolated case. Research proves that investing in and loving others reduces anxiety and depression. Kindness releases real, mood-boosting brain chemistry and it doesn't require dramatic displays of affection to make a measurable difference in how we feel. We at The Edge want to talk to you about the neuroscience behind kindness, and why it doesn't take grand gestures to see real results.

When you do something kind for someone else, your body doesn't just feel good; it chemically rewards you for it. Dr. Waguih William IsHak, a professor of psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai, explains that acts of kindness release a mix of oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin,  the same chemicals tied to trust, pleasure, and mood regulation. That dopamine hit is powerful enough that researchers at Cedars call it a 'helper's high.'

Oxytocin alone can shift behavior in dramatic ways. In one study, Dr. Paul Zak at Claremont Graduate University gave participants a dose of oxytocin and had them decide how to split money with a stranger. The people given oxytocin were 80% more generous than those given a placebo; oxytocin is the same hormone your body releases naturally every time you help someone out.

But Dr. IsHak also points out a catch: this boost doesn't last. Biochemically, you can't live off a single three-to-four-minute oxytocin spike from one kind act. That's why he says kindness has to be repeated to keep the benefit going, worked into your daily routine, not treated as a one-time fix.

So this isn't a coincidence. It's biology, and it's biology you can access again and again.

Abby wasn't part of a clinical study; she was just following a class assignment. But researchers David Cregg and Dr. Jennifer Cheavens, at Ohio State University, ran an actual controlled study on exactly what Abby experienced. Published in The Journal of Positive Psychology, their research followed 122 people in central Ohio with moderate to severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Participants were split into three groups: one planned social activities, one practiced cognitive behavioral therapy, and one performed three small acts of kindness, two days a week, for five weeks, like baking cookies for a friend or leaving an encouraging note for a roommate.

All three groups improved. But the kindness group stood out; they felt more connected to other people than either of the other two groups, and showed even greater gains in life satisfaction and reduced depression and anxiety than the group participating in therapy. Cregg explained that performing acts of kindness turned out to be one of the best ways to build the kind of social connection tied to overall well-being.

TODAY's reporting on the study found that participants felt the benefits so strongly that 75% of them kept doing acts of kindness even after the study officially ended.

So no, it doesn't take a grand gesture. It doesn't take a big donation or extreme emotional energy. Sometimes all it takes is holding a door.

Remember Abby? Well, she talked about it best: as soon as she started giving out compliments and holding doors, she felt confident; she realized she had the power to brighten people's days and make a positive impact on others. That power isn't unique to her. It's available to every single one of us, every single day.

So here's our challenge to you: the next time you're feeling stressed, scared, or just having a hard day, try holding a door open. Smile at a stranger on campus. Give someone a genuine compliment. See what happens, not just for them, but for you! 

Have you performed an act of kindness lately? We’d love to see! Tag us @theedgemag on Instagram

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