After everything 2020 had to throw at the world, mental health is one of the leading topics just about everywhere. As someone who has had a healthy relationship with some form of therapist for over a third of my life, I feel I have more than a bit to say on the matter. But your time is precious, and so is mine, so let’s cut to the chase. In this blog, I’m here to tell you a bit about what makes sending gifts feel so gosh darn good. As a bonus, we’ll take a look at what kind of mental health gifts to send to your loved ones to help them smile and take better care of themselves. So, are gift giving and mental health related? Let’s talk!
Is Gift Giving Good for Your Mental Health?
The short answer to this question is a resounding yes! The act of giving, from volunteer work to sending birthday gifts, stimulates parts of brain that are associated with pleasure, connection with others, and trust. When you give a gift freely to a person you respect or like personally, your brain rewards you with happy chemicals.
This has an immediate and long-lasting impact on your health. Gift-giving is truly a two-way street, making the recipient feel spoiled, and you feel like the accomplished and amazing human being you truly are.
Here’s a list of just some of the health benefits associated with giving:
- Increased self-esteem
- Elevated mood
- Greater and longer lasting happiness and satisfaction
- Longer Life
- Decrease in depression
From the Cleveland Clinic to the Jed Foundation to hundreds of other mental health researchers and foundations, the science all agrees. While we can’t say exactly why we can say that giving in all of its forms, is a huge quality of life improvement.
It can be hard to find time to volunteer, and not everyone is naturally good at sending gifts. While I can’t help you with finding more time, I’m pleased to say that this blog is FULL of tips for sending the perfect gift for a variety of reasons.
Hate reading? No worries! Contact our 5-Star Customer Service team whenever you need to send a gift anywhere in the world, and they’ll have you covered.
What’s the Best Mental Health Gift to Send?
If you’re still reading, I think it’s safe to guess it’s because you want help finding a gift. If you’re curious about how gifting impacts your mental health, you must be the kind of amazing person to care about your friend’s mental health.
There’s no one size fits all for sending a mental health gift. Everyone’s journey is different, so it can be tough to know exactly what to send to help your friend on their walk through the mental health fields.
In general, if you’re looking to support their growth, tools to help them track their growth and progress are a good starting point. Things like journals, calendars, planners, and even an elegant pen are all great tools for them to help them track and learn new self-care habits.
A water bottle or package of their favorite snacks is another safe gift to help your loved ones spoil themselves on self-care days.
The more specific you can make your gift to their interests the better, but when in doubt stick to generally safe gifts.
What’s the Best Mental Health Gift for Introverts?
Remember how I mentioned that one size does not fit all for mental health gifts? That applies double to mental health gifts that are good for introverts.
We all have an introverted friend. If you’re me you have several, and you’re an introvert yourself.
So what kind of gift do you send an introvert? The kind they can enjoy alone, obviously.
When you want to help your favorite introvert climb out of a depressive slump, the best gift to send is comfort items. From spa gifts to their favorite audiobook, or even tons of chocolate, you’re looking for a gift to satisfy a party of one. You want to send them a mental health gift that gives them a great excuse for a self-care day.
As an added bonus your gift can be their perfect excuse not to accept that last-minute invite out to a club: “Sorry, I can’t go out tonight, Dave was nice enough to send me a spa gift I just have to try!”
If you want to feel like a hero, send your favorite introvert their next excuse to stay inside and pamper themselves.
What’s the Best Mental Health Gift for Extroverts?
But what about the extroverts? The go-getters? The people who seem to have an endless social battery, and a social calendar that is always full?
Well, that gets trickier. If you know they are on an upswing, itching to go out, have fun, make new friends, or celebrate with their old ones, then what you want to send is something to help them keep that energy. A mental health gift for the extrovert at peak energy is one that helps them look and feel their best.
The first thing I’d recommend is a spa gift – bonus points if your gift is a certificate to an actual spa for a full manicure and pedicure.
The second thing I’d recommend, maybe a vitamin basket, to help them stay healthy on their many adventures.
For the extrovert that is in a slump and needs to recharge? Take a note from the mental health gifts I recommend for introverts. A well-worded note here is going to be key to helping them remember it is okay to take a day (or two) just for themselves to recharge.
What Not to Include in a Mental Health Gift
There are hundreds of other things to consider when sending someone a mental health gift beyond if they are introverted or extroverted. The best thing you can do is have an open conversation with your friends to see how they are best supported during life’s toughest moments.
But in general, here are some things to watch out for:
- Don’t Send Alcohol – While well meaning and often fun, it could potentially trigger an even worse situation for your friend.
- Be Careful with Sweets – While delicious, and tempting, sweets can also be addictive. Sending a gift basket filled with chocolate can make it hard for someone in a slump to be mindful of moderation. So send something small, or with healthy additions so they can enjoy things guilt free.
- Be Mindful of Gift Cards – Sending a gift card is a great way to send someone the option to choose how they want to be spoiled. If you know the person you want to send a mental health gift to has the brain power for this, go for it. If you think that having to pick something out for themselves will be even a little stressful, skip it.
Remember, when sending a mental health gift, sending anything at all is already a win. The most important thing when sending your loved ones a mental health gift is that they know you are there for them, always. Your gift should serve as a reminder that you’re in their corner.
You’ve already learned a lot today! Now what?
- If you enjoyed this blog, you might also like our podcast Long Distance Short, Episode 9: Long Distance Relationships in the Time of COVID-19
- Show a special person in your life how much youcare with a Mental Health Gift.
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A foodie, nerd, book lover, and eager taste tester. I’m a night owl with a need to expand my knowledge of other cultures and places to give myself better perspective.