Do we need it?

So I'm curious to see what people have to say about this.

Do we NEED Psysical contact with other people?

Is this something as people that we need for any kind of well being be it physical mental or even spiritual or is it something that we are trained to need as children? Not only is it a necessity that we have or don't have it but what kinds of contact do we need over another? I mean a hug and a punch are two totaly seperate forms of physical contact and cause two different stimulations but they aren't always as appears, you could hug someone and not really mean anything of it like when greeting someone you havent seen in a long time BUT you could also punch someone in the arm as a form of celebration. There is also the obvious of a hug and a punch, ones affection and ones violents not to narrow anything down to only being one of the two I'm just using this becasue its whats coming to mind as I type...

So question of the day kiddies... As a "social" mamal animal is pysical contact really all that necessary or can we funcion logically and mentally upright with out it, or at the minimum with a restricted amount of it?

This has always been an interesting concept to me. I do think we need it at least every day. I understand that some people need social outlets more than maybe the introvert next to them, but it is something I've come to realize that I highly need in my life. I've noticed that I have home-body tendencies, but if I spend too much time on my own without a good social outlet I start to get really sad & down about myself. I need physical & emotional contact with people in order to maintain a healthy emotional level. I am not an outwardly clingy person, nor do I try to bring attention unto myself (talking loudly, acting out, etc) but I do enjoy positive attention such as a compliment or a smile. I don't feel the need to have to go out with people every day/night or have to have people spend every night with me, but I do feel better when I can spend a night with good friends talking, going out to dinner, etc. I enjoy hugs & holding hands with the bf so for me, I do need that physical contact & feel better when I can be close to others.

I think it is too ingrained into us as part of our species (a throw back to our evolutionary history) that it would make us ill if we went without it. Touch is about as essential to our well being as breathing is, but we can temporarily substitute contact between humans with other animals (i.e pets).

I was watching a documentary about an "island" made for chimps that pet owners no longer want, and after a long transport in separation, two chimps immediately grabbed each other in an embrace once they arrived at the holding area.

WrappedinReflection wrote:

This has always been an interesting concept to me. I do think we need it at least every day. I understand that some people need social outlets more than maybe the introvert next to them, but it is something I've come to realize that I highly need in my life. I've noticed that I have home-body tendencies, but if I spend too much time on my own without a good social outlet I start to get really sad & down about myself. I need physical & emotional contact with people in order to maintain a healthy emotional level. I am not an outwardly clingy person, nor do I try to bring attention unto myself (talking loudly, acting out, etc) but I do enjoy positive attention such as a compliment or a smile. I don't feel the need to have to go out with people every day/night or have to have people spend every night with me, but I do feel better when I can spend a night with good friends talking, going out to dinner, etc. I enjoy hugs & holding hands with the bf so for me, I do need that physical contact & feel better when I can be close to others.

I couldnt agree more.

I love hugging my friends and I always kiss my best friend on the lips when we meet and when we part. It's just something I do.

I also dont believe that you can beat the feeling of bare skin on bare skin

You do need physical contact, their have been numerous studies on the subject. One could survive without, but they usually make conscious and sub-conscious adjustments and compensations for any lack thereof.

I hate these studies because of pictures like this:

where a soon-to-die baby monkey clings to its "surrogate mother." The controversial study showed that even when otherwise taken care of baby monkeys suffered.

Though I know humans are not monkeys, we do share an innate need to feel touch and affection.

On a personal level, I've been bummed ever since I moved back to Austin. It's basically my childhood home as well as being one of the coolest cities on earth, but I have yet to establish a friend circle here so I feel kinda sad and rudderless. As an extreme extrovert, without social contact (beyond phone and computer) I feel lonely.

I need it. Don't care what anyone says
The feeling of being held by Michael makes my day. When I spend a whole day at home doing nothing, I'm lost. I don't know what to do with myself.

What I'll say on the topic is I assume negitive to no contact brings out a negetive reaction such as depression, I also assume the opposite is true as well...

I know I need physical contact. A hug or someone rubbing my shoulders makes me feel better. Nothing can replace the feeling of being kissed, hugged, or cuddling with my significant other. Since I don't have a lot of physical contact out here with people I care about, my next alternative is to call them often.

You know, I even prefer the negative side of human contact. People being snarky online irk me. I wish we could just argue or, if it came to it, fight it out face to face.

^^ I agree with you, Emma, about snarky people online. Everyone seems to hate it, and yet it keeps happening... And that's the interesting thing: most of those people would not be able to hold their ground, or even speak up at all, in a face-to-face confrontation.

Do we need physical contact? I'd say yes. I'd say we need it for our own development, and definitely if we're going to live among others. It keeps us from being self-destructive or destructive toward others, I think -- physical contact probably helps us develop empathy.

That's nothing against online contact. I just think I'd be inclined to commit suicide if I couldn't have physical contact of any kind. Life would be too miserable without even a hand to hold.