Tactile hunger is the body's need for touch. It most often occurs in young children.
Children problem
Lack of physical contact can delay the psychological development of an infant. With the help of touch, the child learns the world. It is also important for him to touch the hands of other people, especially his mother. Through touch, a special bond is established between mother and child. Sometimes the cry of a baby does not mean the need for food, sleep and the need to change a diaper.
With the help of a cry, the baby can tell you "I want to handle" to satisfy his tactile hunger. A child deprived of maternal affection may be prone to aggression, nervousness, depression. Therefore, the newborn should be surrounded by warmth and affection.
Kinesthetics
Lack of bodily communication most often occurs in children from dysfunctional families or children who are bottle fed. But there are those who feel the need for touch many times more than others. These children are called kinesthetics. That is, they absorb information better through the touch of their hands than through sight or hearing.
Signs your child is kinesthetic:
- The baby is hyperactive. It is difficult for him to sit in one place, he is constantly jumping, running or spinning. Classes where he needs to concentrate are hard for him.
- All objects that are within reach, the child needs to touch and try on the tooth. This sign should be checked when he is not teething.
- When a child sees a new toy for the first time, the child shakes, hits or throws it. He may not even look at her, but study with his hands.
- He likes to press buttons, switches, play with adult instruments.
If all of the above describes your child's behavior, then most likely he is a kinesthetic.
Recommendations
Raising children is not an easy task, and raising a baby with tactile hunger makes parenting much more difficult. Here are some tips to make your daily life easier:
- as long as the baby is small, you can wear it in a sling;
- sleeping together will make up for your baby's lack of touch;
- accompany any action of your child with touches, if you praise, then pat him on the head, calm him down - hug him, etc.
A child who does not experience tactile hunger becomes more calm and self-confident in adulthood.
Lack of tactile sensations
The touch of hands can tell us a lot about a person. With the help of touch, we can determine our attitude towards him on a subconscious level. And more often than not, what our intuition told us turns out to be true.
At a more mature age, tactile hunger can also manifest itself. Because we all try not to violate the personal space of others. And we ourselves are not happy that someone invades our comfort zone.
You can satisfy the tactile hunger in adults with the help of couple dances, group sports, sex, etc. But few people practice ballroom dancing or bobsledding. Therefore, there is another way to satisfy such a hunger - hugs. In moments of loneliness, our inner child begins to whimper: “I want to be held!” In these moments, hugs play a very important role in our lives. With their help, we feel warmth, security and emotional closeness with our loved ones.
Haptic contact: benefits
Psychologists advise hugging at least eight times a day. Human tactile contact:
- immunity improves;
- stimulates the central nervous system;
- the level of hemoglobin in the blood increases;
- Produces oxytocin, a mood-boosting hormone.
Hugging also improves the well-being of people with autism, as well as those who suffer from increased anxiety.
Hugs
Strong hugs are a great weapon to deal with nervous tension. Every day a person gets into stressful situations. Problems at work, in personal life, or the phone simply ran out of power at the wrong time. All this takes a toll on our he alth.
Sedatives are simply swept off the pharmacy shelves. But why, if pills can be replaced with strong hugs? FROMpsychological training is gaining popularity every day. Thanks to them, hugs are returning to our daily lives.
Satisfying tactile hunger in other ways
It also happens that a person simply has no one to exchange warm touches with, no matter how sad it may sound. Then there are other ways to combat tactile hunger:
- Contrast shower. Of course, it will not replace human warmth, but it will help you feel better.
- Self-massage. This way you can feel your body better.
- Massage from a specialist. Eliminate the shortage of hand touches for a nominal fee.
- Get a pet. Pets are also able to give a feeling of warmth and tenderness. Also, the presence of a pet in your apartment will forever relieve loneliness.
By the way, people who regularly visit a massage therapist note a surge of strength, a feeling of lightness and a good emotional mood. The type of massage does not matter. It can be deep, with the study of all muscles or the usual stroking.
But the most effective advice for adults suffering from tactile hunger is to find a mate. Find someone emotionally close to you. The one with whom you can hug those cherished eight times a day. Exchange with each other tenderness, warmth and affection. And you will see positive dynamics in your daily life.
