What’s in a hug?

What’s in a hug?
Sometimes, everything, says

Malini Chib–Alur


Laughter relaxes people and has been recommended by well – known doctors. It is supposed to be the best medicine. It lowers blood pressure and helps prevent heart attacks. Hugs and laughter are essential for everyday living.

Hugs are important for nurturing relationships.

Hugging is a form of relaxing and it gives you a sense of appreciation, and makes you feel needed. And yet how many of us indulge in these two activities.

What then is the rationale for hugging?

A hug feels good, dispels loneliness, helps to maintain a sense of well – being, ceases tension and offers a healthy alternative to drugs and alcohol. A hug is democratic – anyone is eligible for it. A simple hug breaks down a cultural and emotional barrier. The act can happen anywhere. It is not geographically bound to any one place.

The four basic emotions that stimulate a hug are joy, affection, sympathy and caring.

There are several different types of hugs. A bear hug, Or the “It’s great to see you” hug. Or the prolonged hug which conveys that you really care deep down. Or a “Swirling” hug, when someone picks up another person and swirls them a round the room. It can be heartwarming and rejuvenating. Or a “Squash” hug is a hug between three good friends or a couple who wishes to comfort a friend. The “Squeeze” hug holds the record for brevity. One hugger runs up to a person and gives him a fast squeeze and the runs off. Squeeze hugging is a practical way to work in a lot of fast hugging when one has a tight schedule … ideal for effective stress management! A silent translation of a squeeze hug is: “I like you a lot, but I am in a terrible hurry!”

But we only hug our loved ones on special occasions, like birthdays weddings, festivals and funerals. Why?

The US Professor, author and lecturer of Love Leo Buscaglia, begins his class by a group hug! He says: “I think the loving person must return to spontaneity – return to touching each other, holding each other, to smiling at each other. To thinking of each other, to caring about each other. Hugs are good they feel nice and if you don’t believe it tri it and try and learn from children”.

Children are more adaptable to situations unlike grown – ups who tend to keep things to themselves. Children laugh because they feel good. My one – and – a – half – year – old nephew Ishan, mimicking his grandmother eating without any teeth, was hilarious, he kept pointing to her and then he put his tiny hand on his mouth and laughed and laughed. The whole family started laughing with him!

In the disabled world, I find the visually impaired people are extremely physically expressive. I went with my voice synthesizer 9a small and portable machine that speaks and the words come on the screen) to a party in a pub in London with a friend. We got talking to a couple of fellows who were extremely warm and affectionate to us. They had difficulty with the voice synthesizer as there was loud music but that didn’t matter as they were constantly putting their arms around me. My bad speech did not depress me because they were being tactile and very warm. The evening taught me hat verbal communication is not the only form of communication.

It made me think that why can’t we give more of ourselves? Why does society prohibit physical contact between people? Why are touching and hugging non considered acceptable behaviour in society?

Why can’t we do it everyday to our near and dear ones? We take people we live with for granted. At least we can try and get up in the morning and give up in the morning and give a hug to our family in the morning and when we go to sleep.

It will not cost anything buy only make them realise you care. As they say, it is never too late to begin, so why not start now by giving your family a hug right now just because you care.