Volunteering for Your Mind – How Giving Back Can Improve Your Mental Health

Volunteering for Your Mind 

How Giving Back Can Improve Your Mental Health

When life feels overwhelming, it may seem counterintuitive to give your time and energy to others. But science tells a different story: helping others can actually help you heal.

Giving back may be exactly what you need. Volunteering isn’t just a “feel-good” activity for the soul. It’s a scientifically-backed mental health boost. In communities like Toms River and Ocean County, where support networks and local initiatives are quickly growing, giving back might be one of the best self-care tools available.

Let’s explore how volunteering can help your mental health, backed by real research and practical advice.

The Science of Giving: Why Helping Others Helps You Too

You’ve probably heard of the “helper’s high”– that warm feeling after doing something kind. It turns out it’s more than a feeling, it’s a neurological response. When we help others, our brains release dopamine and endorphins (feel-good chemicals linked to pleasure and connection).

A 2020 study published in the Journal of Happiness Studies found that just two hours of volunteering per week was enough to reduce symptoms of depression and improve one’s sense of purpose (Son and Wilson). Another review in BMC Public Health examined over 40 studies and found consistent links between volunteering and lower rates of depression, anxiety, and stress, along with higher life satisfaction (Jenkinson et al.). Volunteering actually changes your brain and body for the better.

Why Volunteering Supports Your Mental Wellness

1. You Build Connection

We’re wired for human connection, but modern life often leaves us isolated, especially with recent technology advances. According to the U.S. Surgeon General, loneliness is now considered a public health crisis. Volunteering connects you with people. This connection includes real conversations, with shared goals, and common values. All of which reduce feelings of isolation and protect against mental illness (Murthy).

2. You Feel Useful and Confident

Volunteering taps into your strengths. Whether you’re helping run an event or just showing up with a smile, your actions matter. This boost in self-efficacy and confidence can build long-term resilience and self-worth, especially for those struggling with low self-esteem (Piliavin and Siegl).

3. You Relieve Stress

Feeling overwhelmed? Studies show that people who volunteer report lower levels of stress-related inflammation. This is a physical response linked to chronic stress and mental health issues (Psychosomatic Medicine). By focusing on someone else’s needs, you shift attention away from your own anxious thoughts and into the present moment.

4. You Cultivate Gratitude

Helping others can change your perspective. You see different life experiences. You gain appreciation. And research shows that gratitude itself is strongly associated with improved mood and reduced depression (Emmons and McCullough). Volunteering helps you get there naturally.

Easy Ways to Start Volunteering in Toms River, New Jersey

You don’t need to jump into a full-time commitment. Even a small act can create a ripple effect. Here are a few local and virtual ways to get started:

• Join a beach cleanup in Seaside Heights or Island Beach State Park. 
• Volunteer at the Ocean County Library or Toms River’s community garden projects. 
• Offer free virtual tutoring through local Toms River high schools or afterschool programs. 
• Write letters to seniors in local nursing homes. 
• Support Therapeutic Self Care’s goals by getting involved in mental health awareness events. 

Whether it’s 15 minutes or 2 hours a week, giving your time is a gift to others and to yourself.

Final Thoughts: Volunteering Is Self-Care

At Therapeutic Self Care, we often talk about building routines that nurture the mind and body. While bubble baths, journaling, and other healthy activities are all valuable, there’s another side of self-care that often gets overlooked: community care.

Volunteering reminds us that we’re not alone. It pulls us out of our heads and into connection with others and with ourselves. Here in Toms River and all over Ocean County, where community efforts are growing and local organizations are eager for help, volunteering can be a powerful way to heal—and to grow.

Volunteering is a meaningful, research-backed tool for improving your mental health. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, loneliness, or a lack of purpose, taking even one small action to help someone else can shift your perspective, and ultimately boost your well-being.

If you’re not sure where to begin or if your mental health needs deeper support, Therapeutic Self Care in Toms River and Galloway is here for you. We can help you find balance, rebuild connection, and discover the power of giving… starting with yourself. We want to help you.

Works Cited (MLA Format):

Emmons, Robert A., and Michael E. McCullough. The Psychology of Gratitude. Oxford University Press, 2004.

Jenkinson, C. E., et al. “Is Volunteering a Public Health Intervention? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Health and Survival of Volunteers.” BMC Public Health, vol. 13, no. 1, 2013, pp. 773.

Murthy, Vivek H. “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation.” U.S. Surgeon General Advisory, 2023, http://www.hhs.gov/surgeongeneral/priorities/loneliness.

Piliavin, Jane Allyn, and Elain Siegl. “Health Benefits of Volunteering in the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study.” Journal of Health and Social Behavior, vol. 48, no. 4, 2007, pp. 450–464.

Son, Jieun, and John Wilson. “Volunteer Work and Hedonic, Eudemonic, and Social Well-Being.” Journal of Happiness Studies, vol. 21, no. 3, 2020, pp. 1065–1089.