Why We All Need to Practice Emotional First Aid

Guy winch, Ph.D., November 2014

We'll go to the doctor when we feel flu-ish or a nagging pain. So why don’t we see a health professional when we feel emotional pain: guilt, loss, loneliness?

Chronic loneliness, for example, increases the likelihood of an early death (by 14%), causes high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and suppresses immune system functioning. Many of us struggle with common psychological-health issues on our own, says Guy Winch. But we don’t have to. Listen to Winch's compelling case to practice emotional hygiene — taking care of our emotions, our minds, with the same diligence we take care of our bodies.

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxLinnaeusUniversity, an independent event.