Giving To Charity As A Gift

G ifts are not limited to certain things that can classify it as a gift. A gift can be broad and can be in any form. As long as the notion still aligns with the notions of gift-giving then there are no limitations of what can be considered a gift. A concept that can be considered a form of gift-giving is charity. Charity is an act that is commonly seen by altruistic individuals who donate a notable amount of money to organizations. Charity can also be known as a form of gift-giving because the concept of gift-giving as well as charity starts from the intention of generosity. Charity and gift-giving share similar foundations, effects, and notions. Engaging in giving to charity as a gift has psychological and physiological benefits that can also help individuals change their brains for the better. The foundation of both charity and gift-giving is generosity. The act of both stems from wanting to be generous to another individual. A lot of times it is assumed that gift-giving is only limited to close friends, family, or acquaintances, however, considering charity donations as gifts broadens that scope. Charity usually deals with organizations that are beyond our inner circle. Gift-giving can be for anyone and charity allows for that to take place. As gifts are given to loved ones to express gratitude and generosity as well as strengthen bonds, charity shares that same notion. Although the intention of those who give gifts and charity may vary, the majority of the time charity is given to express gratitude for what one may possess and that helping others is a great way to share that. As gifts are to strengthen bonds, charity is to strengthen the bonds of the community and those who would appreciate the help.

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Those who participate in donating to charity like to reframe the word donation to gift to better describe that the act is coming from a place of generosity. According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, it was observed that when an individual partakes in any form of human altruism such as charity, the reward system in the brain increases. The act of giving charity not only benefits the organization, but also benefits the person who is donating. This concept is also seen in gift-giving where when individuals give gifts, it is also benefiting the giver, as well as making the recipient of the gift happy as well. As mentioned before, charity holds the same values where it is an organization that is set up to those who could voluntarily offer help. The help is where it can be considered as a gift due to the same foundations that are being demonstrated. Participating in giving to charity as a gift is able to change the brain. Charity as a form of gift-giving is an act of giving. The act of giving is a significant foundation of gift-giving and in this case, charity. The act of giving is what is able to change the brain. Recent research has revealed that giving to others produces numerous psychological and physiological benefits to the brain. As for the psychological benefits, research has shown that the act of giving activates regions of the brain that are associated with pleasure, and connection with other people, as well as trust. When the brain experiences pleasure and positive emotions and feelings when doing such things as charity donations as gifts, it leads us to keep participating in that activity due to the positive emotions and feelings that are being experienced.

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In society, it tends to be well-known philanthropists that participate in sizable amounts of donations to charities and most times, the amount increases with every donation. The reason for this is due to what is mentioned previously, as the brain is activated in the regions that release pleasure. The phenomenon that is associated with this is known to be the “helper’s high”. The helper’s high is a concept that has been observed by scientists that agree that giving releases feel-good neurochemicals like oxytocin and endorphins that give individuals this profound high of wanting to keep engaging in the activity. When neurochemicals are released and experienced in that context, it leads to a great deal of benefits. A physiological benefit of the act of giving to charity as a gift is it may alleviate depression and boost your overall mood. Research suggests that giving, in this case charity, allows individuals to shift the focus from self to others in need. The notions of giving to charity as a gift are beneficial and engaging in such can have long-lasting effects that can help the givers mental health. The giver, a person who engages in charity, is not the only one that benefits from this form of gift-giving. The recipient of the gift also experiences feel-good feelings as does the giver. Research has shown that Individuals who receive the gift experience high levels of oxytocin and dopamine. Those who are receiving the gift are also experiencing the brain released neurochemicals to also lead them to experiencing pleasure. That is the notion of gift-giving, when the giver and the recipient are able to experience feel-good emotions in regard to the act of charity donations as gifts.

In conclusion, giving to charity as a gift is beneficial to both parties. The foundation, effects, and notions that are shared between charity and gift-giving are able to demonstrate that there is no limitation to what a gift can be and who it can be for. Giving to charity is considered a form of gift-giving because essentially a gift is being given to someone with the intention of generosity. The effects that are observed when giving to charity are similar to the experience when giving a gift to someone we want to express gratitude, appreciation and love to. Giving to charity as a gift gives psychological and physiological benefits to the giver of the gift, as well as the recipient. Engaging in charity donations as gifts makes an impact for oneself and others.

Naseea Harun
Psychology Blogger,
The Shared Secrets Lab,
GiftAFeeling Inc.

Read The Official Research Paper On - Giving To Charity As A Gift