Flowers as Anti-Depressants

I went to a fun media event last week sponsored by the Society of American Florists. Intuitively, I’ve alwa ys understood the power of flowers to chase the blues away. Whenever I feel low, I go for a walk to get a lift from the abundance of flowers in the lovely park in my neighborhood. But representatives from the Society introduced me to some research that’s been done by top universities across the country on the happiness-inducing effects of flowers that quantifies their positive impact on the human psyche.

A Harvard research team, for example, investigated the effects of flowers in the home on people’s well being. The goal was to determine the impact of flowers on moods, energy and feelings of competency, using a fine-grained analysis of emotions over the course of a day. They found that flowers feed compassion. Study participants who lived with fresh cut flowers for less than a week felt an increase in feelings of compassion and kindness for others. They also found that flowers reduce anxieties. In general, people in the study felt less negative after being around flowers at home for just a few days.  People who participated in the study usually placed the flowers in their kitchens, dining rooms and living rooms, where they spend a lot of time at home—and they reported wanting to see the blooms first thing in the morning. Finally, the researchers discovered that flowers in the office provide a boost of energy, happiness and enthusiasm at work. The study also found that people were more likely to feel happier and have more enthusiasm and energy at work when flowers were in their home environments, too.

Researchers from Rutgers University, on the other hand, conducted a study on the power of giving flowers to explore what the gifts we choose say about who we are and whether they affect how we are perceived. The research revealed that men and women who send flowers, in comparison to other gifts, are viewed as happy, achieving, strong, capable and courageous people. It also showed that they’re perceived as emotionally intelligent—giving flowers leaves the impression that the givers can effectively express their feelings and take time to understand the feelings of others. In addition, the study showed that females who give flowers are viewed as more appreciative of beauty and nature.

For more detail on these studies or for tips on choosing, ordering and decorating with flowers visit the Society’s web site.