Why sitting around a campfire might be the therapy session you didn't know you needed

Fox News

3 days ago

Lighting a campfire and watching as the flames grow and flicker can feel therapeutic — for good reason.
Between the light, heat and crackling sound, sitting around a campfire can be a relaxing experience — and experts agree that it can even benefit your mental health.
Research published in the journal Evolutionary Psychology has noted "significant reductions" in blood pressure associated with exposure to a crackling fire.
Campfires or firepits can also improve social interactions, researchers noted.
M. David Rudd, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of the Rudd Institute for Veteran and Military Suicide Prevention at the University of Memphis, agreed that the natural setting of campfires is "likely effective" for soothing the mind and engaging with others.
People sitting around a fire are "digitally disconnected" and isolated from technology distractions and the demands of daily life, the expert noted.
"The context is disarming and socially engaged by its very nature, generating implicit expectations of engagement and interaction," Rudd told Fox News Digital in an interview.
"We all have memories of being around a campfire and hearing stories — or at least we've heard stories about what it means to be around a campfire."
These expectations foster a "supportive, non-threatening environment where people don't feel judged or pressured to engage," Rudd said.
Campfires may encourage those who are "hesitant, anxious or unwilling to engage elsewhere" to connect with others and share personal experiences, he added.
Jessica Cail, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at Pepperdine University in California, pointed out the association of fire with relaxation, comparing fires to a "social hub where people come together for warmth, light, food and protection."
Many holiday celebrations tend to involve fire, and some homes have fireplaces geared toward gathering and connecting, Cail noted in a separate interview with Fox News Digital.
"Being in nature involves more of a soft focus … giving our brains a chance to rest and restore."
"Given these positive associations, it should not be a surprise that these feelings of relaxation and safety can help facilitate social communication and counteract negative feelings, whether they're explicitly shared or not," she added.
Fire is also associated with ritual and transition, such as the use of advent candles or the therapeutic practice of writing regretful or traumatic thoughts down on paper, throwing them into a fire and watching them burn, Cail noted.
Nature is restorative, helping to counteract modern life's numerous demands and the need to stay hyper-focused on specific tasks, the expert added.
"This is fatiguing for our brains," Cail said.
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"Being in nature involves more of a soft focus (the sight of trees, the smell of grass, the sound of birds), giving our brains a chance to rest and restore."
"This break from ruminating on stress may be why so many researchers have found 'doses of nature' to be effective in reducing both depression and anxiety."
Campfires are often associated with leisure in nature, which is an important component of mental health, especially for those with mental illnesses, according to Cail.
The expert emphasized that changing your environment can also "change your mind."
"Unless your trauma took place in nature or around a fire, a change in environment like camping can break you out of that associative headspace, giving you a fresh outlook," she added.