The mental health benefits of talking to strangers

Plus: New brain implants translate thoughts into speech

View this email online August 27, 2023 by Andrea Muraskin This week: How exchanging some pleasantries with the butcher, the baker, or the candlestick maker can improve your mental health. Plus: brain implants, coupled with computer language models could offer a new way to communicate for patients who have lost the ability to speak. And photographers capture hot weather hacks from Colombia to Singapore. Why a stranger's hello can do more than just brighten your day Laura Gao for NPR When I was a kid I was taught “don’t talk to strangers.” Even then, I understood the value of protecting gullible children from adults with nefarious intentions. But as a grown up, I wish that advice had an expiration date. At no point in high school or young adulthood did anyone say “Hey, it’s okay, you can talk to strangers now.”  Chatting up strangers or even just sharing a familiar “hello” doesn’t come naturally to me, but when I do, I almost always feel a little better for it. For example, I often exchange a few words with a neighbor who often hangs out on his front porch and tells me “be careful” when he sees me go out after dark. It makes me feel like someone is looking out for me.  These kinds of repeated interactions add up to what psychologists call “weak ties.” And a growing body of research shows that even the most casual contact with strangers and acquaintances can be beneficial to our mental health. In one study, volunteers were recruited outside of a Starbucks in Vancouver and given gift cards. Participants were assigned to either be as efficient as possible with their order or to be more social with the barista, making eye contact and engaging in chit chat. In surveys they filled out afterwards, volunteers who engaged with the barista said they were in a better mood and had a greater sense of belonging compared to those who maximized efficiency.  In some countries and cultures, that sacrifice of time for interaction carries more social value. In Uganda, for example, it’s considered rude to pass by another person without a greeting. And often those greetings lead to longer conversations, says Kampala resident Agnes Igoye. Igoye says she looks forward to running into a fishmonger in her neighborhood, who gives her updates on his children and shares gardening advice.  "All of [these micro-encounters] seem to affirm our belonging, seem to affirm that we are seen and recognized by others," says psychiatrist Robert Waldinger at Massachusetts General Hospital. Here’s why you should consider talking to strangers more. Plus: Five easy tips for making friends as an adult (I tried the book club idea, and I like it!) Newsletter continues after sponsor message PHOTOS: Global heat hacks, from ventilated floors to ice beans  Amrita Chandradas for NPR With temperatures reaching triple digits Fahrenheit across the Northern Hemisphere this summer, staying cool can jump to the top of the priority list – and is sometimes even a matter of life and death. Fortunately, cooling down can also be fun – like snacking on shaved ice and frozen, sweetened beans in Singapore (pictured above), or lounging in the crisp waters of the Pance river in Colombia.  In dryer climates, locals still use age-old design to stave off heat. In Morocco, clay pots keep water cool without refrigeration because evaporation from the outer surface of the clay removes heat. In a mosque in Kashmir, worshippers lie on limestone tiles atop a ventilated crawl space. And in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, a colorful umbrella is a lady’s best friend when it comes to sun protection.  NPR asked photojournalists from The Everyday Projects to make pictures of heat relief strategies in their countries. You might feel a little cooler just by looking at them. Also: 11 tips on how to stay cool without an A/C, recommended by NPR's readers You Make Public Media Possible Your financial support is the NPR Network's greatest strength. You keep the facts flowing. You bring more stories to more ears. You make a real difference when you contribute to independent, trustworthy media. We're counting on your support to make sure the independent reporting and programs you depend on thrive. It takes all of us. Help today.  Donate Now These experimental brain implants can restore speech to paralyzed patients Steve Fisch/Stanford University Pat Bennett, 68, is unable to speak because ALS disabled the nerve cells controlling her vocal and facial muscles. The brain circuits that activate when a person tries to speak or even thinks about speaking are still active for Bennett, but their signals can’t reach the intended destination.  In a lab at Stanford University, surgeons implanted tiny sensors into Bennett’s brain that carry those signals into a computer. Once on the computer, a language model decodes her thoughts into sentences like “I am thirsty” and “bring my glasses here.”  Another experimental system includes a digital face that appears to speak as the patient remains silent and motionless, just thinking about the words she wants to say. "There is this aspect to it that is, to some degree, restoring identity and personhood,” says Eddie Chang, a neurosurgeon who is working on the second system at UCSF. Learn more. Also: He was diagnosed with ALS. Then they changed the face of medical advocacy   Before you go: Hau Dinh/AP Mental health first aid in the wake of Maui’s wildfires Pfizer's RSV vaccine to protect babies gets greenlight from FDA  1 in 5 women report mistreatment from medical staff during pregnancy A salmonella outbreak in 11 states has been linked to pet turtles We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots. And please don't kiss any turtles.   Andrea Muraskin and your NPR Health editors Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WUFT 89.1 (edit station). What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: shots@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Goats & Soda, Up First, Life Kit and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. 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