There are lots of things we’ll talk to our mums about.
Problems with the other half, how to cope when you’re a new mum, gossip about that one aunty who drank too much at Christmas.
But new research has revealed that there’s one thing some of struggle to open up about: love.
It turns out the term ‘stiff upper lip’ really is true, as a survey has found that Brits are awful at telling people that they love them.
The study, conducted by flower delivery service Interflora, revealed that a quarter of Brits have never even told their mothers that they love them.
And that’s not all they found.
Nearly a third of Brits have never told their father that they love them, and more than half have never said the three little words to their best friend.
Researchers found that, on average, there are 72 times a year when we feel that we should express our love and appreciation to the people that matter to us but we don’t.
And the reason for our lack of loving sentiments? Well a quarter of those surveyed skip out on saying the four letter word because they feel embarrassed.
That reason was closely followed by people assuming that their loved ones already know how they feel and just over a fifth said that their families ‘don’t talk about that kind of thing’.
However, despite our reluctance to express these feelings, the research found that most of us want to hear it.
Nearly a third of people said that hearing an expression of love from their loved ones would make them feel special and 16 per cent said that in hearing it, they would reciprocate.
‘There are real scientific reasons that explain why expressing our love for others, or hearing others express their love for us, makes us feel so much better,’ said Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist and Psychologist Dr Becky Spelman,
‘When we express or receive love, our bodies secrete the hormones oxytocin and serotonin. This has the overall effect of making us feel happier, more content, and more secure in our relationship.
‘Oxytocin is the same hormone that women produce when they give birth and it plays an important role in helping them to bond with their babies—but it is also important in all our other close and loving relationships too.’
So next time you see your mum, dad or best friend make sure to brighten up their day with those three special words!
