Did you know that their are major health benefits to displaying your families portraits on the walls?

Hanging portraits of those you love and cherish on your walls impacts your mood, your relationships, and even the psychology in your brain? Crazy Right?! Psychologist have proven that having portraits hanging on the walls in your home makes a significant impact on many aspects of our lives.

Raising confidence in your children with portraits

"As children’s self-esteem tends to waver during their pre-teen and teenage years, displaying family photos throughout the home is a great way to build a more solid foundation for their confidence and self-esteem early on. Jaclyn Gulotta, Ph.D., a licensed mental health counselor and owner of Dr. Jaclyn, The Counseling Professional, LLC private practice says, “When children grow up seeing photos of themselves proudly displayed around their home, it says to them, ‘I am a valuable and important member of my family. I matter.’”

Family portraits benefit seniors mental health

"According to Easa, it can have particularly strong positive effects on aging family members’ mental health. Similar to the effects on children’s identity, family photos allow older adults to reflect on their lives, maintain their sense of who they are, and remember how they fit into their family. “For an older family member who has Alzheimer’s or diminishing mental wellness,” Easa says, “seeing family photos could help spark some memories and positive feelings of connection to the family as well as memories and behaviors.”

Portraits are great coping mechanisms for stress

"Photos can also help people of all ages manage their stress. According to Dr. Gulotta, with family stressors, photos can trigger a positive reaction during challenging times for both adults and children. For example, if you find yourself having a bad day or need a break, you can look at your favorite photos and use that time to be mindful. “That can be a valuable time to reflect on how you’re feeling in the moment and replace negative thought patterns,” Dr. Gulotta says. “You can also use photos to improve your mood when conflict occurs in different areas of your life.”

Moreover, Easa says that it can be helpful to look at family photos when you are experiencing a wide array of emotions. “Walking past a room and seeing a good memory when an argument arises can help adults calm down and think before they react,” Easa says. In addition, when a family is moving, children can often be very sentimental. Easa recommends bringing items such as family photos that can help children feel more secure and stable as they adjust to their new environment. Another example Easa mentions is photos dissolving conflict within a couple: “If a couple is in a fight, looking at a past memory can refresh their brains with a rush of dopamine and help them remember that it wasn’t always like this—there were times that were positive and happy.”

Psychology proves how important wall art is

"Children whose parents display family photographs in the home grow up with greater confidence and sense of belonging, it has been revealed. Photography in the home reportedly makes children feel valued and gives them a rich understanding of where they come from.

Research conducted by Venture New Generation Portraits found that the number of photographs parents display of their children is heavily influenced by how many photos of themselves they remember in their homes when growing up.

A survey, questioning 1,000 parents, found that the UK is a nation obsessed with keeping loved ones close, with 78 percent of us keeping between one and fifteen pictures of our family around the home. However, those who have grown up without photos in the home are less likely to go on to display any of their own children presently, which could in fact be damaging their children's image of self as they mature.

Professor Geoff Beattie, Head of School and Dean of Psychological Sciences at the University of Manchester: 'We cannot underestimate the power of photographs to keep us feeling linked to others and belonging. They cement us into our networks.

'For children in particular, looking at photographs is part of the socialising process; learning who you are and where you fit into the family. By displaying photographs of our children at different stages of their lives, we are making a very public statement that we are proud of them.'

The majority had a favorite photo and of those, 58 percent said it was taken with family, a partner or another loved one, and 45 percent said it reminded them of a happy time.

Professor Beattie adds: 'It's very significant that the two reasons people give for loving a particular photograph is that it reminds them of a happy time taken with family. These things are so important to us.'

Richard Mayfield, Director of Photography of Venture New Generation Portraits, adds: 'Our research shows how important it is to find the time to capture the real essence of a family. In today's time-pressured world it is becoming increasingly difficult to spend good quality family time, however when we look at photographs, we remember how we felt when that picture was taken.

The survey found that 38 percent of those who grew up with no photos in the house now don't display family photographs in their own homes.

Professor Beattie said: 'When children grow up surrounded by photographs, it gives them a richer understanding of where they come from, which helps with confidence.

'Until recently, people often thought of photographs as almost trivial, but actually they are an incredibly important way of connecting with our sense of self, with each other and with times gone by.'

Previous research has also found that 71 percent of parents thought that having pictures displayed around the home boosts a child's self-image and self-esteem, with 90 percent stating that they believe children to be more aware of their own image than 10 years ago."

As research has proved, photography plays a key roll in our lives and is important in many aspects of our health. A moment passes by so quickly, you will never regret taking the time to schedule professional family portraits.

Referencing Articles: Daily Mail Reporter & Fracture Blog