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For the very first time researchers have proved that cuddling with soft toys like teddy can have a healing effects and ultimately they also relieve existential angst.

People with low self esteem often view their lives a worthless and end up being upset by their own existential thoughts. They can treat themselves by touching even inanimate objects like a teddy, according to a series of study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science.

A hypothesis regarding the people with low self esteem is that they often deal with the fact that they are going to die someday. Comparatively they search for the meaning of their own life more than the rest of the mass.

“Even fleeting and seemingly trivial instances of interpersonal touch may help people to deal more effectively with existential concern,” explained psychological scientist and lead researcher Sander Koole, according to Daily Mail.

“This is important because we all have to deal with existential concerns and we all have times at which we struggle to find meaning in life.”

People with low self-esteem were subjected to a brief touch, after which they reported less concerned about their deaths.

“Our findings show that even touching an inanimate object — such as a teddy bear — can soothe existential fears," added Koole according to Daily Mail. ”Interpersonal touch is such a powerful mechanism that even objects that simulate touch by another person may help to instill in people a sense of existential significance."

The researchers are also working on a “haptic jacket”. The special kind of jacket will give wearers a feeling of being hugged.