Professional cuddling services are experiencing a surge of clientele since Donald Trump was elected president. People struggling to cope with Trump’s presidency have found a simple touch to be surprisingly soothing.
Participants in professional cuddling either sign up for a one-on-one session or attend workshops with groups with a shared interests. They’re looking for a release of the stress-relieving hormone, oxytocin. Human contact in the right context can produce this chemical in the brain, sometimes after just seconds, BBC reports.
According to Rolling Stone, the reasons for a cuddling session vary depending on the client: average adults looking for human contact, individuals on the austism spectrum, sexual trauma victims or adults with sexual dysfunction.
With Trump in the White House, more clients are seeking these services. Professional cuddlers say there’s been an uptick since the holidays and it’s been increasing since then, Rolling Stone reports. A company in Portland has 186 new clients and 3 new employees since January.
One professional cuddler says many of her clientele feel triggered by Trump’s behavior, which they view as manipulative or his history of sexual abuse. Some are simply stressed by the political unreast and general feeling of unease, Rolling Stone reports.
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