How Pets Help Mental Health

Human-animal relationships are extremely strong. And there's no denying the link between pets and mental wellness. According to a Harris study from 2015, 95% of pet owners consider their animal to be a family member. That is true regardless of our age. Pets provide delight to children, teenagers, adults, and elders alike. As a result, pets and mental health are inextricably linked.

 

 

Furthermore, evidence supports the mental health advantages of dogs. Many scientific research have demonstrated the mental health advantages of keeping a dog or cat. Animals aid in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and stress. They also give company and alleviate loneliness. Pets also provide us joy.

 

Pets and Mental Health: Early Research

Thirty years ago, the first study on dogs and mental health was published. The research was carried out by Purdue University psychologist Alan Beck and University of Pennsylvania psychiatrist Aaron Katcher. As a result, they examined what occurs to a person's body when they pet a friendly dog. This is what they discovered:

 

   Blood pressure dropped.

-          The heart rate dropped.

-          Breathing became more consistent.

-          Muscle tightness has dissipated.

 

These are all symptoms of lower stress levels. As a result, the researchers revealed concrete proof of pets' mental health advantages.

 

Animal-Assisted Therapy's Impact

 

Since then, researchers have learned a lot more about the link between pets and mental health. As a result, animal-assisted therapy programs have become a crucial component of mental health treatment. Individuals who own mental health animals, such as an emotional support dog, also benefit.

 

Equine therapy has been used in teen mental health programs since the 1990s. Equine Assisted Therapy uses horses to help people with mental illnesses. The human-horse bond helps teenagers to talk about their feelings and problems. They do this through a profound, direct nonverbal communication experience.

 

We may, nevertheless, benefit from pet therapy every day in our own homes. Here are ten ways that dogs may help with mental health.

 

Mental Health Resources at Newport Academy: Pets and Mental Health

 

 

 

Interacting with animals reduces stress hormones.

Petting and playing with animals decreases stress-related chemicals, according to studies on pets and mental health. These advantages can be realized after just five minutes of pet interaction. As a result, dogs are extremely beneficial to anxiety sufferers.

 

Playing with a dog or cat increases our serotonin and dopamine levels. These hormones help to relax and soothe the nervous system. We may assist trigger the release of these "happy hormones" by smiling and laughing at our dogs' charming behavior.

 

 Pets and Mental Health: Stress Reduction

Interacting with a nice dog also lowers cortisol levels, a stress hormone. It also promotes the production of oxytocin, a hormone in the body that naturally relieves stress. That is why animal-assisted therapy is so beneficial.

Furthermore, caressing a pet decreases blood pressure due to the sensory experience. As a result, it lowers stress. Dogs have been demonstrated in tests to help calm hyperactive or angry youngsters.

A group of stressed-out individuals was instructed to pet a rabbit, a turtle, or a toy in one research. The toy had no reaction when touched. Stroking the rabbit or turtle, on the other hand, reduced uneasiness. Furthermore, even those who were not very fond of animals reaped the benefits.

 

 

 

Mental Health Resources at Newport Academy: Pets and Mental Health

 

Childhood Anxiety is Reduced by Pets

According to a research by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, having a companion dog can help youngsters cope with anxiety.

The research included a total of 643 youngsters. A bit more than half of them had dogs as pets. The children's BMI (body mass index), anxiety levels, screen time, and physical activity were all measured by the researchers.

 

 

As a consequence, they discovered that the children's BMIs, screen time, and physical activity were all comparable. This was true whether they had pets or not. Their anxiety levels, however, were different. In fact, a screening test for anxiety found that 21% of youngsters who did not have a pet dog were positive. Only 12% of youngsters with dogs, on the other hand, scored positive for anxiety.

 

 

As a result, dogs have a demonstrable positive impact on childhood stress and anxiety. As a result, children who grow up with pets are more likely to grow up to be happy and healthy teenagers.

 

Our pets make us feel important.

 

When you have a pet to care for, you feel more needed and loved. Caring for others brings mental health advantages. Caring for another living being provides us a feeling of meaning and purpose.

This is true even when the pets don't engage with their carers too much. Elderly persons were given five bugs in a cage in a 2016 research on pets and mental health. Over the course of eight weeks, researchers tracked their emotions. Furthermore, they compared them to a careless control group.

 

As a consequence, after eight weeks, the subjects who were fed crickets were less sad than the control group. As a result, the researchers came to the conclusion that caring for a live creature provided mental health advantages.

 

 

As a result, doing good for others lessens melancholy and loneliness.

 

Mental Health Resources at Newport Academy: Pets and Mental Health

 

 

Pets Improve Our Self-Esteem and Mental Health

 

Three trials on the advantages of pet ownership were recently done by psychologists at Miami University and Saint Louis University. The findings were then published by the American Psychological Association.

 

The research revealed that pet owners were happier in a variety of ways, including the following:

 

·         Improved self-esteem

·         Physically fitter

·         Less isolation

·         Less preoccupied and more conscientious

·         Extroverted personality

·         Less apprehensive.

 

 

217 persons participated in the first research, which included questions about their health, personality type, and attachment style. Pet owners were also happier, healthier, and more balanced than non-owners.

A second study included 56 dog owners. Researchers looked at how pet owners felt about their animals. They also kept track of their happiness. Dogs boosted people's sentiments of belonging, self-esteem, and significance, according to one group. As a result, these people were happier overall than the other participants.

 

The third research included 97 undergraduates with an average age of 19 years old. As a consequence, researchers discovered that having a pet can help teenagers cope with rejection.

 

The teenagers were asked to describe a period when they felt excluded. They were then given the option of writing about their favorite pet, writing about a beloved buddy, or drawing a map of their school. In terms of overcoming feelings of rejection, writing about pets was exactly as beneficial as writing about a buddy.

 

 

 

Cats and dogs are excellent examples of being present.

 

Pets exist in the present. In other words, they are unconcerned with what happened the day before. Furthermore, they are unconcerned about what may occur tomorrow.

 

As a consequence, pets may be able to assist people in being more conscious. The psychological practice of bringing one's attention to the current moment is known as mindfulness. As a result, dogs can assist teenagers in enjoying and appreciating the current moment.

 

In addition, dogs might help youngsters forget about their problems. Spending time with a pet also helps teenagers recall how to be carefree and playful.

 

Mental Health Resources at Newport Academy: Pets and Mental Health

 

 

 

Pets Aid in Mental Illness Recovery

Pets are incredibly beneficial to persons healing from serious mental illnesses. A recent meta-analysis examined 17 scholarly publications from nine different medical databases. As a consequence, scientists discovered evidence that having a pet can help persons with mental illnesses.

 

The studies looked at how pets including cats, dogs, hamsters, finches, and even goldfish influenced the mental health of patients with mental illnesses. Overall, the study discovered that dogs assisted individuals in managing their emotions. Furthermore, it diverted their attention away from the signs and symptoms of their mental illness.

 

For example, 54 people took part in a 2016 research at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom. They'd all been diagnosed with serious mental diseases including depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

 

As a consequence, 60% of those polled included a pet in their most significant circle of supporting relationships. Furthermore, about half of the participants stated that dogs assisted them in managing their sickness and daily life. Having pets offered them a great feeling of self-worth, significance, and identity. Furthermore, dogs served as a distraction from symptoms such as hearing voices, suicidal thoughts, and rumination.

 

Furthermore, taking care of a pet gives owners a sense of control. It also provided them with a feeling of security and routine.

 

"I was suicidal when I was sad," one person admitted. What got me to stop was the thought of what the bunnies might do. That was the first thing that sprang to mind... I'm unable to go due of the rabbits.

 

Dr. Helen Brooks, the study's principal author, stated, "Pets gave a unique sort of validation via unconditional support, which people were frequently not receiving from other familial or social interactions." Dr. Brooks and her colleagues came to the conclusion that having a pet can help with mental health. As a result, it should be included in patients' specific treatment programs.

 

 

 

Pets assist us in developing healthy habits.

 

Pets must be cared for on a daily basis. As a consequence, they assist us in developing healthy routines and behaviors.

Physical exercise is required for dog owners to routinely take their canines for walks, runs, and hikes. As a result, the owners reap the advantages of exercise. Dog owners are considerably more likely to achieve the necessary daily activity needs, according to studies.

We go outside by walking our dogs or riding our horses. As a result, we benefit from the numerous mental health advantages of being outside.

 

 

 

Getting up in the morning: Dogs and cats require consistent feeding. As a result, pet owners must wake up and care for their animals, regardless of their mood. As a result, dogs motivate individuals to wake up and start their day.

 

Self-care is aided by pet ownership: caring for a dog, horse, or cat reminds us to look for ourselves. Teens who groom horses in Equine Assisted Therapy, for example, recall the value of looking after their own health.

 

Mental Health Resources at Newport Academy: Pets and Mental Health

 

 

Our pets aid in the development of interpersonal skills.

 

Children who are emotionally close to their pets have an easier time forming relationships with other people, according to research. As a result, dogs aid in the emotional development of children by following human cues. Dogs are very perceptive to their owners' moods and emotions.

 

Furthermore, animals make socializing less difficult for children. A research looked at how children with autism behaved in a classroom with a pet guinea pig. These youngsters were shown to be more sociable with their peers than autistic children who did not have classroom pets. They also exhibited fewer indications of tension and smiled and joked more.

 

Equine-Assisted Therapy also aids in the development of interpersonal skills in teenagers. As a result, teenagers form deep and lasting bonds with their horses. As a result, individuals gain confidence and abilities that they may use to their interactions with family and friends. This is an important phase in the process of rehabilitation and growth.

 

 

Pets Encourage Social Interaction

 

Another benefit of dogs for teenagers and adults' mental health is that they encourage social interaction. They alleviate social anxiety by providing a common topic of conversation. Pets so serve to alleviate social isolation.

 

Walking a dog, for example, frequently leads to interactions with other dog owners. Dog owners are therefore more socially connected and less solitary.

 

 

As a result, their mental well-being improves. That's because folks with greater social connections and friendships are often happier. The advantages of social interaction include:

 

 

 

·         Improved self-esteem

·         Anxiety and despair levels are lower.

·         A more positive, upbeat view

·         Better emotional management abilities

·         Improved cognitive performance

·         More sentiments of empathy and trust towards others.

·         Finally, but certainly not least... Pets unconditionally love us.

 

Dogs and cats are completely devoted to their owners. Pets, for example, seem unconcerned about how well teenagers fared on a test. Furthermore, they do not assess teenagers' social or physical abilities. They're just glad to see their owners. And no matter what, they want to spend time with them.

 

This type of unconditional love is beneficial to one's mental health. It causes the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in pleasure perception.

 

To recapitulate, the link between pets and mental health is well-established. As a result, people may wish to learn how to request an emotional support animal from their doctor.

 

Teens who enjoy dealing with animals may also enjoy volunteering at an animal shelter or a riding stable. Families that do not have pets can visit their local humane organization and adopt a new family member.