Surround yourself with animals for improved mental health
Six reasons cuddling up to a fur baby can lift your mood and outlook on life
When it comes to addressing and improving mental health, it’s critical that the environment is non-judgmental and non-threatening to create a space that can help improve confidence and wellbeing.
Counsellors and medical practitioners work through a number of strategies to support positive mental health and one form of therapy is called animal assistance or pet therapy.
This can take on a formal structure by some health practitioners, but I like to let nature run its course and instead encourage a more natural bond with our fur babies!
This weekend, and there are several across the year, a national pet adoption day is being hosted in major cities to help re-home animals needing a second chance.
I am a huge believer in the fact that animals save us, and not the other way around.
Now, there are a lot of factors to consider when adopting a pet such as time, cost, space and lifestyle, so it’s not a decision to take lightly – but there are also a lot of factors that could make it one of the best decisions of your life.
So, if you needed another reason to bring a fur baby into your life, here’s six!
1. Pets will never judge or criticise you – they provide calm, comfort and security
When we talk to our friends, family and even strangers, we can often let the fear of being judged hinder our ability to be truly open and honest. Animals allow us to talk freely without the worry of feeling belittled and just getting stress, worry, hurt and fear off our chests can help us reset our outlook on the situation.
2. Pets’ antics make you smile with true joy which introduces mindfulness into your life
It’s difficult to watch dogs frolicking in a sprinkler or playing with a single stick for hours on end and not get caught up in the simple things in life that bring joy. Just being present in a moment, patting your cat, walking your dog or watching your budgie bathe, prevents the mind from wandering and therefore gives your body time to recover or heal from anxiety or other symptoms of ailing mental health.
3. Pets rely on you – for toileting, food and water – you become needed
Being responsible for your own eating or grooming habits may not be a priority when you suffer from conditions such as depression or anxiety, but when a helpless pet needs to eat, drink or go outside to the toilet, it forces us to get out of bed and take on some responsibility. This reliance goes a long way to functioning better on a broader community scale, and the feeling of being needed reminds us we’re important – we matter.
4. Pets get you outside and into fresh air – if you have a dog, then you need to walk it!
What better reason to get outside and moving than to relieve the built-up energy of a pup! Dogs need exercise for both physical and mental stimulation, just like us humans. But it’s easy to tell yourself you’ll go tomorrow instead – not so easy to skip out on a walk if you have a dog that’s pawing at you to get the gym shoes on!
5. Pets help us physically – from lowering blood pressure to raising our happiness levels
Many studies have been done on the impact of animals on our physical health and it’s been demonstrated time and time again that patting animals can release serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin which all serve to improve our mood. Touching animals, talking to them and walking them have all been contributing factors to reducing blood pressure.
6. Pets help with isolation / socialisation
Pets get us out and about – we need to walk them, so we might take them to a dog park, or we might head out to a pet store to get food and toys. All of these activities offer the chance to interact with other people, especially other pet owners. Talking to someone about their animals creates a sense of connection and community that some people struggle to do without animals or an obvious icebreaker.
If you can’t own a pet
If the decision to own a dog or cat is just not suitable for your circumstances, you can still incorporate pet therapy into your life in a number of ways. Try these ideas to get your dopamine or serotonin levels up….
- buy a gold fish or bird instead which are less demanding on your time but still allow you to sit and talk with them and be in the moment with them
- Volunteer at an animal shelter
- Offer to walk your neighbours’ dogs – many people work long days and would love for their fur baby to get out for a stroll
- Go to a dog friendly beach or park and just watch them play