Pets And Depression
Tuesday, April 3rd, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
If you are suffering from depression, apathy, lack of interest in life, you should consider getting some treatment, but a good idea is to also get a pet!
It has been proven that pets encourage positive thinking. People with pets recover faster and have fewer negative thoughts. Just having a pet in the room, be it a fish, ferret, cat, dog, or any other critter, changes your autonomic responses for the better.
There have been several academic studies that support the physical and mental health benefits of owning a pet. Owners moods have improved based on several factor which are:
Exercise
Affection
Unconditional love
Loneliness
Routine
When you own a pet like a dog, you have to walk the dog, bathe and brush the dog, go to the store for the dog’s food. It gets you up and moving, it’s that connection between the pets and depression. Something that many depressed people don’t usually do. Giving your dog or cat affection such as stroking, hugging, brushing, rubbing etc. has been proven to help decrease stress in humans, therefore lowering blood pressure, and improving the quality of life.
A pet offers its owner unconditional love and affection. Pets simply want to be loved and cared for and desperately want your companionship. This type of love without strings is very calming, relaxing, and pleasurable for most people, especially people who are depressed.
The presence of a pet helps depressed people who are suffering from loneliness, whether they are actually physically alone in the world or whether they have created a self-imposed lonely world for themselves. A pet is there giving love, sitting by your side, and creating a presence in your home. The routine of caring for a dog, walking a dog, buying food, etc. is something that helps people with depression. Many depressed people no longer have a positive routine - but are “stuck” in their lives with mundane tasks, work, or perhaps do nothing at all.
Our conclusion on owning a pet
Being a responsible pet owner creates routine and so, enabling someone who is depressed to get out into life of pets and depression. The connection between you and your pet created by the daily interaction will eventually build up as a good medicine for your depression problems. The simple fact that you own a pet, and that you have to take care of it every day makes a huge difference.
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