“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.” – Anatole France
A pet is certainly a great friend that provides unconditional love during difficult times. Whether you’ve had a difficult day at work or home, pet owners immediately feel love from their pets and experience an improved mood.
There are many benefits from pet ownership. Whether it’s a fluffy kitty or cute puppy, they help satisfy basic human needs to have contact, touch and allow us to interact with other beings. Whether you’re at the pet store or park, having a pet can provide you an opportunity to engage socially with others reduce anxiety and build confidence. By nature, people crave attention and love; animals mutually share these feelings and want to share their affections back without any expectations. Unlike human interaction, where you may feel that the other person wants something, an animal wants nothing more than to see you happy and feel loved. Based on statistics released in 2011 from the American Humane Association, “80% of dog and cat owners surveyed claimed that their pets could sense their moods…three in four believed their dogs tried to make them feel better when they were unhappy.”
There are physical benefits to having pets also; it has been found that pets increase your ability and desire to exercise. This is not limited to taking a pet for a walk, but includes chasing a pet around the house, or all those funny faces and actions we perform to get our pets attention. Playing with an animal can actually help calm and relax you as it elevates your dopamine and serotonin levels dramatically; you are also less likely to suffer from depression. Pets have been shown to reduce blood pressure and stress which is part of the reason many doctors’ offices keep aquariums in their waiting rooms.
Animals can also bring stability into an individual’s life because a majority of them require structure. They require and depend on you to feed them, even if it’s filling a bowl throughout the week or taking them outside throughout the day for a walk. These simple routines can help you take control of your life; it forces you to get out of bed and holds you accountable for your actions. This is also extremely beneficial for the elderly and senior citizens as it can give them a sense of purpose and help them want to focus on the ‘now.’
Granted pets are not for everyone or every lifestyle however adding a companion certainly has its advantages to your mental health. Simply having someone depend on you can help make your existence feel more important and confident in yourself. Though pets are not a replacement for medication or therapy they certainly can improve your mental wellbeing.
Comments