It has been proven time and time again that pets really can help improve the lives of people with mental health issues. If you have any sort of mental health issue the potential benefits of pet ownership are massive and here are just a few ways in which that happens…
Ways Pets Can Improve Your Mental Health
Pets Are a Great Motivator
When you suffer from depression or indeed any other mental health disorder that has those down dips that cause you to want to stay in bed that day a pet is a good motivator to get out and walk rather than rolling over and playing dead. Even owning a cat means you will have to get up and feed it, let the cat out and all these small actions can often spur you into doing other things.
Ways Pets Can Improve Your Mental Health
Pets Have Calming Effects
The simple act of petting an animal no matter what it is will often help the “petter” to relax and calm their minds. Be this a dog, cat or even a rabbit, just about any animal you can smooth will have the same calming effect.
Ways Pets Can Improve Your Mental Health
Pets Give You a Daily Purpose
If you don’t have any family or friends to make a support circle from a pet can be the perfect thing for you. This is especially true with people who often have feelings of suicide as a pet is something that gives people consider when they are summing up the reasons to go on in life.
Ways Pets Can Improve Your Mental Health
Pets Can Help With Socialising
When you don’t have many friends you can often feel more depressed by not going out and socialising with other people. Walking a pet, or just talking to other people online with similar pets can help you meet new friends and maybe new relationships. Both those things can help improve your mental health quite significantly.
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Ways Pets Can Improve Your Mental Health
Pets Can Help With Addictions
If you suffer from addictions like alcohol or drugs you will find a pet can actually help you with the recovery. In fact, many of the greatest rags to riches stories have involved a pet of some kind. One of the most amazing stories of this kind is about a book called “A Street Cat Named Bob“.
Ways Pets Can Improve Your Mental Health
Pets Can Sense Things Humans Can’t
Pets are often great at detecting your emotions better than any human can, especially when it comes to depression or suicidal down dips. If the pet is coming to you because it senses something is happening the act of smoothing it can often turn a bad moment into a good one.
Ways Pets Can Improve Your Mental Health
Pets Are The Perfect Company
Just about any pet can offer you company and if you just happen to live alone this could be a saving grace, especially if you suffer from depression. Friends might go home, a pet is with you all day long and is always there for you when you need them.
Ways Pets Can Improve Your Mental Health
3 – Pets Offer Consistency
Most pets like to be walked at the same time every day, fed at the same time and even like to go to bed at set times. This pattern of consistency can help some people with a mental health issue, especially those who suffer from depression and mania all the time as it can often help stabilise their mood swings.
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Ways Pets Can Improve Your Mental Health
Pets Offer Saftey
If you have paranoid thoughts and feelings you can often feel unsafe even in your own home. A pet can hear and smell things us humans can’t and a dog can offer the perfect protection to a home. Even if you go out a dog is there to protect your home.
Ways Pets Can Improve Your Mental Health
Pets Can Relieve Anxiety
In most cases anxiety is about the act of overthinking or thinking about other things when you are out and about. A pet can help bring you into the present and gives you something else to think and worry about.
Please note that pets are NOT some mental health miracle cure. You will still need to keep taking any medication you are on and will still need to go to therapy if you do so. A pet requires a level of commitment that might not be for everyone, but for others, they can be a lifeline.