By: Stan Popovich
Have you ever come home after a bad day, cuddled up with your pet, and felt better? Interacting with animals helps ease stress and boosts mental wellness.
Because of their positive effect on mental health, animals are used in various types of therapy to promote healing and bring others comfort.
How Pets Can Help Mental Health
Caring for a pet can help our mental health in many ways. Here is why having a dog, cat, or any other animal can be important in improving your mental health.
1. Increases your physical activity: Dog owners are likely to take their pets for a walk or run every day. This can be a fun way to fit exercise into your routine.
2. Provides companionship: Pets can give you a sense of security and someone to share the day with. Caring for them can help you feel wanted and needed. This can be valuable for older people or those who live alone.
3. Pets can help us to relax: Playing with your pets can help reduce your anxieties in your life. Taking care of a dog or cat can be a great way to increase your happiness.
4. Boost your self-confidence: Pets can be great listeners, offer unconditional love and won’t criticize you. This can help your self-confidence if you feel isolated or misunderstood.
5. Can help you to meet new people: Dog owners often stop and chat with each other on walks. Other pets can be a way to meet people such as in pet shops, training classes, and functions that involve animals.
6. Add structure to your day: Feeding, exercising, and caring for a pet can help you keep to a daily routine, which can help you feel grounded and focused. It can give your day purpose and a sense of achievement.
Managing A Pet and Your Mental Health
Many people who struggle with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues may struggle with taking care of a pet. Here are some ways on how to take care of your pets while you deal with your mental health issues.
1. Prioritize: It is important you take care of your pet’s main needs when you are struggling with your anxieties. Feeding your pet, making sure their healthy, and making sure they are living in a safe environment is what is most important.
2. Ask for help: If you have trouble taking care of your animals ask a friend or relative for some help. Some days can be tough to manage when your mental health issues get the best of you. Your friends or relatives will be happy to help you if you’re struggling with your anxieties and fears.
3. Consider using a pet sitter: There are many pet sitters who would be willing to provide some assistance in making sure your animals are taken care of while you’re struggling with your mental health. Anxiety and depression can come and go for some people. As a result, some days are better than others. Use the services of a pet sitter when you need it.
4. Plan ahead: Develop a plan so when your mental health issues get the best of you, you will know what to do. This will give you the peace of mind that your animals are taken care of while you get back on your feet.
5. Learn from your experiences: Try to learn from your past experiences on how you can take care of yourself and your pets. This will help you the next time you struggle with your mental health because you will be better able to take care of your animals when your stressed.
6. Talk to your veterinarian: Talk to a veterinarian on how to take care of your mental health and your animals at the same time. Remember that many people who deal with depression and anxiety have dogs and cats. You can take care of a pet and manage your mental health at the same time.
When You Can’t Have A Pet
If you can’t have a pet due to limitations like your living situation, financial constraints, or other concerns, you can still engage with animals by doing the following:
1. Volunteer at an animal shelter: This is one of the quickest ways to spend time with a fluffy friend in your life. Animal shelters and rescue centers often need volunteers who don’t mind socializing with the animals and taking care of them while they are at the shelter.
2. Foster an animal: Fostering animals is being a pet parent without the long-term commitment. Animals are typically in a foster situation somewhere between two and eight weeks. You can find organizations who need people to foster by contacting them.
3. Pet sit for friends: Pet sitting is the act of caring for a pet in its own home while the owner is away. Pet owners use pet sitters when they go on a vacation, travel for business, work long hours or when they are sick or injured to care for their pets.
4. Join a dog walking service: A dog walking service is a business that provides paid dog walking services for clients. Dog walkers are responsible for picking up dogs from their homes, walking them, and returning them back home.
5. Therapy animal visits: Therapy animal visits are when a trained animal and its handler visit a person to provide comfort and companionship. Therapy animals bring comfort and joy to anyone they visit – in your school, workplace, hospital, or other facility or after a crisis event in your community.
For information, talk to a mental health counselor, your local pet adoption organization, and a veterinarian on how to take care of your mental health and your animals at the same time. Now is the time to plan ahead when it comes to taking care of your pets.
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