It is proven that having a pet brings many advantages, and not only for physical health. Learn about the benefits of pets for mental health.
Have you ever wondered why people have pets? Well, the feeling of well-being developed with pet ownership is increasingly related to improving people's mental and physical health.
Over time, the number of people with mental health-related problems has increased significantly. In fact, the percentage of people who have adopted pets or companion animals has also increased. It is as useful as timely go to a doctor or students to the essay helper.
This is because, although they may not know it, pet owners feel a sense of well-being when caring for their dogs or cats. Therefore, this helps to improve mental health.
Mental health benefits of pets
In addition to bringing benefits for physical health, such as developing resistance to allergies and lowering high blood pressure and triglycerides in the blood, pets, also called companion animals, are a great ally to help with mental health problems and maintain a good mood. Know some of the benefits:
Commitment and self-esteem when taking responsibility for a living being.
Many people may think that taking on responsibility is synonymous with new problems and headaches that add to the ones they already have. What they may not know, however, is that taking responsibility and care of a living being helps to clear the mind. This is because much of the attention to problems is taken up with the animal's welfare.
In other words, by creating an important affective bond with your pet, the feeling of caring for it helps you concentrate on caring for your pet, whether it is a dog or a cat. This will help you stop thinking too much about problems and issues that don't help you feel good.
Increased social interaction for people who find it hard to interact with others
Having a dog and giving it daily walks helps to avoid depression, and one of its symptoms, which is isolation. Although it may seem complicated to take your pet out at least 3 times a day, these outings greatly help change the environment, change your thoughts, and clear your mind of the task or feeling you were having.
Pet ownership also proves to be a good topic for conversation and discovering that you share common ground with other people. This factor is key to relieving the pressure and anxiety of a conversation with strangers, especially those who find it more difficult.
Stress reduction and mood enhancement
Companion animals are characterized by being playful and affectionate. The emotion they express when they come home or at a familiar word helps people feel loved. This fosters increased self-esteem.
This euphoric characteristic of pets directly influences the pet owner and everyone in the household, causing cortisol levels to decrease. At the same time, it increases the production of serotonin and dopamine, which are related to happiness and calmness. All this brings well-being to the home and to all its members.
Decrease in the feeling of loneliness
Pets also help us to feel in company. Not only do they help people who live alone, but they are also company and comfort when facing a difficult time.
One of the clearest examples of this benefit was seen in the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, where people were forced to stay home, and many lived alone, without a pet.
Adopting a pet to keep them company during that period was so popular that it boosted adoption numbers. It is no secret that they are perfect companions, especially for people living alone.
Encouraging physical activity
Of course, physical activity is closely related to mental health. Having pets like dogs promotes body movement through walks, games, and care activities.
Dog or cat: Which pet brings more benefits for mental health?
As we have said, each pet's benefits to mental health are innumerable. However, they depend greatly on your personality, tastes, and needs.
On the one hand, a dog requires more care and is more dependent, so it suffers if left alone all day. If you are at home, it can help you more with physical activity and affection since you must take it for daily walks.
On the other hand, the cat is more independent, so he can spend more time alone. It usually shows its well-being by purring, which has been proven to help reduce stress and lower blood pressure in the body.
Beware of pet ownership
It is very important to keep in mind that pet ownership should not be just a benefit for you. Pets require care and patience.
In this sense, if you think you have problems related to your mental health, before adopting a pet, you must consult a specialist in psychotherapy. This person can guide you to resolve the situation and not leave everything in the hands of a pet.
Insure your pet
When talking about the benefits of pets for mental health, it is also necessary to talk about the care of our pets. Facing the grief of a pet ends up being the same as the grief of a loved one. That is why it is important to insure your pet and guarantee that it can have a good life while it is with you.
