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The Healing Power of Pets

Pets can offer us so much in our healing process. Their unconditional love and antics can decrease stress, improve heart health, and help with social skills.

Please note that this blog is about pets. It does not include the benefits of service dogs and other animals trained to help therapeutically.

The Mental Health Benefits of Pets

Pets can provide their owners immense emotional support, companionship, and practical benefits. They can alleviate stress, depression, and anxiety while promoting socialization.

Pets can help people feel connected in ways that can be difficult to get from other people. Pets can offer unconditional love and acceptance without judgment in a way that is difficult to find in humans. For people who have been betrayed in the worst ways by human beings, pets can provide love and acceptance when you feel that you can’t trust other people.

Caring for a pet can also be beneficial for mental health. Taking care of another living being can reduce stress levels, increase feelings of self-worth, and improve well-being.

Improved Social Connection

Cats and dogs provide companionship and can help reduce feelings of loneliness and isolation. Pets offer a constant and nonjudgmental presence that can fill the emotional void found in loneliness. They can be a bridge to becoming comfortable with people. Pets can fulfill the emotional need for love, security, companionship, and comfort. A pet can provide someone with a sense of purpose.

Stress Reduction

Pets can help their owners relax and keep things in perspective. Your pet doesn’t care about work stress; it just wants to spend time with you. Pets can distract you from a tough day. Interacting with pets can decrease cortisol, the stress hormone. A pet can be a calming influence, helping you cope with life’s ups and downs.

Mindfulness

Pets can help you live in the moment. Pets naturally have the foundations of mindfulness: attention, intention, compassion, and awareness. They can be the example you need to live more in the present moment.

Healing power of pets - image of man hugging his smiling dog

The Physical Health Benefits of Pets

Pets can encourage outdoor activity, which has numerous benefits, such as sunlight exposure and improving mood. Increased physical activity and reduced stress can also lead to better cardiovascular health.

Lowering Blood Pressure

Pets can lead to lower blood pressure. This can come from interacting with your pet in a friendly way, and the stroking/petting can help reduce your blood pressure.

Improve Cardiovascular Function

The unconditional love pets show us can improve cardiovascular function. In one study, pets were found to be a stronger predictor of survival than supportive families. Pet owners tend to have lower blood pressure levels, triglycerides, and LDL cholesterol.

Improved Hormonal Function

People who interact with pets tend to have more oxytocin (the happiness hormone), less cortisol, and increased immunoglobulin A (the immune system antibody).

Healthier Behaviours

Pets can help their owners develop health-promoting behaviours. Dogs can encourage their owners to take them for a walk, even in bad weather. Pets can push their owners toward a regular routine, which can improve sleep.

The Healing Benefits of Dogs

Dogs can bring some specific benefits to their owners.

ADHD and Autism

Dogs can help children with ADHD and autism improve their social skills, cooperate, and share more. They can also reduce the number of behavioural problems. This is believed to be because dogs are present and loving.

Stress Relief

Spending time with a dog can decrease stress, slow the heart rate and lower blood pressure. You are four times less likely to develop clinical depression if you have a dog. Playing or watching a pet play can help you get out of yourself and into the present moment.

Stronger Social Bonds

Dogs can help you feel less lonely and help you develop a more expansive, stronger social network. Pets can be a bridge builder between people who don’t have much in common. Pets can also create a better sense of community.

Healing power of pets - image of a cute kitten

The Healing Benefits of Cats

Cats tend to be more independent and less work than dogs. However, a cat’s purring and affectionate nature can provide emotional support and stress relief. For people with trouble regulating their nervous system, a cat’s purring can be a calming co-regulator.

The Healing Benefits of Other Pets

Guinea Pigs

Guinea pigs were found to help children with autism spectrum disorder to be calmer, have less anxiety, and have improved social interactions.

Fish

Fish were found to help teens with Type I diabetes better manage their disease by pairing caring for their fish with caring for their diabetes.

Use of Pets in Therapeutic Treatment Plans

Pets can be a motivator for behaviour change. Often, taking care of the pet is a better motivator than the things they do for themselves. For example, you can stop smoking to protect the pet from secondhand smoke or increase physical activity by taking your dog for a walk.

Pets can be used as calming influences to help clients cope between sessions. Now, with online therapy, a pet can sit with a client to give them a calming influence during therapy.

Things to Consider for the Healing Aspect of Pets

While pets can be beneficial, they are not right for everyone.

New Responsibilities

Pets come with responsibilities, such as caring for and feeding them. Respecting your pet when it feels stressed or fatigued is also essential. This can prevent dog bites or your cat from swatting at you.

Personality and Lifestyle Fit

Does the pet you are thinking of getting match your personality and lifestyle? Dogs require a lot of attention, so they may not be right for someone who is away from home a lot. Do you have the capacity to care for an active pet? If not, you may want a low-maintenance pet like a fish. Do you feel only? You may want to go for a pet that is more of a companion, like a cat or a dog.

You want your pet to match your personality, needs and lifestyle well.

Limitations of Healing from Pets

Pets are not a substitute for professional treatment. They can be an invaluable asset to your healing process, but they may not be enough alone.

Conclusion

Pets can be a significant benefit to your healing process, especially if your pet is well-matched to you and your needs.


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