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July 18, 2024

Furry Friends and Mental Health

Many people can relate to the comfort and love felt when playing or cuddling with our pets. Some have gone as far to claim their pets as children who provide nothing but unconditional love. But did you know that animals can actually have a significant effect on our mental wellbeing through animal assisted therapy or “pet therapy?” Through pet therapy, these loving creatures can be used to improve the overall health of individuals struggling with stress, depression, anxiety, and other mental health diagnosis.

What is animal assisted therapy?

Animal assisted therapy is designed to promote improvement in physical, social, emotional, and cognitive functioning. When someone is dealing with a serious mental or physical ailment, their stress levels are significantly increased. That is where the animals come in! Animals provide these individuals with comfort and companionship, allowing for a decrease in negative mental health symptoms.

Mental health benefits:

For most people, the presence of a cute and cuddly animal causes the body to release serotonin, prolactin, and oxytocin. These hormones help to create relaxation and stress reduction, according to UCLA health. The release of these hormones can lower symptoms of sadness, depression, and anxiety.

According to studies on animal therapy, researchers note that this therapy can be beneficial for people of many different age groups navigating various conditions. An example comes from a 2019 study that found that the use of therapy dogs improves the efficacy of mental health treatments specifically among adolescents.

The presence of an animal can provide deep comfort and distraction during a variety of challenging times. Animal assisted therapy has often been used in particularly stressful environments such as hospitals and schools. The use of dogs or cats can decrease loneliness felt by those who require long term hospital stays or are struggling to manage the stress of school environments. Furthermore, this form of therapy has been used to lessen agitation and other negative symptoms experienced by those diagnosed with dementia.

It has been indicated though different studies that animal therapy may be helpful for a wide array of conditions including Autism and ADHD as well. Furthermore, studies involving the use of horses and dogs have shown a potential for animal therapy to alleviate symptoms of PTSD.

Don’t fret if you don’t have a pet!

Here are some local organizations where you and your children can interact with animals and de stress! :

References:

https://www.husson.edu/online/blog/2022/07/benefits-of-animal-assisted-therapy

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/animal-therapy

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