The bond between the pet and the owner is not just simply understood as an ordinary animal-human relationship because for some folks, this partnership can amend people’s lives. This is one of the most unique ways to improve psychological health.
John Bradshaw, Ph.D., founder of University of Bristol’s Anthrozoology Institute, emphasized the significance of pet ownership. Pets, regardless of their species, can be a very good lifetime friend because they give security, unconditional love, and a lot of other benefits to a pet lover. Yet, aside from physical fitness motivation, socialization aspect, and emotional strengthening, he stated that owning pets can also impact a human’s psychological health. How is this possible?
More Than Just Companionship
It has been known that the common comprehension of a pet’s contribution to an owner’s life is companionship. Dr. Bradshaw explained that this so called sense of togetherness is far more beyond than just having someone to be with at home. I, it benefits psychological health by gradually decreasing stress, improves the mood, and reduces the anxiety of a pet owner. This is because pets provide a source of comfort.
According to Clare Ballingall, the royal Australian College of General Practitioners, studies have shown that loneliness is a massive element of poor mental health. Meanwhile, pets provide the kind of fellowship that compensates the said issue.
In addition, Mental Health Foundation, a British charitable organization, mentioned that pets improve quality of life because they keep a person away from the risk of depression. Also, pets have calming effect to their owners, to the extent that people with Alzheimer’s are thought to have fewer anxious outburst. Through spending time with pets, the owners can have more opportunity to relax their minds.
Dr. Janette Young, programer director for the Bachelor of Health at the University of South Australia broadcasted that many people shared their beautiful pet owning experiences. Many of the pet owners say that their pets made them feel needed, wanted, loved, and important. In fact, an article reviewed in HuffPost aforementioned the treatment named ‘pet therapy’, wherein people who are usually feeling alone and isolated, including those who are prone to the diagnosis of depression, can recover faster because of the presence of pets in their lives.
Reminder
Overall, it doesn’t mean that pets can absolutely prevent and cure mental conflicts. And, the pet-owner relationship also depends upon how a pet is taken care of by the owner, and vice versa.
Although, there is quite a lot of evidence that pets do help maintain a balanced mental and physical health, it doesn’t necessarily signify that every person in the world is recommended to try pet ownership, even those who are already diagnosed by their doctors, having mental ailments.
People also read: Benefits of Raising Children and Pets Together