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Relationships between humans and animals
Relationships between humans and animals
Animal-human relationships
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Recommended: Relationships between humans and animals
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to call attention to the important human and animal bonds in a systems-oriented practice, research, and theory. The article tells us about the fact that animal and human bonds have been just as important throughout history and different cultures as it is today. People now and in the past been able to relate with animals even when they are incapable of relationships with humans. These relationships with animals help them open up and even enable them to begin relationships with other humans. It also tells of the mental health benefits of animal assisted programs.
Key Points: Companion animals are progressively more important to people in America. Many Americans love and care for their pets as if they are members of the family. Many people even give their pets Christmas gifts. People are
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Over the last decade people have spent double what they have in the past, on their pets. Studies have shown that companion animals are have beneficial effects on people with serious illnesses and even mental illnesses. The studies even show that companion animals lower blood pressure, serum triglycerides, and cholesterol levels. Just playing with a companion animal has been shown to promote improvement of the human immune system, and neurochemicals related to bonding and relaxation. Pets have even been shown to help with the functioning of people with developmental disabilities. People with disorders such as ADHD, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia have also been helped by animals. The mental health field has failed to appreciate the importance of the bonds between patients and their pets. Many mental health professionals have viewed people, whose closest relationships are with pets, are socially incompetent. However, studies show that animals actually help with
Some medical professionals do not believe that mental health patients can benefit from therapy dogs and go as far as saying it is a risk far as to say that it is a to the patient and compromise the patients ability to take care of the dog. When people who suffer with mental health issues qualify to get a therapy dog. The mental health patient is tested to see if they are capable of taking care of the dog. Those in need of assistance should use therapy dogs frequently do to the part of the benefits to using these pets to improve mental and emotional health as and physical health. Therapy dogs are beneficial to people who suffer from mental health issues by providing companionship as well as support. Some people with mental health issues have a hard time trusting others and need someone to talk to; Service dogs are important because to make they people with mental health problems feel better and help people with these disorders deal with their emotions.
In 1961, Dr. Boris Levinson, a child psychologist, became the “accidental” pioneer for animal therapy. One day he left his dog, Jingles, alone with one of his young, uncommunicative patients. When Dr. Levinson came back, the child was smiling and talking to the dog (Altschiller 3). This just shows how quick and monumental the effect of an animal can be. He believed that therapy animals provided, “unconditional acceptance and love” and they offered “a secure and warm environment for children and other patients, increasing their ability to adapt better psychologically to other people”...
Pets can improve social health in a variety of ways. Showing devotion to and caring for a pet is a great way to improve the social and emotional aspects of a person (Grady). Those who are introverted can always have a quiet and attentive friend to talk to. Animals do not judge you and are always willing
For centuries, bonds between animals and humans have been stronger than ever. Many people could argue that their pet has become a part of the family. Over time, the bond that a pet and their owner have can become very similar to the bond between child and parent, sibling to sibling, etc. Many studies have been done that prove that the interactions between animals and humans are beneficial to the health of both individuals. Furthermore, the benefits of having an animal has become a large part of one’s health. Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is practiced in many facilities around the world, but the “lack of interest and knowledge of animal-assisted therapy are still widespread” (Altschiller 12). The therapeutic bonds between humans and their animals have helped many medical cases around the world.
Have you ever wondered how much it costs to have and maintain a pet? Burkhard Bilger, the author of “The Last Meow”, explains how Americans spend a lot of money on their pets and that people's “love affair” with their pets has gotten out of control. An observation I have made is that in many movies dogs are treated very well. When I was younger, I watched a movie called Bratz and one character would always have her dog inside a dog purse and they would even get manicures and pedicures together. The dog always had shiny clothes on and it was always very clean. Therefore, I agree with Bilger's argument that Americans “love affair” with their pets has gotten out of control.
Gereal P. Mallon (1994) states there are numerous reports in literature that exemplify the value of human contact with animals. Studies have indicated animals such as dogs play an important role in not only socializing, but a significantly greater role in humanizing children. Dogs in particular due to their interactive and affectionate nature have become increasingly effective in adjunct therapy settings of children and youth. Piaget (1929) revealed in his research a stage in child development that it is inherently natural for a child to attribute human characteristics to an animal. Cartoons, fairytales, and mythology designed for children often depict animals as important roles of human interaction. Children are even found to project their inner feelings onto an animal, which they perceive as loving. These animals too do not talk back or argue which provides the continuous degree of nonjudgmental interaction essential to a child’s recovery process.
Animal-assisted therapy could have a significant effect on people's wellbeing such as depression, anxiety, mental disorders, and overall happiness. Bigger and longer studies may help in representing results better than those listed. We will hope to conclude whether animal-assisted therapy is a good form of therapy to use on college students with anxiety and depression. It is hypothesized that college students placed in the animal-assisted therapy, compared to those in the control group, will show lower scores of anxiety and depression.
Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), which can be provided in a group or individual settings, is designed to promote improvement in a human’s physical, social, emotional, or cognitive function. An article by Chitic, Rusu, and Szamoskozi (2012) provides an analysis in order to determine the value of AAT. Both dogs and horses that were trained for AAT were examined and studied to determine their effectiveness in treating patients with psychological disorders. The results showed that both therapy dogs and horses were valuable aids to the therapeutic process. The analysis suggests that proper training and repeated sessions were necessary for proper treatment of patients. In addition, certain disorders may benefit more than others in regards to AAT. For example, a child with ADHD may not benefit from a therapy dog’s presence, for it may worsen the hyperactive symptoms. On the other hand, a patient with depression may benefit greatly from the same animal (Chitic, Rusu, Szamoskozi, 2012). These findings are a perfect starting point to answering the research question: Do patients who engage in AAT display a betterment in their overall emotional well-being, as well as show improvement in their interpersonal interactions...
“A dog is a man’s best friend” goes much deeper than the phrase might initially imply. Recently many medical journals have begun to identify with the many and varied benefits of pet ownership. Men have always relied upon animals for work, transportation, and survival. As times have changed, man has begun to appreciate a different bond with animals. Gone are the days of animals running free outside around the homestead, for now animals are allowed inside and are considered by many to be an integral part of our daily lives! Medical studies have found that animals have a much greater intelligence level than originally thought. Through proper training and experience, animals are not only household pets, but also are becoming an accepted form of medical treatment.
The day she returned from inpatient therapy for depression, her dog cuddled with her and licked her tears away. Science has confirmed that pet therapy impacts people physically, mentally, and socially (Becker). In addition, it has proven effective in helping mental disorders such as anxiety and depression, as well as helping those with autism and dementia. Unfortunately, there is a stigma attached to mental illness and other disabilities. It is common for the handlers of a dog to face a large amount of scrutiny from others. People may be concerned with the individual's psychological stability as well as have doubts about the person's need for assistance from dog or an inability to accept those that are different (“Please Don’t Pet
Pet were found in over 14.6 million in the UK homes due to single households and households comprised of couples without children tend to have pets as replacements for a partner or children (Euromonitor International, 2014a; Euromonitor International, 2014b). In fact, humans and animals have already been associated deeply for a long time, in which animals have been manifested in a variety forms such as food, servant and enemy. Nevertheless, a review of literature has identified the main reasons for this enduring association is companionship such as friends, family members, and owner’s self. Working Party Couticil for Science and Society (1988), cited by Hirschman (1994), emphasises that the animal is "perceived and treated as a subject, as a personality in its own right." Similarly, Feldmann (1979), cited by Hirschman (1994), also proposes that animals are “faithful, intimate, noncompetitive, and nonjudgmental” friends and often even better than human friends. In addition, animal companionship can satisfy humans with deeply needed emotional support and share lasting relationship (Bogdan and Taylor, 1989 cited by Sanders, 1990; Savishinsky, 1986 cited by Hirschman, 1994). Therefore, people devote time, energy and love to their pets and enjoy the happiness brought by their pets. This increasingly develops into a mutually evolving relationship and they can communicate in nonverbal ways based on mutual understanding and experience (Hirschman, 1994). On the other hand, animal companion can also be an extension of human’s self and the owner’s self-perception (Feldmann, 1979 cited by Hirschman, 1994; Belk, 1998; Sanders, 1990). Hirschman (1994) labels this from as “persona perception” that ...
In the 21st century, depression, anxiety, and stress are at an all time high in society. More and more people are committing suicide and being diagnosed with mental health issues. More and more kids are beginning to get anxiety and stress issues at a young age. Sometimes, pets are the easiest for children to talk to about their issues. "Even though pets may not fully understand or respond verbally, the level of disclosure to pets was no less than to siblings...The fact that pets cannot understand or talk back may even be a benefit as it means they are completely non-judgmental. Your pet doesn't understand you. But they also totally understand you”(Dahl). Growing up with pets at such a young age, I was also a child that did this. It may not seem like it to adults, but sometimes a family pet really is easier for a child to talk to because they can’t really respond back. It gives a child a chance to rant about their issues without someone talking back or even tell them their issues aren’t
Would you like to live a happy and productive life? Then get pets! I must admit it is hard to believe that domesticated animals can promote mental and physical health, but many studies have shown that they can. People who own pets have been known to lead longer and happier lives than those without them. As we get older, we become less active. The more inactive we become, the higher our risk of death. We therefore need something in our lives to keep us busy so we don’t die prematurely, and a pet is just the thing to do it. This is probably because of the companionship, exercise, and responsibility that they provide. On the other hand, you must find a pet that is compatible with you or with your life style. Maintaining good mental health is crucial for living a normal life.
Owning a pet can make a person's life better altogether. About 45% of American households include a dog and about 35% include a cat. It is shown that it can lower their blood pressure and can increase their opportunities for exercise and other physical activities. To have a pet can also help lighten the owner's mood and lessen stress. It has been proven that if a person owns a pet, they will have a longer, healthier, happier life. Especially if they own one as a kid, which can help them with being responsible, and can even make them immune to certain conditions such as allergies and asthma. Having a pet can help improve a person's life physically and emotionally, and their overall quality of life.
Have you ever had a pet? As we know, more and more families have pets in their homes nowadays regardless of which country. Data showed an estimated 82.5 million U.S. households own at least one pet in their home. The American Pet Products Association, which is also called APPA, claimed that pet ownership by household in the U.S. has risen from just 56% in 1988, when the first APPA National Pet Owners Survey was conducted, to 68% as of 2013-2014. And the number of pet ownerships is going up even more rapidly in recent years. Research shows full-year sales for famous pet store like PetSmart and PetMed Express have jumped 106% and 116%,