Having a dog or cat around to keep company is quite nice, they are cute, soft, cuddly, and always show love no matter what. In the United States, sixty-two percent of the population own a pet, which affect people’s daily lives, (Saunders et al. 1). The differences between people who do own pets and those who do not own pets are quite substantial. Pet owners find it easier to cope with anxiety, depression, and loneliness than non-pet owners, who do not always have someone to be there for them. Pet owners, especially dog owners, feel encouraged to go outside for walks and interact with people. Those who live with dogs also feel safer because there is someone to be alert for danger. Pet owners show better mental health, are physically healthier …show more content…
Recent studies have shown that petting a dog or cat decreases blood pressure and heart rate, and also raises levels of serotonin, which creates feelings of happiness, (Sanburn 1). This is why Emotional Service Animals, or ESAs, are becoming more prevalent today. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention have deemed that “the presence of a pet has positive health benefits,” (Sanburn 48). To further study this, researchers tested if animals would affect anxiety levels during a stressful situation. They assigned people to pet a real animal, a fake one, and none at all. Those who pet a real animal significantly reduced their anxiety levels, and those who pet a fake animal or none at all had no effect. This study shows that interaction with animals is important in “emotional regulation,” and provide “social support,” (Saunders et al. 3). Many people who suffer from anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, or PTSD have displayed positive effects when they adopted a …show more content…
It has been proven that petting and interacting with animals reduces stress, and having one around at all times like an Emotional Service Animal is very helpful to those who are lonely, depressed, or have other mental health problems. Having a pet around benefits everyone cope with their stressful daily lives, while people who do not have pets get no benefits. Many people are concerned with being more physically active nowadays, and owning a dog forces people to go outside and get daily exercise, making them healthier than non-pet owners. When people are outside walking their dogs every day, it stirs up conversation and makes people in the neighborhood interact with one another, creating a sense of community, while non-pet owners are shown to be less likely to be able to connect with people. Pets make everyday lives happier, healthier, and more fun, so their owners are much less stressed than people without
Pets can have real jobs like people. Dogs-rescuers save lives together with people. For instance, when people get in appalling avalanches courageous dogs-rescuers help to find them. Also, some breeds of dogs, e.g. sheep dog, badger-dog, labrador, spaniel, and so on, serve at customs. More than that, they can find illegal things like drugs, dangerous weapons, or explosive stuff. What’s more, they help to control order and assist in avoiding terrible acts of terrorism. Some people literally can't live without pets. For example, blind people need guide-dogs to move around their homes. The connection between such masters and their pets becomes really strong and truly close and a person gets pet-dependent in this case. Enthusiastic owners devote their life to pets. They try to make the best for them and like to take part in exhibitions. Pet's clothes, food, houses, brushes take on special value for
Most of us are depressed due to physical, psychological and socio-environmental stress. We do have many gateways to suppress our depression. Some may be good and some may be not. When we discuss animal interaction, it excellently works. Keeping an animal at home, daily walking and playing with it elevates maximum stress that makes both physically and mentally fit.
Several studies have examined the effects of dog ownership on people's physical and mental health. Dog ownership produces considerable health benefit and provides social support that encourages dog owners to walk (Cutt et al.2007 ). Pet owners appear to have lower systolic blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels(Anderson et al 1992). Pet owners with serious mental illness living in the community demonstrate higher social community integration(Zimalog and Krupa 2009). Socially excluded participants who performed in the presence of a dog report higher mental well-being compared with socially excluded participants who did not work in the presence of a dog (Nilüfer et al 2012). Although there is evidence suggesting that dog ownership can improve people's physical and mental health, there is little research documenting the psychological and behavioral effects of dog-assisted therapy, especially on elderly patients with dementia, who have dif...
Most people are familiar with service dogs and have seen them in action. Animal-assisted therapy is similar service animals in that an animal-human healing partnership is being created. However, the difference is that therapy pets are typically used to treat a mental disability whereas people with physical disabilities use service dogs to help them in many ways. Therapy animals are used in a wide variety of places, such as, hospitals, prisons, nursing homes, therapy sessions, mental healthcare facilities, and even in people’s homes. These amazing animals are used on a wide variety of different disorders, but they are utilized mostly by people suffering from depression, anxiety, and PTSD. For people with these mental health disorders, everything in live can be difficult and challenging, however with the help of animal-assisted therapy, their mood, motivation, and life can dramatically improve. Anyone who hears about these brave, loving animals soon falls in love with them. From a medical standpoint, there have been many successful studies and the support for animal-assisted therapy still continues to grow in doctors and therapists across the nation.
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.
Research has been done in the area of human-animal companionship and security, and stress management. Due to the relative newness of this field and the difficulties in studying it, most research has been concentrated on the elderly, specifically, institutionalized elderly. Pets have been introduced into these settings in order to minimize the negative consequences of institutionalization. Most research has been conducted on the extreme ends of the continuum, either very brief visitation or therapy of resident pets studies (Wrinkler 216).
In the field of therapy, there are numerous of therapy available out there for different type of individuals and situations as well. There is one type of therapy that usually contains people and animal, it is animal-assisted therapy is a therapeutic approach that brings animals and individuals with physical and/or emotional needs together to perform the therapy. Animal-assisted therapy tend to be focused on individuals either children or elderly for them to be able to connect with the animal thus feeling comfortable talking with the therapist. Pet therapy works for all ages, whether sick or not (Lanchnit, 2011). Although, this paper, most of the focus is on animal-assisted therapy towards children using dogs.
Owning a dog can help your health tremendously. A report taken in Beijing by Bruce Headey, Fu Na, and Richard Zheng declares, “Results are given from a survey of women aged 25–40 in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou (N = 3031). Half the respondents owned dogs and half did not. Owners reported better health-related outcomes. They exercised more frequently, slept better, had higher self-reported fitness and health, took fewer days off sick from work and were seen less by doctors” (Headly, Na, and Zheng, 481). The women that owned dogs experienced a better lifestyle than the ones that did not. Overall, being the owner of a dog can help you keep fit and live a healthier
For many humans, a pet provides unconditional love and affection. Others feel an overwhelming calming, happy feeling when they are around animals. According to The American Veterinary Medical Association, studies have shown that due to these positive emotions that are stirred, the presence of and interaction with animals can lower heart rates and blood pressure. Animals that meet specific training criteria can become an integral part of a treatment process for a variety of psychological and physiological problems.
Owning a pet can have many physical and mental health benefits. Medical studies show having a pet result's in lower blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and triglyceride levels. Pets have a role in cardiovascular health from lowering blood pressure, and they encourage psychosocial stability in owners, which further reduces the risk of heart disease. In the hectic and fast-paced world we live in today, pets are actually saving our lives. Pets provide an excuse to be active, dogs live an active lifestyle, wanting to play and run around outside. By making us more active and improving our health, dogs often provide a good workout! Instead of sitting on the couch being lazy, dogs are eager to transfer their energy and enthusiasm to the owner benefiting both dog and owner in many ways. Studies show that dogs demonstrate trust and provide comfort to the sick or elderly thus helping people to live longer and to be more positive as they age. Animal owners over 75 years of age have f...
There are many reasons to get a pet. You could choose to get a pet for a companion, or simply to add to your family. Many older folk choose to get a pet after they retire or lose their spouse so they do not feel lonely. Many young couples choose to get a pet before they opt to have children, and many families add a pet to their home for their children. The question is though, what type of pet to get? Do you get a cat, or a dog? Having a dog as a pet over a cat is much more enjoyable and beneficial to your life, specifically because of their behavior, convenience, and loyalty.
Over 71 million American households (62%) have a pet, and most people think of their pets as members of the family. Some research studies have found that people who have a pet have healthier hearts, stay home sick less often, make fewer visits to the doctor, get more exercise, and are less depressed. Pets may also have a significant impact on allergies, asthma, social support, and social interactions with other people (Casciotti) .
The high demands that are placed on pet owners when a dog is selected sometimes wreak havoc soon after it is introduced into the family. Dogs are high maintenance with an above average degree of time requirements that usually become a hindrance to pet owners in the early phase of ownership. The cat does not present these problems, which is part of the low maintenance advantage many pet owners seek. Dogs can have separation anxiety, use the bathroom in the home for spite when left alone for long hours, and usually requires lots of exercise which mandates the pet owner to be available during the day to provide the appropriate amount of exercise needed by
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.