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How Dogs Help With Mental Health

The Impact Of A Furry Friend On Mental Health

By Richard BaileyPublished 2 years ago 6 min read
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The inspiration for this post comes from both personal experiences as well as a story from my Social Worker who told me an amazing story about how a dog transformed the life of someone who suffered from Paranoid Schizophrenia.

Let's cover the story first, so you can have a real-life example of just how much of a difference a pet can make to your mental health.

How A Small Dog Transformed A Life

As I mentioned, this was a story my Social Worker told me about a client of his who suffered from Paranoid Schizophrenia. Of course, no names were given to me and I have no names to offer. This story though is amazing.

When my social worker would go to have his visits with this client, the client would only open the door a crack and they would have their visit/meeting through the crack of the door.

The client almost never left his/her apartment.

My social worker heard of someone who was looking to rehome a dog. I can't remember the exact reason but think it was because they were moving and couldn't take the dog with them.

My social worker offered to take the dog. He then took the dog to this client's home and asked if the client would mind looking after the dog for a little while. 

After some consideration, the client agreed.

Within a short period of time, when my social worker went for his check-ins, the client let him into his/her apartment. The client was also more at ease and getting out for daily walks. He/she was able to better cope with his/her condition with a lot more ease.

The reason for this is because every time he/she thought they heard or saw something, they would look at the dog. If there was no reaction from the dog he/she knew that what they heard or saw was not real. If the dog reacted they knew it was.

Someone who had been forced to isolate themselves was suddenly able to have some peace of mind and even get out of his/her apartment and go for walks.

The Benefits Of Having A Dog On Mental Health

In a general sense, everyone knows the joys having a pet can bring to your life. A companion, a buddy, something that will love you unconditionally. Our pets are a part of our family with whom we can share our lives and even our thoughts.

As mental health is more widely talked about and acknowledged, studies have been done to look at the link between having a pet and a person's mental health.

Have you ever noticed that pets, especially dogs, are very aware of how we are feeling? They pick up on this just from our emotions, our tone of voice, and even our gestures. 

Having a pet, more so a dog or a cat can help to reduce our levels of depression, stress, and anxiety. They can also help with feelings of loneliness and get us engaged in being playful, and with a dog, help promote exercise for both pet and owner.

What Studies Have Shown

While you will commonly find people who have pets own either cats or dogs or both, you can get mental health benefits from all types of pets. 

The following are some of the benefits these studies have shown:

  • People with pets are not as likely to suffer from depression.
  • In stressful situations, people who have pets are more likely to have lower blood pressure.
  • Playing with pets will increase the release of serotonin and dopamine in the brain which are the "feel good" chemicals of the brain. The release of these chemicals will also help you to feel more relaxed and calm.

These are just to name a few. One of the reasons for these benefits, according to studies done, is that having a pet fulfills our basic human need for touch. 

I remember hearing on the radio once about a program they were doing where they had selected certain inmates in jail to train service dogs. These dogs would be with them 24/7, even in their cells. The inmates would do all the training for the dogs.

They found that these inmates had dramatic changes in their behaviors and moods after having interaction with the dogs. 

How Dogs Can Help You Have A Healthier Lifestyle

When dealing with mental health issues, having a healthy lifestyle will help to decrease symptoms such as stress, anxiety, and depression.

#1 Provides Companionship. Having an animal to care for and that depends on us gives us the feeling of being wanted and needed. This can help take our minds off of our problems, especially if you live alone. If you're a pet owner I'm sure you talk to your pet and it's always great to come home to an animal that is happy to see you and the wagging tail.

#2 Getting Exercise. Having a dog will get you out for walks, hikes, and if you're a runner even taking your dog with you for your run. Having a dog will force you out to at least have a short walk every day. Exercise is always recommended by doctors to help with your mental health because it's proven to be effective.

#3 Reducing Your Anxiety. Having a dog can help with making you feel more comfortable and self-confident. I know that since getting my dog and always being in the moment, talking to her without judgment, I have been more social at work and less anxious about being sociable than I used to be.

#4 Giving Structure and Routine. When you have a dog, you will need to have a routine in place for feeding times as well as taking them outside for regular bathroom breaks. Having to get up to take care of your dog will get you moving and break up any temptations to just stay in bed all day.

Owning A Pet Comes With A Commitment

You will need to keep in mind what your current condition is and whether or not you're capable of committing to the care of an animal. It is a large commitment and it's ok if you're not in a place of being able to care for an animal right now. 

Also, I would recommend not getting a puppy depending on your current state of mental health if you're looking to get a dog.

I tried going with a puppy, that I had hoped to put through specific training to be a psychiatric service dog.

It was a huge mistake.

Sleep became interrupted as the puppy needed to go out during the night, the constant care, unable to train that young, teething, and so much more. I was not ready for it and I could not do it. I had to return the dog after two weeks to the breeder.

I later adopted a dog who was about 5 years old when I adopted her. She was rescued from an illegal dog meat trade in Thailand and brought here to Canada. She has been great for me. She has helped me as much as I have helped her. I honestly couldn't imagine not having her around.

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About the Creator

Richard Bailey

I enjoy writing about many different topics but my main focus is mental health, mental illness, and specifically depression. I have a long personal experience with Severe Treatment-Resistant Depression and Anxiety.

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