Seeking Mental Health Help: Have You Thought About Getting A Dog?
Mental health problems are always difficult to deal with. Unlike physical illness, these conditions tend to be more complex.
If you’re physically ill, a simple check-up or tests like X-rays or physical examinations can easily reveal what’s wrong with you. However, when it comes to the matter of the mind and one’s mental well-being, things are not as simple.
When you’re dealing with mental health problems, your best bet is to visit a therapist multiple times till you have yourself sorted out. Therapy, along with prescribed medication, can go a long way in helping one deal with their mental health problems. However, sometimes, there are other ways through which you can work on your mental wellbeing. One such approach is getting yourself a dog.
Don’t take it otherwise, though. We are, in no way, saying that getting a dog is the same as going to therapy or seeking help from a professional therapist. However, for a short-term solution, you can get yourself a dog to boost your mental well-being.
5 Ways a Dog Can Help You Improve Your Mental Health
A recent study suggests that therapy dogs in emergency rooms can help people experience less pain after their procedures. Cleveland Clinic psychologist Jane Manno echoes a similar sentiment saying that being around animals like dogs can help release positive neurotransmitters in our brains, which in turn reduces blood pressure and allows us to better control our stress.
This is not just the case for therapy dogs. Regular dogs can help too.
Here are five ways dogs can help you improve your mental health.
1. Providing Companionship
Dogs are great company. They are playful, will always be around, and enjoy spending time with their human parents. Take Terrier breeds as an example. There are various types Of Terrier dogs, including the Airedale Terrier, Scottish Terrier, Irish Terrier, Jack Russell Terrier, West Highland White Terrier, and Welsh Terrier, to name a few. All kinds of Terrier dogs are friendly; some more than others.
According to the iBorderTerrier.com blog, most Terrier dog breeds are intelligent, active, and well-behaved. Their presence around the house can liven up the place, making you feel less lonely even if you have no one else living with you. This also goes for breeds other than the Terrier. Such companionship helps drive away the loneliness that can cause one’s mental health to deteriorate.
2. Alleviating the Impact of Anxiety and Depression
When you engage with a dog, especially in a therapeutic setting, your experience of PTSD symptoms like anxiety and depression will reduce over time. At the same time, you’ll also experience fewer flashbacks to traumatic events.
Dogs can often sense panic in their owners or pet parents. In such a situation, they come in and can help you become self-aware of the situation should you start to dissociate. They have a calming presence and can help you regulate your emotions somewhat, which can help lower your stress levels to some extent.
3. Keeping Your Physically Active
Dogs like Golden Retrievers and Terriers are physically active. That means if you have one of these dogs at home, you’ll have to take them out for walks, hikes, and runs. At the same time, you’ll have to play catch or fetch with them. In doing so, you, too, get a lot of physical exercises done, which can help boost your mind, keep you physically fit, and ensure sound mental health.
Numerous studies show that dog owners are more likely to meet the daily exercise requirements for an adult. Exercising in such a manner will get your mood off of things that worry you and will also broaden your perspective to a good extent.
4. Meeting New People
When you take your dog out for walks, you’re bound to bump into other pet parents along the way. As you do so regularly, you’re likely to develop friendships with these people and even their pets.
Meeting new people, especially those who are like-minded, will give you a lot of new things to look forward to. From walking your dogs together to going out for a quick coffee, these new encounters will work wonders for your mental health.
The Final Verdict
Having said all that, the question remains – can dogs cure your mental health problems? The answer is sadly a no, but that doesn’t mean dogs can’t help improve your mental health condition.
With a dog around the house, you’re bound to feel better both physically and mentally. This will help reduce your anxiety, stress, and depression. For a bit more than that, you must visit a therapist.
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