Mental Health and Pets


Pets can provide you with a great source of comfort and unconditional love

According to the Mental Health Foundation, a survey of 600 people said that 87% of respondents felt that owning a cat gave them a positive impact on their wellbeing and 76% felt like cats helped them cope with everyday life. A third of respondents felt like stroking a cat was a calming and helpful activity. Owning a pet is a great way to reduce stress and anxiety as well as making you feel valued.

Pets can encourage their owners to get some fresh air by going out for a walk to get exercise which helps for those with depression. Doing simple tasks like stroking your pet, playing with your pet, or just sitting down with your pet on the bed or the couch can help you feel calm and relax your mind. Pets will always make sure you are needed to fulfill needs of their own whether it is to feed them, walk them, play with them, or just to be in the same room as them. Pets need to be loved just as much as their owner.

When you give your dog a walk, it will help you become social as you will be able to run into other owners who are walking their dogs as well. You might be inspired to want to get together with friends and walk your dogs together. Especially when you are older and live alone, pets can make you feel safe and it is someone to share the day with. Dogs can help relieve stress such as with Alzheimer patients who have fewer anxious outbursts when they are with their dogs.

Children with ADHD can benefit from having a pet as well when taking care of their pet will teach them about planning and responsibility. Playing with a pet will help the child release their excess energy, making them more relaxed later in the day and calmer at night. Children with ADHD will also be able to concentrate better when playing with their pet will increase oxygen-filled blood flow to the brain. Pets can also be a great listener and will not care if the child has too much energy. Pets will make you feel like you have a purpose in life to make sure your pet is healthy and happy with you as your pet will always need you.

Castle Craig is one of the most established and respected addiction rehab centers in the UK. Castle Craig provides consulting psychiatrists who diagnose associated mental illnesses like anxiety states, depression, ADD, PTSD, eating disorders, compulsive gambling, and compulsive relationships. For information, call our 24 hour free confidential phone-line: 01721 546 263. From outside the UK please call: +44 808 271 7500 (normal charges apply).

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