Choosing to adopt a pet is a huge life commitment. When you adopt a pet, you say that you are willing to care for another creature for the rest of its life. Adopting a pet requires time, patience, energy, and money. However, the benefits that you get in return far outweigh any expense on your part, especially when discussing the mental health benefits.
The Ways Pets Can Improve Mental Health
When people think about getting a pet, they may think about the effort it takes to care for the animal. You will need to take the dog out on a walk. You will need to make sure that your cat has a modern cat litter box that they can use. In return, your pet can make you feel good.
Dog owners can attest that there are few things as enjoyable as being greeted by your dog at the door. Your dog doesn’t care who you are, what you have done, or where you have been. As long as you feed them and treat them well, they give you unconditional love and acceptance.
The same thing is true of cats. Cats sometimes have a bad reputation. People see cats as being uncaring and disinterested. However, just the opposite is true. When you talk to pet owners, they will tell you that if they are away for vacation for a while and then they return home, their cat is so happy to see them.
All of these benefits may seem antidotal. However, science shows that there are real-world benefits to owning pets. They help improve the health of your heart, and pets can help reduce your stress and your anxiety.
Enjoying the Companionship of a Pet
If you live with a pet, you have someone with you all the time when you are at home. Pet owners do not feel as alone when compared to people who do not have pets. Pets connect you with the people around you. For example, if you have a dog and you go for a walk or go to the dog park, you are likely to connect with your neighbors and other people in your community.
The companionship that you get from a pet is a mood booster. Did you know that just looking at a pet has been shown to make people happy? Studies have proven that eye contact with a dog, for example, releases hormones that make a person feel cared for. This hormone is called oxytocin. People refer to it as the love hormone. When your body releases it, you have an immediate boost in your mood.
Improve Your Routines through Pet Ownership
Owning a pet requires you to think outside of yourself. This is good for your mental well-being. As a pet owner, you must take care of your pet’s needs every single day. You have to feed your pet, groom your pet, and ensure that it gets sufficient exercise.
For individuals battling mental health challenges, like anxiety or depression, having a predictable routine and stability can be beneficial for their mental health. It offers a feeling of control. Having a pet is even good for the mental well-being of children. When children take care of pets, they develop a sense of responsibility. The feeling of commitment that children develop through pet ownership carries on into their adult life and positively helps them with other relationships.
Although there is no scientific explanation for the exact mechanism behind it, pet owners can attest that being around their pet is a great way to de-stress. One reason could be that being around pets lowers cortisol levels. Cortisol is the stress hormone the body produces to trigger a fight or flight reaction.
Dog owners have overall better health than their non-dog owning counterparts. This is because dog owners get more exercise. They take the dog out on a walk regularly. Even if they don’t take the dog on a walk, they are chasing around the little critter as it is running through the home.
Conclusion
The power of owning a pet on your mental health cannot be understated. Owning a pet is a rewarding relationship. You add value to the life of your pet, and they enhance the quality of your life.
