We Idahoans love our pets. Animals align nicely with the landscape and climate here. It should come as no surprise that Idaho is the state that is home to the fifth-highest percentage of households with pets in the United States. According to World Population Review, which provided the previous statistic, Idaho has the highest dog ownership rate in the country at 58.3 percent of households. It’d be interesting to see how many people here think about the connection between pets and mental health, especially this week.
We mention this week in particular because it’s Pet Appreciation Week, or PAW as it’s commonly known. While people all over Idaho celebrate their pets basically every day, this is a week to take some time and appreciate all that our animals provide us. Aside from the obvious companionship and other benefits we enjoy from having pets, they give us humans a lot of other gifts as well.
One of those is what most people consider to be a direct link between pets and mental health. Below we’re going to break down that link. We’ll also offer some suggestions as to how you can maximize that benefit if you’re not doing so already. Meantime, if you’re struggling with mental illness, you should feel free to contact us at any time so we can help you find the right resource for your situation.
Pets and Mental Health: The Link – Or Links
Before getting into the specifics of just how pets and mental health are linked, we’d like to discuss how lifestyles affect people’s mental health. We already understand that things like exercise and mental health are linked. The same holds true with diet and mental health, and sleep is always relevant to someone’s overall mental state. How you live is a critical factor in our overall health status, physical and mental.
It should hardly come as a surprise, then, that owning a pet or pets provides several lifestyle benefits. Pets increase our activity levels. They lead us outside more often than we would likely be outdoors otherwise, and nature and mental health are also closely linked. Finally, owning pets offers someone a sense of community with other pet owners. If you own a dog and you tend to walk in the same paths, do you often see the same people and say hello? That’s a community that you’re a part of, and as we’ve discussed, avoiding loneliness is also a benefit to your mental health.
Pets almost force us to live a certain way. For example, every dog owner can think of at least one time when they dragged themselves out of bed or off the couch because their furry friend needed that daily walk. All pet owners have experienced times when they were feeling down, only to be soothed and comforted by their pets. In short, they matter, and they make a big difference.
Pets and Stress
Everyone understands that while stress is present in everyone’s life, it’s important to manage it as carefully as possible. Too much stress for too long can lead to dire consequences that include mental illnesses, heart attacks, strokes and other serious situations. The more we reduce stress, the more we benefit, both physically and mentally.
One of the biggest proponents of stress management out there, not surprisingly, is the American Heart Association. The group published an article that details the benefits that pet ownership can have on stress. The AHA listed five ways:
- Work-related stress: Stress from work is extremely prevalent. Nearly half of all American workers state that stress from their jobs is so extreme that it interferes with their overall health. Pets in the workplace can significantly reduce stress and improve the overall morale of the workforce.
- Increased productivity: One of the sources of stress in the workplace is the feeling that people are not getting enough done. Pets in this environment have been shown to improve productivity, thereby increasing the positive feelings people enjoy on a regular basis.
- Reduction in anxiety – Study after study has shown that the presence of pets helps people enjoy a decrease in anxiety. The feelings of companionship and love are powerful allies against this difficult condition.
- Increased activity – As stated above, people who are more physically active tend to face a lower risk for mental illness. Those who are suffering from mental health problems tend to improve when they increase their overall activity levels.
- Togetherness – Millions of people view their pets as family members. That level of love and loyalty is something countless people lean on when they are having a difficult time with other aspects of life.
Finally, on a practical level, pet owners have to be organized. They need to manage their pets’ schedules that include feedings, exercise, play and general attention among other things. Organizing your life helps minimize the feelings of chaos and hopelessness that have always been tied to mental illness. Living for others who need us to perform for them brings us outside of ourselves and prompts us to keep moving forward, regardless of how we may be feeling.
How SoCal Empowered of Idaho Can Help
We have helped countless people bring the fight to mental illness over the years. One thing that we’ve learned is that pets and mental health are intertwined. A large number of people who we have worked with have pets, and they always look forward to going home to see them when they are ready to get back into life with a happier and healthier outlook.
If you are ready to take on what troubles you, then you need to contact us right away. We are able to help people find the resources they need to get that all-important help, so reach out to us today to get started.
