Owning pets can be both blissful and stressful at the same time with highs including moments like your dog excitedly greeting you or your cat purring during cuddles and lows encompassing stressful vet visits, dealing with pet illnesses, and making tough decisions due to medical or behavioral issues. Acknowledging the stress pets can cause is important for mental health. Research indicates that both cats and dogs can positively impact mental well-being.
How pets can enrich our lives
Pets can help reduce stress, anxiety, and feelings of being overwhelmed, including in children. They also improve well-being by giving people a sense of purpose and responsibility.
While media often highlights the benefits of pet ownership, the challenges are less frequently discussed. Some studies suggest that pets might worsen mental health issues or cause sleep problems. Whether adopting or buying, pets can bring a wide range of emotions into our lives. Research indicates that pets can even positively impact non-pet owners around them.
Pets bring numerous benefits to their owners, according to research. They offer continuous companionship, which is especially valuable for older adults. During the early COVID-19 pandemic, there was a notable increase in pet adoptions, helping many people cope with stay-at-home orders and quarantines.
Animal assisted therapy improves symptoms of neurological disorders
Research suggests that owning a dog can alleviate loneliness and enhance social interactions. Dogs can make their owners appear more approachable, fostering connections with others. Pets, particularly dogs, facilitate socializing and bonding among people, whether at a dog park or a cat café. Additionally, animals, including pets, are utilized in detecting medical symptoms like seizures, contributing to improved symptom management and quality of life in various conditions such as anxiety disorders, autism, and neurological disorders.
Pet ownership has its benefits but also brings stressors. A survey revealed that nearly half of Americans experience separation anxiety when leaving their dogs alone. Moreover, many pet owners decline social invitations to avoid leaving their pets behind, and a majority prefer remote work to stay with their pets. Additionally, pet owners worry about their pets falling ill, getting lost, or accidentally causing harm.
