Healing pets: the positive impact on mental health of having animals at home

Healing pets: the positive impact on mental health of having animals at home

The presence of pets can teach about responsibility, empathy and compassion. Additionally, it has significant health benefits.

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Animals in the home not only provide companionship and affection, but can also have a positive impact on the mental health and the welfare general of people. The pets offer little known benefits that improve the quality of life of their owners.

Although having dogs or cats can be very beneficial for your health, it is important to remember that the decision to introduce a pet in the family it also entails responsibilities and care requirements. Before taking the initiative, it is essential to carefully consider what owning an animal entails. In the home.

How pets impact health

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The simple act of petting an animal can have calming effects.

The simple act of petting an animal can have calming effects.

Several people shared their experience with National Geographic for an investigation carried out by the entity and they highlighted how their dog was a reliable constant after facing difficult times. Pets’ loyalty, love and desire to please leave a significant mark, thus supporting the positive effects in the mental healthaccording to NatGeo and a study of the American Psychiatric Associationwhere almost 90% of respondents reported similar benefits.

The experience and quality of life change significantly when having a pet at home. Among the established benefits is the improvement of quality of life through the interaction between the pet and its owner. For example, it has been associated that playing with a dog can boost moodby contributing to the decreased cortisol levelsthe stress hormone.

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Interaction with pets increases people's mood.

Interaction with pets increases people’s mood.

Despite these benefits, some research mentions that there is no significant difference in depression rates between pet owners and those without animal company at home. Therefore, studies continue to be carried out in order to explore the relationship between pets and the mental health.

Benefits of pets on physical health

The dogs They not only act as emotional companions, but also contribute to the Physical Health. They reduce blood pressure and the cholesterol levels thanks to the physical activity they incorporate into the lives of their owners. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. support these findings, highlighting that pet-related exercise can have positive effects on cardiovascular health.

Others positive impacts of having pets at home they are:

  • Improve children’s attention and academic performance.
  • Reduce symptoms related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
  • Relieve anxiety
  • They are a support and company for older people
  • They can relieve people suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Source: Ambito

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