Welcome back to our blog! May is Mental Health Awareness Month so we thought we could talk about all the ways a pet can improve our mental health. To be sure, owning a pet is not as simple as getting a cat or a dog; you must have extra time, money, and love you can spend on your new best friend. Additionally, pets can be stressful, negatively affecting your mental health. All of this to say that a good amount of planning and self evaluation must be taken into consideration before getting a pet.
Mental Health is incredibly important for everyone. We all have experienced certain times when our mentality has not been the best, but I can say personally that having a pet has positively affected my life. Anytime I get anxious or stressed out, I always have my furry friend to bring me back to the ground; reminding me what is important. Pets can have such a great affect on your life, in many ways.
One way a dog can help your mental health is getting you to go outside. Most bigger dogs have to go out rather frequently to go to the bathroom. And, specifically in my case and many others, I have to go outside with my dog since I live in an apartment. I notice that once I do go outside, my mood and outlook immediately changes. If you want to go even further, run or play with your dog outside. It gives both you and your pet exercise, keeping you physically and mentally healthy.
A pet can also give you some additional companionship. Caring for an animal really makes me feel like I am making a difference everyday. Additionally, when I am all alone, I can always talk to my pet. Does my dog understand what I am saying? Probably not. But the connection we have goes beyond comprehension.
Building off that, pets can boost self-esteem. Pets will listen to you, offer unconditional love, and will never criticize you. No matter what happens, your pet will always love you. Anytime I get stressed out about life, I always try to remember that fact and it always makes me feel so much better.
I hope you have enjoyed this blog, and make sure to check in with yourself on a regular basis to see how your mental health is doing. If you need any help, please click this link, https://www.mentalhealth.gov/get-help/immediate-help. And as always, if you ever need anyone to talk to, please feel free to reach out to us!
Thanks again for reading this week’s blog, and we hope you have a great rest of your week!
source: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/a-to-z/p/pets-and-mental-health
Logan Martinez
COO of CanTastic and Trysk Solutions.
