Pet ownership and its impact on mental health :
Pet ownership has a significant positive impact on the mental health of their owners. There are several ways in which pets contribute to this:
– Reducing stress and anxiety: Interacting with pets is considered an effective source of reducing stress and anxiety levels. Playing with pets and receiving love and attention from them helps to alleviate stress and calm the mind.
– Improving mood and happiness: Being with your pet can make you feel comfortable, relaxed, and happy. Research shows that interacting with pets can lower stress hormone levels and increase the release of happiness hormones.
– Increasing feelings of care and affection: Pets provide unconditional love and care, which helps to enhance feelings of connection and affection.
– Enhancing social life and communication: Pets can improve social life and enhance communication with others. When you have a pet, you may attract the attention of others and engage in social interactions with other pet owners.
– Reducing feelings of loneliness: Pets can promote a sense of belonging and reduce feelings of loneliness
How does pet ownership contribute to improving children’s behavior :
Promoting responsibility and discipline .
Enhancing learning and social interaction .
Boosting self-confidence .
Conveying valuable information , such as reproduction, birth .
Alerting to psychological issues .
Pet owners often view their domestic pets as part of the family :
The bond that pet owners feel towards their animals can be deep and diverse. These feelings may include:
- Loyal companion: Pet owners see their animals as loyal companions that can be relied upon at all times.
- Feelings of love and belonging: Pet owners consider their animals as part of the family, feeling a sense of belonging and love towards them. Some even treat them like their own children, allowing them to live, eat, and play alongside them. When separated from their pets, they may feel a significant loss.
- Protection and responsibility: Pet owners feel a sense of responsibility towards their animals and strive to protect and care for them well .
General health benefits of bonding with pets include :
– Improved mental and emotional health.
– Reduced risk of heart disease and high blood pressure.
– Motivation for physical activity and improved fitness.
– Enhanced immune system.
Dr. Fahda Bawazeer
