I have had pets for my entire life. From cats and dogs to hamsters and frogs, horses and goats, rabbits and Guinea pigs…. My life has been full of a wide range of animals. It’s no secret that it has been said for a long time that pets help with depression. Emotional Support Animals are becoming more and more common.
Surprisingly, what the research shows is regarding depression and having pets is not that clear. Studies have been conflicting. Some have showed that people with pets were overall happier (in many cases not by much!) while others showed that people with pets are MORE likely to suffer from depression. As a life long pet owner and someone who has worked in the veterinary field for nearly as long, I found this interesting to learn. As someone who has also likely struggled with depression my entire life, this is less shell shocking than it sounds initially.
My parents almost never get along when I was growing up. In fact, around 5pm everyday, just before my father came home, my mom would be very easily angered and clearly stressed. During this time of the day, I would always go out and sit with the goats and the ducks and feed them crackers or something. It made me feel happier and kept me out of the way of unwarranted anger towards me. Did being with the animals change what was going on with my mom and the stress around being around her? Of course not. But it DID give me something to do to stay out of the way and make me smile. I can’t count the number of times I’ve buried my head in one of my dogs or rabbits or goats to have a hard cry.
Just like anything else out there, animals cannot cure depression, but they without a doubt help during times of stress and those really dark cloud days. And there are chemical and biological changes seen in people when they are around animals. Interacting with animals has been shown to decrease levels of a stress hormone called cortisol in the body. It has also been shown to lower blood pressure. In fact, I would say that people who tend to be depressed probably gravitate towards having animals or being close with animals. It’s so much easier than feeling the need to rely on or talk to people…. Which is particularly hard when you can’t crawl out from under the rock you are desperately seeking comfort under on the hardest days.
Most people simply think of dogs and cats when someone mentions a pet, but, like people, pets come in all shapes and sizes and colors and textures and with all different needs. And there are rescues all over the world with reptiles and rabbits and birds and mice and rats and farm animals searching for homes. If you don’t know what might work out for you, offer to foster and take an animal home for a few days, a weekend, or a month! You may discover a new hobby and something that really makes you happy. A website called PetFinder is a great place to look! It is a website that allows shelters and rescues from all over to post what animals they have available. I myself have adopted dogs, cats, rabbits, and even ducks from this site!
If you can’t have a pet, studies have shown that interacting with someone else’s pet can also be very beneficial. Maybe you can petsit for a friend or start a business! Interacting with animals has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure. Other studies have found that animals can reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support, and boost your mood. Just having a happy face to wake up to, care for, and cuddle with could be everything in a person’s life.
If you have questions or decide to try it out, please let us know!
