Mental Health Benefits Of Having A Pet

**This post was developed via a partnership with BetterHelp**

We all love them, our loyal, furry friends. Whether you’re a dog, a cat, or even a reptile person, having a pet around can have wonderful benefits for your mental health and the health of those around you. Some people have pets that are also Emotional Support Animals, or ESAs, while others have regular pets without specialised training. 

Either way, pets are great for increasing your step count, offering companionship, and reducing anxiety. As well, if you don’t have a pet yourself, you can still experience the comfort of a furry friend through animal therapy.

What is an Emotional Support Animal

An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) is a pet that gives their owner some form of therapeutic benefit. An emotional support animal could offer you simple companionship and comfort, or they could even help you with the serious symptoms of a disability or mental health condition.

While they are not considered service animals, they are also not considered to be pets and are not limited as to what kind of animal they may be as long as they are domesticated. No matter what kind of animal they are, to qualify as an ESA, they must maintain manageability in public spaces.

Unlike service animals, ESAs don’t perform specific tasks such as detecting allergens or health changes. Instead, their presence helps alleviate or comfort the symptoms of one’s mental health condition. 

For example, the companionship of an ESA may be what brightens a difficult day for someone struggling with a mental health condition or gets them outside for fresh air and activity. While both can offer a comforting presence, Emotional Support Animals differ from therapy animals in a few ways. 

Animal Therapy

What is animal therapy? Animal therapy is a type of mental health treatment that uses pets like dogs and cats (or even horses, pigs, and birds) to offer support and comforting companionship to patients. 

Therapy animals differ from Emotional Support Animals in that they are usually present in clinical spaces as opposed to one’s daily life. Therapy animals may be found in hospitals, mental health professional settings, hospices, and schools. To learn more about therapy animals, visit BetterHelp: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/therapy/what-is-animal-therapy/. 

Pets and Exercise

Having a pet, especially a dog, is also a great way to get yourself out of the house. Most pets need some kind of exercise and going out to play with them is the perfect way to get up and get active. This may look like taking the dog for a walk, throwing a ball or frisbee, running around with your cat and a cat toy, and more. Fitness and activity can help you improve your mental health and overall well-being. In turn, you ensure that the pet is happy and healthy as well.

Reducing Anxiety and other Stressful Emotions

The mere presence of a pet is always comforting. Dr. Ann Berger, a doctor and researcher, says: “Dogs are very present. If someone is struggling with something, they know how to sit there and be loving.” 

Just having your pet around when you’re feeling anxious, sad, or isolated can help lift your mood and even give you someone to talk to. As one can imagine, pets are great listeners. As silly as it may seem to stand there and tell your dog, cat, hamster, or lizard about your day, venting to your quiet listener might prove to be helpful.

Conclusions

Whether you’re looking to enlist an Emotional Support Animal, try animal therapy, or just spend time with your pet, the presence of a furry, scaly, or feathery friend can be monumental in reducing mental health condition symptoms and improving fitness, health, and mood overall.