Managing Stress in the Modern World: The Unexpected Role of Pets in Relieving Mental Health Struggles

a woman with a dog

When you’re stressed, your mind and body are constantly on high alert or in flight-or-fight mode. You are constantly in a state that expects something bad to happen, which is why hormones like cortisol, adrenaline, prolactin, and insulin are elevated.

These hormones are essential for acute stress responses, but when the stress becomes chronic, there’s a high risk they’ll activate health problems like anxiety, depression, heart disease, and metabolic disorders. 

As a result, your sleep, physical activity, and mental fortitude will suffer. 

If you’re already feeling stressed just by reading these lines, then it’s time to start talking about ways to manage stress and keep everything at an acceptable level. 

Today, we’ll focus on just one method: pets and their effect on our mental well-being.

How Pets Positively Influence Mental Health

Wagging tails, soft purrs, melodic cooing, or silky scales can be the reason why you feel the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders when you get home after work. 

A pet, regardless of its shape, is a living and breathing being that’s happy to see you. They’ve been waiting for your arrival all day and can’t wait to share their joy and energy with your battered self.

There’s nothing more calming than stroking the fur of your dog or inhaling your cat (not literally, of course)! And it’s not just a feeling – we have scientific evidence that interacting with pets helps lower our stress levels in significant ways.

According to Dr. Patricia Pendry, an expert in human-animal interactions at Washington State University, brief petting animal sessions significantly lower physiological stress markers like heart rate and cortisol production. 

Simply put, when you interact with your beloved pet(s), your brain releases oxytocin, also called the “bonding hormone,” because it promotes feelings of love and trust. At the level of brain chemistry, this interaction lowers cortisol levels, which is one of the hormones responsible for stress responses.

But that’s not all. Regular time spent with animals also reduces loneliness by offering companionship that feels unconditional. 

Plus, pets help you stay grounded in the moment. They request attention, need caring for, and want to spend time with you. So there’s no time to doomscroll or build up negative scenarios about the future.

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs): What Sets Them Apart

girl and her dog in the sunset

If you don’t already have a pet you share an emotional bond with and you want one to help you stay grounded, you should consider an emotional support animal.

ESAs are regular pets (no special training) with a sweet demeanor that are well-behaved and do not display aggressive behavior. Their main job is to offer comfort through their presence, which can help mitigate various mental health issues. 

To get an ESA, you have to obtain an ESA letter from a mental health professional. The process is fairly simple and non-invasive.

The ESA letter is a confirmation that you have a mental or emotional disability that benefits from the support of an animal. This is an official document that grants you certain rights under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), including living with your ESA in housing that typically has a “no pets” policy.

Important note: ESAs are not service animals and do not have access rights to public places (e.g., restaurants or stores).

Fun Activities To Do With Your Pet(s)

Whether you have an ESA or a regular pet, you must find ways to interact with them and strengthen your bond. Of course, feeding and caring for their needs is part of the deal (like it or not), so we won’t include them in the list of fun activities.

Here are some ways to bond with your pet and keep both of you happy:

Walks in Nature

Studies show that walking outdoors reduces cortisol levels, boosts mood, and helps clear mental clutter. If you have a forest nearby or a park, you’re in luck! Our brain loves to see the color green in nature and enjoys birds singing.

Plus, you don’t need a dog for a walk in nature – almost every pet can learn to enjoy a walk now and then.

Play Therapy

Playtime, especially if it’s with someone you love, is therapeutic! 

Take a few minutes to throw a ball for your dog or dangle a piece of twine in front of your cat, and you’ll see how fun it can be. Of course, cats and dogs are not the only species who enjoy playtime – birds and lizards can also be quite playful!

Turn Grooming Time into Mindfulness Practice

Whether brushing your dog’s furry coat or cleaning your lizard’s scales, grooming is a perfect opportunity for bonding and slowing down. You have to focus on what you’re doing and make sure your pooch doesn’t escape the bathtub so there’s no more room for negative thoughts.

Wrap Up

So there you have it. Pets offer more than companionship. They give you unconditional love and focused attention, so the only right thing to do is give back what you receive. Pets keep you grounded, improve your mood, and foster a lasting sense of emotional well-being in modern life.

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