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Support Dogs Help Reduce Stress and Loneliness

Animal therapy is a growing field that uses dogs or other animals to help people recover from health problems or to better cope with them.

By Simon DupreePublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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Emotional support animals (ESA) can make a profound difference in the ways we deal with social problems. Anxiety, chronic stress, and alienation are common negative side effects of hectic lifestyles and busy, overwhelming schedules. Support dogs are assistant animals whose task is to provide comfort and emotional relief for those who have difficulties expressing themselves and dealing with inner problems.

Sometimes even taking care of a dog can give you a sense of purpose and positive responsibility, which is oftentimes enough to make us feel better about ourselves. Dogs are the perfect companions, man’s best friend, and they never fail to boost our mood and cheer us up in times of distress.

Here are interesting ways in which a dog’s company can ease our mental and emotional turmoil in the long run.

A SUPPORT DOG IS THERE FOR YOU—NEVER FEEL ALONE AGAIN

People suffering from mental illnesses, such as chronic depression, ASD, or ADHD often struggle to accomplish everyday tasks due to the stress that social encounters bring. This commonly leads to isolation and alienation from human contact and people find themselves feeling alone and misunderstood.

Support dogs prove to be of great assistance to patients who can’t seem to develop social relationships. Keeping a dog requires constant care and takes up a lot of time; however, it’s a multi-directional relationship that can give you a sense of achievement and fulfillment. Taking a dog for a walk, petting, grooming, and just spending time with one gives you a sense of obligation. Dogs are very affectionate beings; although they are not able to talk back, their expression, posture, and movement are very expressive, and very often they can communicate what they want, need, like, and don’t like. It’s like having a loyal friend with soft fur and four legs.

Furthermore, dog parenting triggers other changes, such as more socializing and improved physical activity that are very much important for mood elevating and increasing self-esteem. The more you go out, the more you’ll have a chance of meeting new people; for example, other canine enthusiasts who enjoy the same things you do.

SPEND TIME WITH DOGS AND REDUCE STRESS AND ANXIETY

Emotional outbursts, meltdowns, and panic attacks are common in people suffering from mental disorders. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), for example, can be a cause of chronic anxiety and restlessness in children who have problems expressing themselves.

Dogs love patterns, structure, repetition, and sequences, which is what autistic children need and react well to in cognitive therapy. Support dogs provide comfort and a chance for the child to shift their attention from restlessness, agitation, and negative behavior to soothing tasks, such as brushing fur, playing fetch, or just stroking and petting.

A dog’s nature is simple, straightforward, and predictable. A dog will never start a fight, criticize, or give orders. No matter what, he or she will wag its tail and offer a wet nose as a sign of consolidation and understanding. Spending some alone time with a support dog can be an efficient therapeutic technique for dealing with negative emotions. When stressed and overwhelmed, take a long walk with your dog in nature. Cherish his presence and appreciate his love and devotion. There’s no better way of boosting your mood and coping with emotional arousal.

REGAIN SENSE OF PURPOSE AND FULFILLMENT WITH DOG’S LOVE

Part of dealing with clinical depression includes finding a sense of belonging, purpose, and self-worth. Keeping a dog involves a lot of responsibility, persistence, and discipline. When you take care of another being, you invest your time and love in order to create a good life for an animal.

Making sure the animal is fed, hydrated, and properly exercised creates a positive routine for the patient and is something that he or she can feel proud of. The more effort and detail you put into this dog-man relationship, the more satisfied and important you’ll feel. It can turn into a relaxing, creative routine.

Properly nurturing a canine is something to get informed about. There’s an abundance of websites, like Totally Goldens and other dog-related resources, that offer a lot of useful tips and facts about different dog breeds, dog needs, grooming techniques, and much more. We forget how giving and putting some effort into something actually feels good. People are designed to help and give, it’s a natural process that creates a sense of achievement and purpose.

Animal therapy assistance grows more and more as an option for treating emotional and mental problems. Support dogs can sometimes be a replacement for medication and even conventional cognitive therapy. There’s something about dogs that make people get back to more simple, natural ways of dealing with inner struggles. This is why their loving nature and infinite devotion will always be cherished and recognized as having therapeutic value.

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