MENTAL HEALTH

Pets & Mental Health: Puppy Therapy Is Real.

The value of having a pet is no doubt recognised, with many a puppy having its own Facebook/Instagram account and cat memes dominating the internet. We like to 'ooh' and 'ahh' and dress them up in tiny coats - and whilst some may ridicule, perhaps this behaviour is more beneficial than originally realised.

Researh published in BMC Psychiatry suggests that it's time for doctors and mental health professionals to start seeing pets as a viable source of support - known as 'puppy therapy'. It has been shown that as well as generally being good for our well-being, pets can help patients with long-term mental health problems and this benefit has been noted in the past, but has been overlooked by professionals, with mainstream psychiatry largely ignoring the positive outcomes.

This current study asked 54 participants with long-standing mental health problems {like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder} to prioritise the aspects of their life that helped them cope. Pets were generally placed in the first or second 'circle of support'.

Although the research is promising and shows pets to be an important part of managing mental illnesses, it must be noted that this is a very small study and research needs to be replicated and findings extrapolated for it to be deemed as reliable.

Participants were also interviewed and here are some of the comments:

A participant who owned two cats:  "When you just want to sink into a pit and just sort of retreat from the entire world, they force me, the cats force me to sort of still be involved with the world"

Another talked about how walking his dog each morning forced him to get out of the house and into a daily routine.

"[Pets] don't look at the scars on your arms, or they don't question things, and they don't question where you've been."

It's hard to say how the pets help, but it has been suggested that they reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness when people are struggling to relate to the world. They also help people cope with the stigma of being mentally ill by providing acceptance without judgement and can take the place of a support system not being provided by the family or other social standings.

This research is a well-needed step in the right direction and whilst it not may be seen as serious or scientific, there is no denying that pets are an uncredited resource for many mentally ill people.

Future research will focus on what kind of contact with their pets is most beneficial for patients and this also involves making sure the needs of pets are considered too - it is highly important that anyone thinking about investing in a pet ensures that they have the capacity to take care of it for it's entire lifespan.

It seems that the advantages of having pets are already being taken into account in some cases. In the US the Congress is now recognising the benefit of specifically trained dogs as part of the treatment for PTSD, extensive research is currently being carried out in both the US and Canada. Dogs are able to draw out even the most isolated people, and through engaging with a dog veterans are able to overcome emotional numbness {a symptom of PTSD}. Through training a dog, veterans develop new ways to communicate without anger or paranoia. Also in some research, it was shown that veterans were also able to sleep again knowing a dog was looking out for them. By bonding with a dog emotionally veterans feel more able to be out in the world, to engage, as they can focus on the dog and through research it is known that this bond can release oxytocin in the brain, a chemical linked with trust.

On the whole, it seems that puppy therapy won't be prescribed in the foreseeable future, but at least it is now being considered as a viable option to treat mentally ill people.

Thanks a lot for reading, a cute and cuddly LTAC for you!

- thefineideayoucrave