Got any mental health problems? Welcome, my friend. As someone who has struggled with my fair share of those, I hear you. You might have heard that pets are good for mental health, but are unsure whether to get one. Could this help you or your loved ones struggling with anxiety or depression? We are basing this article on experiences of those who’ve been on the same boat as you, as well as scientific research. Let’s hear what they all have to say.
Both anecdotal experiences and scientific research agree that pets improve one’s mental health because they:
- provide you with companionship and help you not feel alone or lonely
- are entertaining and funny
- make you go out for regular walks
- help you be disciplined and have a healthy routine
- give you a a sense of purpose and importance
- give you a wish to live
- increase your willpower
- give you love
- help you feel safe
- relax and calm you down
- relieve anxiety and depression
- ground you
- make you happy
- teach you responsibilities
- boost feel-good hormones in your brain
- make it easier to get things done
- help you get out of your head and change your focus
- make it easier to meet other people and even make friends
- get you to be more physically active, which is always good for your mental health
- teach you to be more playful
This list is so long! How is it possible that this one being can make such a huge difference in your life? Let’s study this more.
My Pets-for-Mental-Health Story
When I got my dog, I was in a state of severe depression and anxiety. I had stopped leaving my house, and could barely manage to get out once in a week or 10 days. I rarely took showers, brushed my teeth and my family had to put food in front of me so I could eat.
Now I am not telling you that getting my dog somehow made all this problems magically go away. No quick solution here. The truth is, I was so depressed that checking the YouTube videos with Dog Whisperer to train my dog was out of the question. And, now I have a misbehaved dog who listens to me only when he feels like it.
How Pets Helps With Mental Health:
1. You have someone to go out with who helps you get out of your head
I currently live in a small town, where I do not meet a lot of like-minded people. Or pretty much any people for that matter. Now that I feel better, I want to go out every now and then. I rarely have anyone to go out for a drink with. In my country, there’s a popular rock song lyric, which I will loosely translate as:
“Life is not grey if you have someone to drink a beer with, then it’s ok.”
So, according to our rock singer, my life gets pretty gray around here.
What I do then? I go out with my dog Mika!
Sure, we don’t have deep conversations, I can’t tell him how I feel or how my day was. But, he does take my head off things. When you are depressed or anxious, no matter how hard you try, it can be real hard to let go off those feelings and thoughts just by going for a walk. What happens with me is that all those thoughts I had while I was at home I just bring with me into my walk. And that’s a big bummer. I even take them to a spa, also known as a place of relaxation. Do I relax there? Maybe. But I still end up being in my head. So, Mika does that well for me, he gets me out of my head.
Also, the fact that he can’t talk might not be so bad. Normally, a friend would ask me how I am, and that would make things only worse for me – I’d just go down my rabbit hole. I really think people should be more sensitive with their how are yous. Don’t ask if you’re not ready to receive. With Mika I don’t have to pretend I’m okay, I can just be however I am.
2. You HAVE to go for walks
We all know just how important it is to go for walks. And we also know just how much you might not feel like it if you’re struggling with mental health. But have no fear, your pet is here! Especially if your pet lives at home with you, you simply have to take him out to do its thing. Several times a day. So, this is your obligatory walk, come rain or come shine. Great for discipline and developing healthy habits. On some days you will go out to the park nearby, on others you will walk a bit more. Either way some fresh air is guaranteed.
3. You meet people more
In my small town, passers-by normally wouldn’t say a word to me. Now they approach to pet Mika, ask me about him, share stories about their own pets and so on. Even if they don’t talk to me directly, but to Mika only, we still have a small positive social exchange. They tell him “Oh, you are so cute!” and I smile. This little smile often goes a long way to changing my state of mind. A few more of those, and I can often sense how my mind shifts. Nothing too big, no huge mood changes, but good enough.
And also I have lots of friends who told me that with getting a dog, they started meeting and talking to other dog owners in dog parks. And they actually made new friends whom they now meet on a daily basis because they all have to walk their dogs!
4. Helps when you are alone or feel lonely
With Mika, I feel like I’m not alone or lonely. (We wrote A LOT about loneliness here and how meditation and yoga have a number of ways to help you cope. Try it! It works.) I am not wandering around by myself, I am walking my dog. It gives me a sense of purpose when I feel a bit lost in the town.
5. You engage in sporty activities
I’ll be honest, my dog is too playful. So, I rarely have the energy or the willpower to move and run so much. Still, every now and then, Mika cheats me into throwing branches and running after him. Running definitely helps as I can feel the stale energy in my body move around and get released. Especially in the chest area. Now, I’d never decide to run, I hate running as a sports activity. But a little bit of sneaky unexpected racing, that I can do. Perhaps you’re like me? If so, get a pet!
6. You have someone to hug
This is a big deal. Not sure about your culture, but people are not so much into hugging around here. Even if I do get a hug from my parents, it usually lasts a few seconds and that’s it. And it’s normally accompanied by some chit chat, because they are just not used to it.
Mika I can hug as much as I want! He’s very huggable. Also, he loves to cuddle. So, that helps me a lot. And you might have heard just how important hugging is, with all those good hormones being released.
7. You get to be playful
A friend once told me that when he was sad, his dog would sense his sadness, approach him and snuggle with him. I tried that with my dog once, I told him about what bugged me and I even cried. He didn’t pay attention. He just kept jumping at me, asking me to play.
That’s when I got it. There are other more fun ways to communicate with Mika. I can roar, growl, whine, and bark. How many people can you do this with without them thinking you’re crazy?
And also, dancing. You can dance with your pet. How silly is that? Moreover, dancing is an incredibly powerful way to improve your mental health. And it’s been around since the dawn of mankind. We wrote more about how dance therapy helps with mental health here.
Also, a fun way to get two for the price of one is to practice cinema therapy with your pet. We wrote more about cinema therapy for mental health and how it works here. Simply, sit on your couch, turn on a movie that resonates with your present situation and enjoy cuddling with your pet at the same time.
I personally, love being playful and goofing around. And I also enjoy expressing my animal side. I always felt words are pretty limited and that there are way coolers ways to express yourself. I’ve found that growling at Mika when he is being naughty helps me a lot. It helps me release something I’m holding back – all those suppressed emotions that were unwelcome by the society and other people. And I am sure that if I googled, I’d found a meditation retreat that does just that, gets people to growl at each other. They would have a grand philosophy behind it, as in “Making animal sounds helps us come into contact with our primal being, etc.” And I’m pretty sure they’d be right.
8. A pet makes it easier for you to get things done
Getting things done certainly does improve one’s mood. Plus it gives us that sense of accomplishment when you tick off things that need doing. Actually science has shown that when we accomplish a task, this releases dopamine in your brain, the feel-good hormone related to feeling excitement, motivation and concentration.
When you’re really struggling with mental health, it can be very hard to get things done. When you’re down there, like way down, any accomplishment you can have is huge. So, spending time with your pet might give you that dopamine rush because that’s one thing you intended to do and you did it! Well done! It might seem insignificant, but believe me it’s NOT.
So, this was my story about pets and mental health. Not to make this a subjective one-person’s-point-of-view post, we went on to ask others who have struggled with mental health how pets have helped them cope. Here’s what they said:
Can Pets Help with Mental Health – Our Research
We reached out to the helpful members of the Facebook group Mental Health Support And Friendly Chat. There is over 12,000 members on that group and over 15 of them answered to my post, which was:
“Did getting a pet help you with your mental health struggles? If yes, how? Thank you.”
Here are the answers we got:
KW: When I made a choice to live alone in the countryside, the first thing I did was to look for a pet. Because I know deep down I can’t make it on my own without some kind of companionship. My cat stays with me all the time, makes me feel relaxed, happy and most of all, does not make me feel alone. I think I can only get this unconditional love from a pet.
EA: I find having my pets does help at times when my cats come and lay with me and have a fuss its relaxing and calming 
MEB: It makes me feel I’m not alone and my guinea pig gives kisses and cat gives cute purrs.
DK: Absolutely it gives me a purpose to get up and live every day.
RD: Absolutely, my wee cat Serabi has been my lifeline in my darkest moments. She is the routine I never forget and the cuddles I need in the dark. Wouldn’t be without her 
AM: My fur babies are my children.
KEH: Yes. Makes me get up on days I don’t want to. Companionship. My dog is always up to something so keeps me entertained.
KC: Omg yesss!!! My Cooper is my life saver. He Literally saved me. Just by being there and feeling the love 
BGS: Yes. Company so you don’t feel alone in the house and at times they are comic relief. My male cat is ridiculous at times. Kind of a brat too. He plays fetch. The female cat likes to play hide and seek with me. They are fun.
CT: They were a well-grounded reality and a stable responsibility.
LP: 10000% This was my baby girl! I got her at 8 weeks old. She was everything. Because of her I was able to go back to work, able to go into stores (she went everywhere but work with me). She was a lifesaver! She passed unexpectedly at 9 months old and it literally torn me to pieces. To the point I quit my job, couldn’t get out of bed for a week, didn’t eat or anything. It was horrible! She was my baby. It’s been 2 months almost and I still cry just about every day!
MB: KleoAlways by my side. When I was a little girl I would run from all the chaos heroine brings. I’d hide in the dog houses, no one looked in there. When I got really scared I’d hold tight to the dog. So tight my nose was smashed in their mane. But I was safe and that’s what I needed, to feel safe.50 some years later I still do this, but not in the dog house now my house. Kleo let’s me take my time needed to ground myself. She knows when I’m in trouble, her mom Zoiey taught her.
ES: My dogs are definitely why I am still around. 
MMBA: My youngest son got me my little fur baby to help me with my mental health and keep me company and now I’d be lost without her xxxx
CJP: Most definitely. I was in a very dark place before I got my two precious fur babies. I have psychosis, depression and anxiety and on top of just moving out of my parents to live by myself, it was quite daunting. The second I got asked to take on both my cats, I jumped at the chance, knowing that having their company would help massively. Since then, whenever I’m having my bad days, they’re always there to offer that unconditional love and support. They always seem to know and at least one of them will give me cuddles at the time. They even take it in turns. That purring affection gives me so much comfort and just having them there is a real big help. They give me a reason to get up in the morning.
RK: Absolutely my boy saved my life. He was always wanting a walk, and being fed, made me get out of bed and showed me real love. I’m so thankful for him every day. I’d just lost my dad and was getting worse and worse and I found this amazing puppy and he absolutely saved my life.
ATP: I grew up with dogs. We literally sat on the terrace together, me a baby, him a puppy. The difficult times that are behind me, which started with panic attacks and progressed to anxiety and depression of several years, went without my personal dog.
However, when Beka came to my family, because of the COVID situation of the time, my panic attacks became more frequent. During those couple of hours, I’d rarely communicate with my family members and I’d prefer to withdraw and be by myself.
Beki gets it right away when everything goes black for me. She is not aggressive in her approach to look for attention no matter what. Our communication is then much simpler because all it takes is one command and she stay with me. Beka snores and that constant breathing sound feels really good. While those moments last, everything bothers me, but even the warm air that she breaths out somehow calms me down. Regular walks to satisfy her physiological needs get me out of my rut, the same ambient that can get very dangerous for one’s mental health.
I walk and filter. She follows my amplitudes and never disrupts the rhythm. She adapts her moods gently and non-aggressively, but she never gives up at it. The joy of seeing her again as I climb the building stairs reminds me of a moment of bliss, when I unload the weight of some pain of my soul. Every time, several times a day. I don’t know if we shaped her character or if we were lucky to have a dog so mild and tame, but the vibrations she emits have changed my home. For everyone.
Discussion of the Findings
Doing a little analysis of these answers, we’ve found that the most common topics being mentioned when it comes to the role of pets in mental health are:
- saving one’s life (6)
- companionship – not feeling alone or lonely (6)
- offering love (5)
- tactile, visual and sound stimulation and nourishment (4)
- a sense of purpose (4)
- grounding (3)
- entertainment and fun (2)
- relaxing (2)
- willpower (2)
- discipline (3)
- stability (1)
- responsibility (1)
- feeling safe (1)
- calming (2)
- makes one feel happy (1)
- healthy routine (1)
This is not to say that one keyword wouldn’t apply to the answers of others if I had asked them about it. For example, I am pretty sure that many of the respondents would have told me that pets helped them establish a discipline. The analysis just shows what participants felt most important and relevant to share when it comes to how pets helped them deal with their mental health struggles.
A Word of Caution
However, there was one thing we should mention. The answer by LP shows the other side of having pets: “She passed unexpectedly at 9 months old and it literally torn me to pieces. To the point I quit my job, couldn’t get out of bed for a week, didn’t eat or anything. It was horrible! She was my baby. It’s been 2 months almost and I still cry just about every day!“
This might put one off from getting a pet. Actually, I’ve heard the following argument a few times: “If I get a pet, I’d get too attached. When it dies, I couldn’t bear it.” Especially for those coping with mental health issues, losing a pet might be devastating.
What to Do About This?
What are healthy ways of coping with someone’s death? Accepting that dying is inevitable? Being grateful for the time you two had together? Crying your heart and eyes out and make it a part of your healing process?
And of course grief takes time. So, if one is fragile, this might make their health situation worse.
Personally, I am very sensitive about my parents getting old. It really bums me out. When I told this to my mother, she answered rather light-heartedly:
“Getting old is something no human ever managed to stop. Those richer or wiser than me didn’t succeed at this. So, why should I bother about this? What’s the point in worrying about something that is inevitable, natural and normal?”
So, pets teach us lots about the reality of life.
And then, we can always choose our focus. When thinking about getting a pet, do we want to focus on that time in the future when we lose it, or the time and benefits we will enjoy while we are together? It’s what Rick Hanson said in his book “Resilient: How to Grow an Unshakable Core of Calm, Strength, and Happiness”:
“While you are having a beneficial experience, other things could be in awareness as well. Your back might be aching as you enjoy stroking the fur of a cat in your lap. These other things do not cancel out the beneficial experience. Both are true: the negative and the positive, the bitter and the sweet. You can let the bad be while also letting in the good.
This is not positive thinking. It’s realistic thinking: seeing the whole mosaic of the world around you and the complexity of your experience, despite the brain’s tendencies to fixate on a handful of bad tiles in that mosaic while overlooking the jewel-like good ones.“
Makes sense, right?
And, if we wish to maintain a pessimistic attitude and choose to focus on that eventual loss, then what’s the point of making friends, having partners, or forming relationships? They will all die or go away at one point or another. Then why not just become a hermit?!
Because it’s not healthy. As we mentioned in our article on loneliness and how yoga and meditation help you cope, those with more meaningful social relationships live longer and have better health. Science proved this one many times.
And speaking of science, let’s see what scientists have discovered about the effects of pets on one’s mental health.
Scientific Studies on How Pets Affect Our Mental Health
- One study on the risk of decline of mental health in older adults (65 and above) showed that “pets provide companionship, giving a sense of purpose and meaning, reducing loneliness and increasing socialisation.”
- A book Pets and Mental Health shows convincing research on how pets can help with mental health, especially to those who are disabled, lonely, incarcerated or institutionalized. “Although the term human-animal bond and pet-facilitated therapy are relative newcomers to the scientific literature, the concepts they encompass have been with us for centuries […] Animals can promote humour, laughter, play and a sense of importance in people.”
- In another study people who did not own a pet were given one. Then the researchers followed their lives for 10 months: The new pet owners had increased their physical and mental health, and took more exercise than the control group who didn’t get a pet.
- In another research, a group of adults who were stressed were given a rabbit, a turtle and toys looking like rabbits and turtles to pet. Petting the toys didn’t yield any effect. But stroking the rabbit and the turtle released anxiety! And moreover, it helped both for those who had said they liked animals and for those who didn’t.
- It was easier for children with autism who had a guinea pig in the classroom to socialize, smile and laugh with their peers. They were also less stressed.
And according to Animal Planet: “Pets are a great way to beat the blues. Not only are they known to offer unconditional love, but they may also give their owners a sense of purpose, which can be crucial for those feeling down in the dumps. Pets also combat feelings of loneliness by providing companionship, which can boost your overall mood and even bring you feelings of joy and happiness.”
Conclusion: Need We Say More?
Both the anecdotal experiences and the science all agree on one thing – pets are good for mental health. Of course, it’s an obligation that lasts a pet’s lifetime. But then, so is getting a car. And so are friendships and work. So, why not squeeze in another one that’s actually really really good for you? It will melt your heart. That’s going to be one being that’s always there for you and will not disappoint you.
“If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.”
Mark Twain, Pudd’nhead Wilson
Tatjana Glogovac, Senior Contributor At L’Aquila Active
Learn more about Tatjana by reading her bio below.
Click on link below to meet L’Aquila Active’s entire team of experts, including university degrees, certifications, and credentials on yoga and meditation: