The uncertainties of CoronaVirus have caused anxiety and stress for most of us. This unprecedented event triggered mental health concerns which have been increasing over the years. The quarantine restriction has forced the majority of the people around the world to stay inside our homes. Seeking professional guidance for major mental health issues is always an option. One can get the right diagnosis, proper treatment and medication. Being physically active, a healthy lifestyle and a balanced diet are also other ways to prevent emotional distress. Moreover, opening up to someone close to you like your family, close friends, and even with your pets can help relieve and improve our psychological state.

Dogs Providing Emotional Support

But, there are also other ways to cope up and seek emotional support. Do you know that our pet dogs play a critical role in our mental well-being? It’s widely known that they can contribute and bring unexplainable happiness to our lives. According to Heart.org they can reduce anxiety, stress, and depression. Another thing is that they can help in easing your loneliness, help you to become physically active, and most importantly, will improve your overall mood and well-being. In an article published by Harvard Health Publishing dogs help in lowering your blood pressure which also decreases the possibility of developing any cardiovascular diseases.This is the reason why petting a dog lowers a person’s blood pressure. In addition, spending fun time and playing with them urges your body to release anti-stress hormones which are oxytocin and dopamine

that stimulate a positive attitude, perfect for bonding moments between the owner and the pet.

Pet Adoption & Dog Sitting

Pet adoption is a trend nowadays, especially with the pandemic. With the numerous researches and studies about the benefits of taking care of pets (dogs), no wonder why almost everyone is wishing to have one. Though we all know pet adoption is a lifetime commitment that has lots of responsibility thrust upon its owner, still the benefit of dogs to your mental well being is huge.

Since having pets is a long-term commitment, if you can’t afford to have one but are willing to be accompanied by them (even at the shortest time), you can try dog sitting. Sites such as Petsitter.com and apps like Rover.com will give you the chance to do everything with dogs like short walks, check-ins, and dog boarding. If you’re having second thoughts about it, don’t worry, it’s worth a try. Aside from the fact that they help you to feel better, the responsibilities affiliated with the human-dogs relationship provide an important structural and social benefit that eases emotional distress.

As for someone who’s able to experience living with a pet dog despite having anxiety and depression, we can indeed learn a lot from them. Below are some of the best things that happened upon having dogs:

Dogs will help you to become physically active

Since they are known to be energetic and would love to enjoy spending their time running all around, they’ll be a good source of motivation to stay active. They tend to exercise a lot, which only means that you’ll also be exercising right along with them. Because dogs need consistency, whether you like it or not, you will learn to add an exercise routine to your everyday lives. The study suggests that being consistent in your schedules can reduce your stress levels and helps in providing better sleep patterns.

They can help you to improve your self-worth

It’s true that taking care of dogs is tiring and is most difficult to handle, however, studies show that being responsible for your actions and beliefs can help your emotional health. Some psychologists believe that having the sense to take control of everything and applying your skills in every task are good in building your self-esteem. Being able to take care of dogs only assures that you will also be able to take good care of yourself. All you need to do is to take action and apply the same love and care you’re giving them as to what you should give to yourself.

Dogs help you socialize with other people

During dog walks at the park or around the village, we get the chance to talk to new people which are good ways to alleviate the loneliness and anxiety we are feeling inside. According to Medical News Today, Psychologist Susan Pinker states “that socialization is like a vaccine to help ease the effects of emotional illnesses. Talking to a person directly helps to trigger some parts of our nervous system that are sending out “cocktails” of neurotransmitters that are released to regulate our responses to the stress and anxiety we feel.” In other words, when we are trying to connect with other people personally, we are slowly becoming resilient to stress factors in the long run. In addition, the result of our interaction is the release of the dopamine hormone which fights and kills the pain we are feeling, we can consider it as our happy pill hormone.

During an episode, one thing is for sure, we tend to look for a companion to help us in preventing it from worsening. We are all busy with our own lives, and in turn, there’ll be times that they are not by our side. You are lucky enough if you get the chance to have a pet dog, especially if they are trained for therapy as a service dog. Caring for animals is not just a mere task, it’s something that changes our lives and gives us more purpose to live. It makes us feel more wanted and helps to take us away from all of our worries inside. Dogs indeed bring us unexplainable joy and happiness and nothing can beat that unconditional love and support these pets could offer us.