Pets & Mental Health!

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Did u know:
.Pets such as cats and dogs help with depression, anxiety and stress. They also bring us companionship, joy and unconditional love. They can encourage exercise and playfulness and even help with cardiovascular health. Caring for an animal can help children grow up to become more secure and active.
A simple breakdown of how especially dogs help:
🐶 Exercise
Dogs need exercise which also means that you will be exercising right alongside them. Exercise increases endorphins which fight depression. Dogs also need consistency which also means you’ll make exercise a part of your daily routine. Consistency has been proven to reduce stress and help with better sleep patterns and overall health. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🐶 Socialization
Dogs will give you a reason to talk to people while you are taking them to a dog park or on a walk. Socialization with other people help ease symptoms of depression. Having them as a companion can also help prevent worsening of the depressive episodes. Caring for an animal will also help give you a purpose and feel wanted and take the focus off of depression. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
🐶 Selfworth
Even though dogs can be a lot to handle at times it has been shown that they help improve your your self esteem. Caring for a dog or cat gives your reassurance and helps you build your self esteem by letting you know that you can take care of another creature and yourself. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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I know that this list is not conclusive and tons of other things may and will be needed to treat depression, anxiety and stress but it has been my personal experience during this pandemic that having my dog @belleourdoodle
has helped me on the days that I’ve felt very low.
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It can be very scary tackling depression and anxiety on your own, if you feel that things have escalated during this pandemic please consult with a medical practitioner.