Pet Therapy & Depression

Therapists have used pet therapy, known professionally as Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT), in the United States for hundreds of years. The first known AAT was with psychiatric patients. The therapy animals used produced a positive effect on adults and children with mental health issues. Treating depression is one of the uses of this form of treatment.

Function

• AAT uses trained animals and their handlers to help patients work towards specific emotional, cognitive, social and physical goals. They work in nursing homes, hospitals, rehabilitation centers and psychiatric institutions. Horse riding programs often help individuals with physical disabilities to improve coordination and motor skills. Therapists use AAT in juvenile correctional facilities to teach inmates empathy and compassion.

Significance

• According to website HealthyPlace, few studies demonstrate the effect of animal-assisted therapy on people suffering from depression. Many personal accounts, however, have shown that such therapy, even something as simple as owning a pet, can help to keep depression patients stable. According to Animaltherapy.net, 90 percent of pet owners said that their pets were "extremely important" or "very important" to them. 87 percent of those surveyed considered their pets to be members of the family, and 79 percent said their pet was their closest companion.

Theories/Speculation

• An article on website EverdayHealth highlights the life of Peter Ashenden, who battles bipolar disorder and lives with a Shih Tzu named Bella. According to Ashenden, Bella helps him to remain active when his depression flares up by needing him to walk her three times a day. She keeps him from becoming socially withdrawn, as many people want to pet Bella when they go for their daily walks. She also provides him with constant companionship, which keeps him from feeling alone on his journey.

  Domesticated animals are generally dependable, dependent, nonjudgmental and offer unconditional love. They have juvenile attributes that trigger instinctual nurturing responses, and give a person a sense of mastery, which, in turn, boosts self-esteem.

Physical Benefits

• When Fido needs to take a walk, this forces the master to be physically active, but it goes beyond just taking a walk. Petting an animal can reduce heart rate and lower blood pressure. According to website Healthline, the tactile stimulation that comes with having an animal companion gives a pleasurable form of neurological stimulation which encourages relaxation.

Considerations

• The negative aspects of pet therapy are few, but they do exist. For those who actually own a pet, they must take into consideration that caring for a pet involves costs. They need inoculations, periodic examinations by a veterinarian and food. The chance always exists that they could get sick. In addition, whether someone owns a pet or has an animal brought for the purpose of ATT, the person could be allergic to the animal's dander.