Why Pet Ownership Is Underappreciated As A Source Of Happiness And Mental Well-Being
While pets can provide significant mental health benefits, it's important to acknowledge the commitment they require. Here are some practical approaches to ensure that the burden of caring for your pet doesn't outweigh the benefits of owning a pet.
By Scott Travers, Ph.D. | July 5, 2023
Pet ownership is booming. A recent survey conducted by the American Pet Products Association revealed that close to 90 million U.S. households now own pets. This means that there are now far more households in the U.S. that own pets than those that don't.
The growing acceptance of pet ownership can be attributed, in part, to the maturation of the pet industry. Today, there are a number of innovative businesses that are dedicated to making pet ownership easier, even for individuals with busy lifestyles – think online pet supply stores and in-house veterinary services.
With this as context, here are two ways your pet can help you safeguard your mental health.
1. Taking Care of a Pet Can Instill a Sense of Purpose, Which Is Crucial to Well-Being
Most people think well-being has to do with happiness and the absence of physical and mental health illness. However, a 2020 paper published in the journal Health and Quality of Life Outcomes that analyzed data from 21 countries indicates that well-being is rooted in various factors, including having a sense of purpose in life.
This is where your pet can help.
A 2018 study that qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed the effects of pet ownership on people living with a mental health condition found that participants who reported losing their sense of purpose following their diagnosis felt significantly more in control of the direction of their lives after they brought a pet home. Some even went as far as saying that their pet gave them a reason to live.
"Pets increase feelings of social support, a sense of meaning and improve their owners' lifestyles by increasing physical activity and adding structure to daily routines," affirms Dr. Edgar Hernandez of Talkiatry, a psychiatric practice that espouses the therapeutic benefits of pets.
According to Dr. Hernandez, pets are particularly effective in treating and managing conditions such as:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Dementia
Then, there's the question of what type of pet benefits humans the most in terms of mental health. Here is what Dr. Zach Mills of The Vets — a veterinary care service focused on reducing the stress and anxiety associated with owning a pet by delivering pet care directly to clients' homes — said when asked about the types of animals that can buffer our mental and emotional health:
"The human-animal bond can extend to any number of animals, and different animals and different people will have different responses. There are also people who identify with one species of animal more than another. The individual results that people get can vary. Most of the studies around the benefits of the human-animal bond are done on dogs and horses, but any animal and human can potentially build a beneficial bond."
These expert insights shed light on the profound impact of the human-animal bond. It is no wonder that healthcare professionals often recommend pet ownership. In fact, 22% of current pet owners received such recommendations, according to the Human Animal Bond Research Institute.
2. Your Pet Can Help You Exercise and Stay Active, Which Is a Proven Strategy to Improve Your Mental Health
There are aspects of owning a pet that will require you to step outside your home. For instance, most breeds of dogs need outdoor exercise to be healthy.
"Often, people will see an increased level of physical activity when they own pets, and this activity can lead to overall improved physical and psychological health," explains Dr. Mills.
A 2023 umbrella review of 97 systematic reviews with meta-analyses revealed that exercise may be up to 1.5 times more effective in reducing symptoms of common mental health conditions compared to traditional methods of treatment.
The lead author of the review, Dr. Ben Singh of the University of South Australia explained in an interview, "We found that doing 150 minutes each week of various types of physical activity – such as brisk walking, lifting weights and yoga – significantly reduces depression, anxiety and psychological distress, compared to usual care, such as medications."
Before getting a pet to improve your mental health via exercise, confirm that your exercise needs, and those of your soon-to-be pet, are in alignment. While most dogs need regular walks to be healthy, there are differences in how much exercise different breeds can tolerate.
Often, the best way to tackle mental health issues is to pair traditional treatment practices (medication or therapy) with unconventional methods like pet ownership.
Psychiatrist Dr. Hernandez agrees. He says,"While pet ownership has positive psychological benefits, it does not replace other forms of treatment that may be necessary to address a specific mental health condition. I believe a holistic approach to treatment that includes pet ownership may be the most effective and rewarding for a patient."