I'm sure you've heard that dogs help people with their mental health. But did you know that other animals can be therapeutic, too? Therapy animals have been shown to help people who suffer from mental disorders like anxiety and depression, as well as ailments like PTSD and autism. They offer a range of benefits that go beyond simply providing cuddles or having someone to talk to when you're lonely. This isn't just an animal lover thing — we're not saying that therapy pets are better than traditional therapy sessions (although they do seem pretty great). Instead, experts think these animals can have a positive impact on your health because they combine many different things at once.
Animals can help people through mental disorders
Therapy animals can help people with mental disorders. They can help with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They can also help with autism, dementia and other conditions that affect the brain and emotions.
Animals can help elevate mood
There are many ways that therapy animals can help people with mental health issues. Here are just a few examples:
- Depression - Many people with depression find comfort in animals, including dogs. A study published by the American Psychological Association found that pet owners had lower levels of depression and anxiety than those who did not own pets.
- Anxiety - Dogs can help reduce stress and anxiety by providing companionship and comfort when you're feeling nervous or anxious. Research has shown that children who have trouble sleeping at night may benefit from having a dog in their bedroom during bedtime rituals or nightmares; this helps them feel safe as they go to sleep (and stay asleep) because they know their pet is nearby!
They can help you fight off anxiety in airports.
When you're flying, there are a lot of things that can make you feel anxious. The airport itself is a stressful place to be--so many people and so much movement! Add in the uncertainty over whether your flight will actually take off as scheduled and it's no wonder that so many people suffer from anxiety when they board an airplane.
But therapy animals can help with this too! They're great at making sure passengers don't get too stressed out by interacting with them, which helps reduce overall stress levels in the airport. Therapy dogs have been known to help calm down children who are nervous about taking their first flight or adults who just want some extra comfort during their travels.
They can help regulate emotions.
Animals can help with anxiety, depression and PTSD. You know how it feels when your dog or cat comes up to you and licks your face? That's because they're happy to see you! They want nothing more than for their human companions to be happy too--and if it means giving them some extra cuddles, then that's what they'll do.
While therapy animals aren't trained specifically to deal with mental illness like humans are, they still have an incredible ability to sense when someone needs comfort or support--even without being told explicitly what's wrong by their owner or handler. When this happens regularly enough over time (usually over several weeks), these pets begin responding in ways that indicate they understand when someone is upset without explicitly being told so: sitting next to them quietly instead of running around like usual; licking them gently on the nose rather than jumping up excitedly at every opportunity; curling up beside them while lying down instead of sleeping away from them across the room.
They offer social support.
Therapy animals can offer social support. They can help you meet new people and make friends, or they can help with your social skills. Therapy animals have been shown to be effective in reducing anxiety and stress levels among children who are having a hard time at school or home, as well as adults with mental health issues such as depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Therapy animals can make a big difference in a person's life.
Therapy animals can make a big difference in a person's life. They can help people with mental disorders, physical disabilities and social anxiety.
People with depression or anxiety may feel better when they are around therapy animals because the animals are non-judgmental and accepting of them as they are. This can help people feel less lonely, isolated and misunderstood by others who don't understand what they're going through.
Therapy dogs also provide comfort to people who have suffered from trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For example, if someone was sexually assaulted by an adult male when he was eight years old but didn't tell anyone about it until he was an adult because he felt ashamed about what happened; having a therapy dog come into his home would be very helpful because then he wouldn't have to tell anyone else about what happened--the dog already knows!
I hope that you have a better understanding of how therapy animals can help people. They are wonderful animals who deserve to be appreciated for their service. If you know someone who has benefited from an animal in this way, please share this article with them!