How your cat or dog can help you with anger management
A close family friend recently suggested getting a dog after she lost her husband. She is already an animal lover, but after her husband died, she just felt that her house was too lonely. A recent study from the University of Montreal in Canada also found that having a pet can significantly help children with autism. Thinking more broadly, dogs and cats can help people who suffer from stress and the resulting anger.
The reasons for this are many and different for each of us. Some reasons include: – A LOVING COMPANION: Everyone needs to feel loved sometimes, and dogs and cats (and many other pets) can offer that. They can listen to our secrets, offer friendship, and are happy to see us when we come home.
– LET US WALK MORE: This applies more to dogs than to other pets. Taking our pet dog for a walk is not only good exercise for them, but also for us – with the added benefit that exercise can make us feel happier and less stressed, as well as being very good exercise.
– REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE: It may sound funny, but stroking our pet’s soft fur can actually help lower our blood pressure if we feel stressed and angry. Watching goldfish is another tried-and-true method of reducing anger—that’s why goldfish tanks and larger tanks are placed in hospitals and medical waiting rooms.
– CAN TAKE OUR MINDS AWAY FROM STRESSFUL SITUATIONS: Playing with our pets and giving them generous attention can help us forget about what actually made us stressed and angry in the first place. Of course, this is not an answer to solve problems, but it can help us forget about those lighter worries. We may have had a particularly bad day, but as soon as we walk through the door and see our pet, that anger just disappears.
While giving this advice, two caveats are necessary here. First, there are some problems in our lives that just won’t go away no matter how hard we try to take our mind off them – and while a pet can help in the short term, the best solution is to face the problem and try to resolve it.
Second and most importantly, a dog or other pet is a long-term commitment and the decision to have a pet should not be taken lightly. Pets cost a great deal of our personal time, energy and money. They should not just be bought on impulse or simply to serve our needs. There are already too many dogs, cats and other animals abandoned or given to rescue centers because people physically can’t care for them or can’t be bothered.
If you still think you could benefit from having a pet and feel ready to make that long-term commitment, then having an animal companion can be a big help in reducing stress and anger.
#cat #dog #anger #management
