what i have to say in this blog is not ground breaking news. there have been many studies about the efficacy of service animals for those of us who are dealing with PTSD, epilepsy, cancer, or other chronic health conditions. in certain instances, of course, professionally trained service animals are necessary. but i think that our family pets can play a huge role in helping those of us who struggle with anxiety, depression, or other problems that are associated with the trauma brought on by certain health conditions.
i will use myself ( again) as an example. when i was having chemotherapy i had terrible nausea and vomiting that was not controlled by any medication that i was given. and believe me, i have tried all of the anti-emetics on the market. i have mentioned that listening to classical music, especially rhapsody in blue by george gershwin, helped take my mind off of the nausea to some extent. what also helped me was the love and affection that i received from my cat and dogs. my cat was especially helpful. for whatever reason, and you can read many theories on this, my cat always knew when i was sick. she would lie on the bed with me, and snuggle up to my leg or hip. she was not one of those " in your face type of cats", but her presence and gentle purring were very comforting to me. petting a cat or dog is supposed to decrease your blood pressure, i have read.i am not sure of the validity of that statement, but i do know that when i petted my cat, she would give me little cat kisses with her rough little tongue. having her with me, especially when my husband was at work and i was alone, was very comforting. not sure if my blood pressure went down any, but having her there was very soothing to me.
my dog- a german shepherd- has also been so important to my mental health. again, during my chemotherapy, he stayed extra close to me. when i was able to get up and about, we would take short walks together and he seemed to know that he had to be by my side and be on his best behavior. i named my dog "shadow" and that is exactly what he has been, and still is. our dogs sleep inside our house at night. i can walk into the kitchen, thinking that shadow is sound asleep, and if i look over at him he has one eye open- following my every move. there is nothing quite as good as a big ole dog hug. he used to be able to sit in my lap, and sometimes he forgets why he can not ( he weighs 120 pounds). but hugging and petting him helps me as much as it helps him, i think.
another thing about a pet is that they never ask questions, such as" why aren't you feeling well? why are you sad? why are you anxious? why are you in bed? why are you bald?" they also do not care if you are in your PJ's and a robe, you are beautiful to them. pets are truly living in the " no judgment zone" and they give you their full and complete affection. our pets seem to instinctively know when we are sad and need a hug, a kiss, or an affectionate rub on our leg. also, i was happy to have my dogs and cat to take care of. just the simple act of feeding them made me feel good. so many people were taking care of me- it was good to have someone else to care for.
having a pet or pets is a lot of responsibility. i guess that it is not for everyone, or perhaps is not practical for some people to have a pet. but i can honestly say that i am so thankful for my pets. they have shown and continue to show me so much love and affection. they help me with my anxiety ( testing anxiety , fear of a possible recurrence,etc) and for that i am very grateful. there are many " non drug" treatments for certain health disorders. one of the best ones comes with four legs and a big heart.
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