The joy of living with pets

Our faithful companions and best friends, pets, helped many to get through the quarantine days. In a period when contacts with other people are reduced to a minimum, and social distance is a part of our everyday life, often the only close contact is the one we have with our pets at home. Although there has been talk for years about the positive impact of pets on relaxation and stress reduction, most of us have been able to experience this fact during this period, and strengthen the connection with them. The question is, why are we so attached to our pets at all? One of the theories claims that the relationship between man and animals is similar to the one he has with other people. All living beings are capable of creating deep emotional bonds, and bonding with pets is similar to bonding with friends or partners. By creating a kind of unique community and providing emotional support, pets are just as important in our lives as other people. Animals often feel our emotions better than people in the environment and support us in situations we don't talk much about with our family or friends. Representing a relationship in which we will never be judged and in which there are no prejudices or quarrels, our pets are the ones who provide us with unreserved support.

Like talking to other people, interacting with pets contributes significantly to our health and reduces stress. Many dog ​​owners claim that the time spent with them is a relaxation and joy in them. Also, some claim that during stressful periods, they spend more time with their pets in order to forget about problems, which leads to a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate. In addition to physical health, there are many positive effects on mental health. Research shows that only the presence of animals in our environment leads to an increase in positive emotions and laughter, but also that people who are truly attached to their pets have better relationships with other people, are more tolerant and much more sociable.

Psychiatrists are increasingly advising their patients to get a pet to relieve stress, relying on research that claims that living with a pet helps fight depression, anxiety and loneliness. However, they are not the only method for improving mental health, but are mainly used in combination with therapies and various workshops. Also, not everyone will like their presence, especially when treating more severe disorders, so it is best for such a decision to be made by a therapist or psychiatrist.

Some studies consider pets to be family members, which will be confirmed by many of the owners, while for some the presence of a pet is just as pleasant as the presence of close people. When your dog greets you when entering the house after a hard day at work, he does not care what your day was like, he is just happy to be in your company again, and his happiness is contagious. Respondents claim that this type of welcome and interaction makes us change our attitude, relax and enjoy the rest of the day. Although the relationship we have with animals is quite different from that with humans, new studies prove that they are extremely influential in the way we perceive feelings and relationships with others.