Pets and mental health

Pets are wonderful. There are many different types of pets and every single one of them can affect your mental health. Whether it’s an animal you can hold, or a simple one to observe, they can all have a positive effect on you. 

    Fish are definitely a good pet for beginners to start with. There are many varieties of fish you can get, and although tanks can get expensive, you can always buy tanks second hand. Fish, along with all pets, can give you a sense of responsibility. When you wake up in the morning you know you have to feed the animals to keep them alive. Looking at fish tanks can be very relaxing. Watching all the fish just swim around, the sound of the filter, seeing how excited they get when you walk up to the tank, all of it can be very calming. I personally have two betta fish and often I will just sit down in front of their tanks and look at them. Caring for my bettas has really been a wonderful source of comfort and importance in my life. 

    Dogs, cats and other small furry friends can be wonderful pets as well. These are pets that you can hold and play with. Dogs and cats are able to sense when you are anxious or depressed. If you are feeling anxious or depressed you can lay with your dog or cat, or take out your small animals and just hold them. Just looking at hamsters or hedgehogs or any other small animal can really make me feel much happier. Dogs can also be trained to help people with anxiety, depression and many other mental health issues, so they can really be a great pet to have.

    Crested geckos, leopard geckos and any other types of geckos are another great type of pet to have. Just letting them crawl on you can be very calming. You can allow these animals to crawl in your hands of up your arm and focus on the way they move or pay attention to all the cute little things they do. It can be very calming to focus all of your energy onto these animals, rather than focusing on the things around you. 

Snakes are an animal commonly associated with fear. Although there are certain snakes that might not like being held or are not very safe, they are still many snakes that can help with your mental health. There is something called snake massage therapy, where snakes will slither all around your body. Although this might sound weird at first, it is actually a very smart concept. Snakes are very good at gently squeezing on your body and it can be very stress relieving. Many people with depression or anxiety resorty to self harm. The feeling of a snake slightly squeezing on your body can be a good alternative to harming yourself.

Of course these aren't all the pets out there, these are just some that can be very stress relieving and calming to own. All animals can really do amazing things for mental health. Always make sure to research cost, supplies, diet and everything else associated with the animal you are considering purchasing before getting the animal. Always make sure that you can afford the costs that come with owning animals. The costs for supplies and vets can add up very quickly. Never purchase an animal without having the money to pay for them.

    Pets really are a wonderful thing. I hope that this article has helped you learn about some of the things these amazing animals can do. That's all from me - Riley