Pet owners have reduced anxiety and positively impact mental health

Question

Pets give constant companionship which can lower stress and feelings of isolation. They allow social interaction and improve emotional well being.

Comments

I feel like the source mental health foundation seems credible. I don't know if saying the word "constant companionship" is accurate. the article also talks about different skills associated with having a pet, rather than just saying companionship and well being.

Answer 1

This is true because positive human and animal interactions are related to changes in physiological variables in humans and animals. According to the reputable research website HABRI.org, interactions between humans and animals have been shown to influence levels of blood pressure and heart rate. These interactions can also influence hormones associated with well being. These findings come from direct research with sources showing where the data came from.

Comments

This is a great fact check! It's great you used direct scientific research and evidence from a reputable source.

Answer 2

Your post highlights some important benefits of having pets, particularly their impact on reducing stress and loneliness. I agree that pets provide constant companionship, which can be incredibly helpful for emotional well-being. I would add that studies also show how interacting with pets can release oxytocin, a hormone linked to happiness and relaxation, further supporting mental health. Have you come across any specific examples or studies that reinforce these points? It would be interesting to explore how different types of pets contribute to emotional well-being in unique ways.

Answer 3

This statement is true. Pets have equally positive effects on humans' mental health. According to a study done by the American Psychiatric Association, "Among pet owners, a strong majority (86%) said their pets have a mostly positive impact on their mental health. Dog owners (87%) and cat owners (86%) were equally likely to say so, while other pet owners (62%) were less likely." In most households, pets are considered family members and help reduce the chance of a mental health issue. This is also why emotional support animals are an option for people who struggle with mental health. Many people have special bonds with their animals and 69% of people say their pets help reduce stress and anxiety. So overall the claim up top is a true statement and there are many resources to support it.

Answer 4

The claim that pet owners experience feelings of reduced anxiety and improved mental health is supported through credible reserach and and expert sources. According to Mental Health Foundation, pets can be greatly beneficial for our mental health in many ways, including increasing physical activity, reducing anxiety, alleviating stress, and contributing to an overall mental well being by provding companionship and reducing feelings of lonliness. This is significant because the postive interaction between pets and their owners can create a sense of security, the feeling of being wanted and always feeling unconditionally loved. This claim is further supported by findings from News In Health, revealing that human-animal interactions has been to shown to decrease levels of cortisol and lower blood pressure. Adittionally, HBARI.org states that "postive interactions with pets  trigger the release of oxytocin, endorphins, and prolactin in humans while stress hormones go down." These conclusions are drawn from well documented studies, reinforcing the idea that owning pets can have many benefical impacts, promoting mental health. 

https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/02/power-pets

https://habri.org/blog/how-pets-impact-our-mental-health/

Answer 5

The claim that pets positively impact mental health is true as any kind of pet (cat, dog, reptile, etc) according to the American Psychiatric Association can ease feelings of loneliness, create a calming presence, and help to reduce stress and anxiety. Specifically dog owners are also reported to be more physically healthy as they are more likely to meet the recommended weekly amount of exercise by walking their dog. The daily interaction with a comforting presence has the most effect triggering the release of hormones in your brain such as oxytocin and endorphins, but as another user pointed out ‘constant companionship’ could be an exaggeration.

Health. (2024, April 11). Health benefits of pets: How your furry friend improves your mental and physical health. Cultivating-Health; UC Davis Health. https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/health-benefits-of-pets-how-your-furry-friend-improves-your-mental-and-physical-health/2024/04

Science Update: Children and their dogs have high oxytocin levels when interacting with each other. (2024, October 9). Https://Www.nichd.nih.gov/. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/newsroom/news/100924-children-dogs-oxytocin-levels 

Answer 6

Having a pet giving constant companionship and social interactions does help lower stress and feelings of isolation, improving overall emotional well being. After researching this claim I too have found that the company of a pet can lead to positive emotions. The Mental Health Foundation says that having a pet around gives one a sense of security and gives a person the feel of being wanted and needed in life. They suggest that this behavior could be especially useful when working with elderly people who more commonly suffer from loneliness problems. I also found research done by Side-Out.org that showed pets could be a beneficial way to distract people from negative things in their lives, and they too found the elderly especially benefit from pets. Based off of the similar ideas I found when researching other credible sources, I believe this source to be true. The initial source was The Mental Health Foundation which is a .org website and is updated regularly. I couldn't find the author of this specific article on their page, but when I put it through Snopes and it checked out. Overall it can be shown that pets have a strong emotional connections with humans, especially the elderly, and this companionship can help lower stress and feelings of isolation.

Sources:

https://friendshipcenters.org/the-impact-of-pet-ownership-on-senior-happiness-and-health/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA2JG9BhAuEiwAH_zf3jbsNUdLSRskm04L05VcaHricwX7C8yQK03Gxg0_dFPeuei2ZEqr7hoCC8EQAvD_BwE

https://side-out.org/patient-reflections-learning-about-cancer/the-healing-power-of-pets/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA2JG9BhAuEiwAH_zf3lqQfvlS96dUkN1zDpcLquKg0ME8SycuMg1gpkYivAJCorlE3U_t1RoCTMAQAvD_BwE

https://www.snopes.com/search/?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mentalhealth.org.uk%2Fexplore-mental-hea#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mentalhealth.org.uk%2Fexplore-mental-hea&gsc.page=1