Why Getting A Dog Is Good For Your Mental Health

Life can be a wonderful journey to be on but this is not to say it comes without turbulence.

You might be struggling with school, facing financial challenges, you might be in a toxic relationship or you are just overworked and overwhelmed.

Whatever the case is, everyone is going through something at some point in their life or the other. While all these things do have a very visible impact on our physical health they also impact our mental health. Unlike physical challenges like weight gain, lethargy, or self-abuse, signs of poor mental health are often much harder to detect.

When it comes to mental health, people are reluctant to get medical help. It’s a taboo and something that people frown upon. It’s not just society and external validators that are a problem but the person with the mental challenges themselves might not be willing to get any kind of help for their difficulties because they aren’t ready to accept it. In many cases, people are not even willing to personally accept the fact that they are mentally uncomfortable and they need some kind of help, support, or assistance.

It’s Time for a Dog

One of the most important assets when facing mental adversity is a group of people you can rely on and trust. It’s not just family that can help, but even a group of friends or a loving pet can work wonders for our mental wellbeing.

Even if you aren’t facing any mental or physical challenges, having a pet, especially a dog, around can work wonders for your overall well-being. Here are a few reasons why having a dog is good for you.

1.  Helps Build Healthy Habits

One of the biggest problems that we have is an inefficient lifestyle. This is not just about productivity but it’s more about balance in the way we live our lives, the amount of time we dedicate to certain tasks, and the kind of activities we participate in. Different dogs have different requirements but the one thing that is common is that they need to be fed, they need to exercise and they will usually sleep around the same time every day. Unlike humans, dogs live a very regimented life, they like to do things on time, every time. As a pet parent, this allows you to also add some more rhythm and consistency to your life. There are going to be certain things that you just have to do every day regardless of whether it is summer or winter, and this helps a pet parent to develop consistency in their life. One of the biggest challenges for people with a poor mental health condition is a lack of discipline and consistency in their life.

2.  Improves Self Esteem

One of the biggest mental challenges that go unnoticed is a lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem. Some people have been battling these problems their entire lives but never know because they haven’t been educated about it. The pet parents at Uptown Puppies say that your next furry buddy is going to change all that. Your dog doesn’t care what you do for a living, how much you make per year or how popular you are, they love you for who you are however you are. Many people battle social judgments and are living their lives to impress others and not caring about their own preferences. A pet that loves you as unconditionally as a dog can do wonders for your self-esteem.

3.  They Help Us Be Present

Many people who suffer from problems such as anxiety, stress, and depression are not actually suffering from these issues because of things that are currently happening in their life, but because they are caught up in thoughts from the past or the future. Just like many pets, dogs require constant attention, whether that is in terms of taking them on a daily walk or feeding them several times a day. This helps people stay in touch with the present moment and keep their minds focused on the next task that they need to do for their pets. This can be a great lifestyle change that leads to being more present-minded and can help reduce the number of mental problems simply by changing the way a person thinks.

A lot of people consider getting a dog for property protection but it can’t be denied that owning a dog and really being a pet parent can be extremely therapeutic. If you aren’t a dog fan and have never owned a dog in your life, it would be a good idea to start off with a breed that is friendlier and easier to train such as a Labrador.