depression and pet therapy. will it help?

Question

i've seen it on the net. has anyone here done it and what was the result. ive been through a lot. people who doesnt care what they tell you and they dont have a clue that they've hurt you. well it kinda got into me and somehow my self esteem became so low that i started to lose faith in what i can do. is this going to help me?

i used to have pets but not for therapy and ive loved them oh so dearly. it just happened that i started feeling this way and ive read on the internet about pet therapy accidentally. i take no offense on shell.

Answer 1

Depression is a clinical diagnosis which has certain criteria:
a) low mood
b) Loss of sleep
c) loss of interest in things etc hobbies, work
d) guiilt complexes, feeling guilty over minor events
e) decreased energy levels, lethargic and fatigue all day long
f) decreased concentration levels, finding it hard to concentrate on tasks
g) Feelings that life is meaningless and having suicidal thoughts.

Treatment for depression, medically speaking, can be divided into nonpharmacological and pharmalogical, the firstline preferred choice being nonpharmacological, and if it cant be sufficiently controlled, then pharmacological.

In nonpharmacological treatment, a patient would go through counselling and generally encouraged to talk to family members or try to find a hobby that makes him happy. In your case pet therapy might help in finding something happy for you to do, and if that helps in alleviating your depression, i would highly advise it.

However there are other modalities of treatment such as phamalogical agents that you might want to try out. These are essentially drugs that help to keep ur depression in check based on the widely-adopted theory that depression is caused in part by the depletion of catecholamine stores in the brain. such drugs include tricyclic antidpressants such as amitryptaline; another newer, better class of drugs would be the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as fluoxetine and sertraline. You can also use anxiolytics such as benzodiazepines or mood stabilisers such as lithium.

The best way to go through this condition is active involvement in your own health with lots of help from you doctor and your family. With advice and constant encouragement, with lots of determination to set your life to the beautiful one you cherish, im sure you can fight this transcient stage and live life to the fullest. good luck!

Hope this helps. :D

Answer 2

Most people do not need therapy, just friends and life. I was suicidal then ok off and on.

I was advised by health professionals to 'mix with people'. I did. I had been painfully shy, but now not. I am content.

Most people don't need any to tell them anything while they passively listen.

The good vibes seem to be enough.

I make puns, because I have not been good at telling jokes. I write a crossword once a month for a kind of community magazine. I have written two books.

Suggestions
0) Consider keeping a pet, e.g. a cat again.

1) Follow your conscience

2) Communicate with many people at various levels on any topic, even strangers.

3) Help someone if you can. Be ready - I saved a life in the swimming pool without even needing to use swimming skills! You can help to keep someone out of mental hospital by giving timely personal advice and encouragement. You are surrounded by people who need you.

4) Avoid junk food.
A man who studied this topic was Professor Hans Selye. He mentions 'selfish altruism', and how meaningful it can be.

5) Exercise. (Dance?). Sometimes you have to walk until it hurts to stop the hurt in your head.

6) Use your brain.

7) I sometimes use a variation of TM - while walking, to prevent obsessive counting. Other people could use it to prevent intrusive negative self-talk or unwanted songs that repeat.

8) Pray, if it makes sense.

9) Avoid junk food.

10) Get regular sleep. Actually no- get regular bed time and let the sleep happen when it happens. Never, ever, ever worry about insomnia unless you are a sentry on duty or a sleep- deprived airlane pilot. Don't take sleeping pills.

11) It is not enough to be nearly ok. All of us should be ok+ most of the time, with periods of extreme joy.

Answer 3

I was raised on horse ranch, left that years ago. I did not want pets around because I knew of the work they take. My wife and daughter each got a dachshund. The male as he became older became a barometer to my condition. If I am starting to go into a bad day he will attach himself to me like a suction cup. when I am really bad he crawls in lap and just comforts me. Is not a substitute for good mental health program, but beats going alone. Understand the self esteem part too, fortunately for me I can usually step back and "cool off" a little bit before I try project again and It is all better. Write direct if you want and we can talk off line

Answer 4

Pet therapy can be very effective in certain circumstances. If you feel unloved, if you rarely have physical non-sexual body contact (eg cuddles), if you have high blood pressure, if you find relaxing difficult - then pet therapy can help alleviate the symptoms.

You need to find the right pet for you circumstances. A collie would not be a good pet to have in a small flat for instance! or a roaming hunting cat would not give you the time you deserve.

As I say, pets can help alleviate the the symptoms, but they are not a cure. You need to find a good counsellor to talk through your feelings of hurt and rejection.

All the best

Answer 5

One person said the magic words regarding depression.. "self absorbed"....Depression somehow always seems to revolve around you and you negative features, appearance, relationships. On and on it goes.. with reactions you don't recognize where they are coming from.

All of those emotions you experience and have experienced in the past, have been stored within your mind. But the emotions have a slight variation as one grows older. These all become "tiriggers" which (by associative thought) convey some of those emotions back to the surface and away you go with that particular one. What is not there is enhanced by the imagination.

Would it not make sense to try to find those triggers and eliminate them? Rather than continue to go through the self pity mode or, whatever that emotion seems to activate?

Answer 6

I actually were laid low with put up partum melancholy for the previous one 3 hundred and sixty 5 days when I gave start to slightly one boy. i could not end wondering about how my husband loves him more effective than me and how issues may be more effective acceptable if he wasn't born in any respect. as a effect, I stayed faraway from him because I knew that i'd do something i'd be apologetic about for something else of my existence. merely about promptly I went to a therapist and persuade them that i want help. between different issues, i have tried organic supplements and different e book to handle melancholy yet no longer something works like the melancholy loose approach. So now i'm proud to say i'm between the happiest mom contained in the international. My husband loves us both very a lot and that i thank the Lord for the blessing he gave us. melancholy loose approach?

Answer 7

Recognizing your low mood and dispair is a good sign, some people ignor it and live in denial which is a bad place to be. Pets sound a good idea to start with, I find getting a good local walking map and go walking to explore you local area. It could help, 25,000 sale is the best, get a cheap one on ebay put a search in for pathfinder series. Answers help too!
Best of luck.

Answer 8

It does help having someone else to take care of. But when I was depressed, it got so bad I felt I was unable to take real good care of my little dog. (she was treated kindly and was fed well, etc. though).

It is hard to really advise someone else as to what is best, but PLEASE don't let the depression get away from you. Tell your family and close friends and speak to a doctor about it. You don't need to go to an expert, just talk to your family doctor and see what he or she has to say.

Good luck.

Answer 9

pets love you unconditionally no matter what,especially dogs,there pure loyal.but they shouldnt be used.what i mean is dont just get one for that reason,make sure you'l be able to love them uncondionally too.lolx

also jus 1derin if ur m or f?

then you go 4 it.i suffer from depression too so i started college for mature students last year.& its been a good help.so you could also try things you havent done b4.it gives a good boost of cofidence.x

Answer 10

if you believe looking after an animal will help it will - some animals live longer than others if keeping a shortlived animal is gonna upset you regardlessof how many offspring it has dont do it if you have something that lives a l9ong time make sure you have someone to look after it when you can't