For my research project, I will be looking to see if people who own a dog show l

Question

For my research project, I will be looking to see if people who own a dog show less signs of depression and loneliness than those who do not own a dog. I chose this topic because I find it interesting how they use animals, specifically dogs, for different types of therapy and I thought it would be neat to see what correlation it has on people and depression. For this research, I will conduct a randomized survey that will have questions about whether they own a dog or not, how many people they live with, whether they live a social lifestyle or not, age, and their current mental health. The method of research I will be using is correlational… “Research that seeks to identify whether an association or relationship between two factors exists” (Feldman, 2015). For this research, the independent variable would be humans because this is the variable that is being manipulated. The dependent variable would be the dog because this is the variable that is changing throughout the experiment to see if it changes the results. Some ethical considerations I need to follow would be that each participant needs to accept to participant in this experiment and if they are under 18 years old they need parental consent. Another ethical consideration that I need to be cautious of is that in the survey I will not be putting the question of research therefore, I have to make sure that this will not cause any sort of harm to any individual, and lastly participants have the right to maintain their privacy so I will not use any names, just the sex of the person and their age. The outcome I hope to see for this study is that people with dogs show fewer signs of depression or loneliness. For me personally, there is nothing better than cuddling up to your four-legged furry friend when you’ve had a rough day or you’re upset about something. I would also like to see that for those who participate in dog therapy it is actually beneficial, because if owning a dog can’t decrease depression than how could an hour or so with a dog do the same? Regardless I still think it’s a good practice, but I just hope to see that dogs actually help with our mental wellbeing.

WHAT DO YOU AGREED OR HOW WOULD COMMENT ON THIS PASSAGE?

Explanation / Answer

Dear student, it was a good subject for study on human behavior and mental health. As you asked, I do agree with your statement saying owning a dog or pet will surely benefit one’s mental health in many ways and even many research studies have supported on the related topic.

Pets and Mental health:

Man is a social animal, over many centuries animal-human bond has been developed very closely. As human evolved and started building a society and having his own family, relations, community and so even domesticating the animals and owning pets has been involved. As human feels another human as his/her companion, even pets also has become human better companion. Though Dogs, cat are the most predominant list of pets, even other animals like horse, cow, rabbit, some birds too take a prominent place in the pets list. Pets are incredibly well loved: according to a 2015 Harris poll in America, 95% of pet owners think of their animal as a member of the family. About half buy them birthday presents. And it’s a two-way street. People who have pets tend to have lower blood pressure, heart rate and heart-disease risk than those who don’t. Those health boons may come from the extra exercise that playing and walking require, and the stress relief of having a steady best friend on hand.

Animals play an important role in many people’s lives. In addition to seeing-eye dogs and dogs that can be trained to detect seizures, animals can also be used in occupational therapy, speech therapy, or physical rehabilitation to help patients recover. Aside from these designated therapeutic roles, animals are also valued as companions, which can certainly affect the quality of our lives. The better we understand the human-animal bond, the more we can use it to improve people’s lives.

Research dating from the 1980s popularised the view that pet ownership could have positive benefits on human health. The important potential mechanisms have been proposed to explain the association between pet ownership and benefits to human health.

One of the proposal is that pets may enhance social interactions with other people, thus providing an indirect effect on wellbeing. Social contact has been long recognised as beneficial in that it alleviates feelings of loneliness and social isolation. Pets undoubtedly act as “social catalysts,” leading to greater social contact between people. These factors may be particularly important for those at risk of social isolation, such as elderly people or people with physical disabilities, who lack many of the opportunities for social interactions of their more able bodied peers.

Another proposal focuses on ways in which pet ownership may exert a direct effect on human health and wellbeing through the nature of the relationship. Close human relationships have a powerful influence on wellbeing by providing emotional support. They may reduce perceptions of stressful events thus protecting against anxiety related illness, may give confidence that successful coping strategies can be found to deal with stress, and may enhance recovery from serious illness.

Pets help you live longer, healthier lives by alleviating allergies and boost immune function: Petting helps in releases of calming endorphins (oxytocin). Even the act of petting produces an automatic relaxation response, which is believed to reduce the amount of medication needed by some people.

Numerous studies have documented astonishingly wide-ranging effects. Cat owners enjoy a 30 percent reduction in heart attack risk. Watching swimming fish lowers blood pressure. Stroking a dog boosts the immune system. Now researchers can explain the source of our companion animals’ healing powers: Our pets profoundly change the biochemistry of our brains.

Pet therapy or animal-assisted therapy is becoming a common way for health professionals to improve patient’s social, emotional, and mental functioning with the support of animals. These therapy animals range from cats and dogs to horses and dolphins. Many colleges and universities bring therapy dogs to campus, often around mid-terms or finals, to help students relax and destress. Students say that interacting with these animals can be very mood lifting, especially if they have family pets they don’t often get to see. Many hospitals have formal or information programs to bring animals in for patients. Cedars-Sinai has a program called POOCH, where volunteer dogs visit patients that have requested a visit.

Pets and mental health – In particular with DOG:

More than any other animal, dogs have evolved to become acutely attuned to humans and our behavior and emotions. While dogs are able to understand many of the words we use, they’re even better at interpreting our tone of voice, body language, and gestures. And like any good human friend, a loyal dog will look into your eyes to gauge your emotional state and try to understand what you’re thinking and feeling. Dogs in particular can reduce stress, anxiety, depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and playfulness, and even improve your cardiovascular health. Caring for a dog can help children grow up more secure and active or provide valuable companionship for older adults. Perhaps most importantly, though, a dog can add real joy and unconditional love to your life.

The American Heart Association has linked the ownership of pets, especially dogs, with a reduced risk for heart disease and greater longevity; their study exhibits the Mood-boosting power of Dog and some of the implications of their study are:

·   Dog owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets.

·   People with dogs have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets. One study even found that when people with borderline hypertension adopted dogs from a shelter, their blood pressure declined significantly within five months.

·   Playing with a dog or cat can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.

·   Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels (indicators of heart disease) than those without pets.

·   Heart attack patients with dogs survive longer than those without.

·   Pet owners over age 65 make 30 percent fewer visits to their doctors than those without pets.

One of the basic needs of any human is touch and hugging is the most effective form of touch. Research shows that a warm hug is extremely effective at healing sickness, disease, loneliness, depression, anxiety and stress. Hugging is a good medicine; it’s a form of good communication as it can say things in those you don’t have the words for. It transfers energy and gives the person hugged an emotional lift. More than other animals, dogs fulfill this basic human need – touch; this makes one of the reason for the above mentioned therapeutic effects from the dog. Even hardened criminals in prison have shown long-term changes in their behavior after interacting with dogs, many of them experiencing mutual affection for the first time. Stroking, hugging, or otherwise touching a loving animal can rapidly calm and soothe us when we’re stressed or anxious.

As you know, adopting healthy lifestyle changes plays an important role in easing symptoms of depression, anxiety, stress, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. Caring for a dog can help in making healthy lifestyle and below are few reasons which supports this:

Increasing exercise. Taking a dog for a walk, hike or run are fun and rewarding ways to fit healthy daily exercise into your schedule. Studies have shown that dog owners are far more likely to meet their daily exercise requirements—and exercising every day is great for the animal as well. It will deepen the connection between you, eradicate most behavior problems in dogs, and keep your pet fit and healthy. 30-60 minutes of physical activity such as walking with your dog and playing outside 3-5 times a week can improve your health and reduce risk of depression.

Providing companionship. Companionship can help prevent illness and even add years to your life, while isolation and loneliness can trigger symptoms of depression. Caring for a living animal can help make you feel needed and wanted, and take the focus away from your problems, especially if you live alone. Most dog and cat owners talk to their pets, some even use them to work through their troubles. And nothing beats loneliness like coming home to a wagging tail and wet kisses. And even it founds that compared to many animals Dogs have great memory, where even after many years of not connecting with your dog, it remember you when you meet again.

Helping you meet new people. Dogs can be a great social lubricant for their owners, helping you start and maintain new friendships. Dog owners frequently stop and talk to each other on walks, hikes, or in a dog park. Dog owners also meet new people in pet stores, clubs, and training classes.

Reducing anxiety. The companionship of a dog can offer comfort, help ease anxiety, and build self-confidence for people anxious about going out into the world. Because dogs live in the moment—they don't worry about what happened yesterday or what might happen tomorrow—they can help you become more mindful and appreciate the joy of the present.

Adding structure and routine to your day. Dogs require a regular feeding and exercise schedule. Having a consistant routine keps a dog balanced and calm—and it can work for you, too. No matter your mood—depressed, anxious, or stressed—one plaintive look from your dog and you'll have to get out of bed to feed, exercise, and care for your pet.

Providing sensory stress relief. Touch and movement are two healthy ways to quickly manage stress. Stroking a dog lowers blood pressure and can help you quickly feel calmer and less stressed. Dogs can provide a source of positive, nonverbal communication.

Dogs are great listeners: You can talk to your pet about anything — your day, your hopes, your dreams. You can practice a speech with them, lament about a breakup, or utter truths that you may be afraid to actually share with someone else. A dog or cat can be the perfect “person” to go to when you want to vent without any potential repercussions.

Dogs can better understand human emotions. Dogs are known for their support and unconditional love.

Body weight has a major impact on mental health. Heavy weight is directly linked to depression. Numerous studies published in Harvard health publications have linked dog ownership to weight loss:

·   One year-long study found that walking an overweight dog helped both the animals and their owners lose weight. Researchers found that the dogs provided support in similar ways to a human exercise buddy, but with greater consistency and without any negative influence.

·   Public housing residents who walked therapy dogs for up to 20 minutes five days a week lost an average of 14.4 pounds in a year, without changing their diets.

·   A third study found that people who got a dog walked 30 minutes more a week than they did before.

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