2023-10-11 06:59:57
Currently, one in eight people in the world suffers from a mental health problem, which can impact their physical health and well-being, as well as their environment. Due to the growth at worrying levels of cases of people without support for their mental health, actors such as the media, social networks or public opinion are being able to offer the importance that this issue deserves, especially to prevent and accompany in these episodes to children and adolescents.
As multiple research has advanced, interacting and living with animals has multiple benefits for mental health. In this sense, since 2015, Purinaa reference brand in the pet sector, began research to compile evidence related to the impact generated by the human-animal bond, as well as studies on animal-assisted therapies.
This is why the group, within the framework of World Mental Health Day, commemorated every October 10, tells us four benefits of having a pet and how they positively impact people’s mental health, through assisted therapies:
Motivational: They are linked to the improvement of feelings such as self-esteem and self-confidence, especially in children and adolescents who may feel sad, depressed or show some aggression as a result of insecurities that can be worked on thanks to therapies that include interaction with dogs.
Emotional Support: with great impact on older people who live alone, and/or on those who suffer from episodes or disorders of depression. This section highlights the work that therapy dogs provide to these people, through company, raising their mood and promoting exercise. That is to say, dogs help that person “force themselves” to go out, acquire responsibilities, routines and “have to perform certain tasks” to take care of the animal. This therapy contributes to improving autonomy, physical activity and mood improvement.
Therapeutics: The presence of therapy dogs contributes to the acceleration of patient recovery processes. Accompanied by intervention technicians and health professionals responsible for medical cases, dogs help to overcome fear, improve anxiety, reduce heart rate, blood pressure and any other stressful situation linked to physical condition. or psychic of people.
Socialization and empathy: Animals in general, and dogs in particular, are great social facilitators due to their ability to interact with other dogs and people. For people with difficulty relating, animal therapies can help them generate relationships, and achieve a higher level of empathy, attachment, and socio-cognitive growth.
By 2030, Purina hopes to help 1 million people in vulnerable situations improve their health and well-being, including mental health.
In Europe, the group has collaborated (through animal-assisted interventions, activities or therapies) with associations in which the human-animal bond has supported children and adults with their physical and mental needs, providing very positive results. In Spain, Purina has supported research, together with the Rey Juan Carlos University and the Niño Jesús Hospital in Madrid, to evaluate the benefits that therapy dogs provide in children with eating disorders, observing a decrease in anxiety and symptoms of depression, as well as an increase in self-esteem.
Purina, the Hospital Clínic of Barcelona and the CTAC presented the results of the scientific study that confirms the effectiveness of dog-assisted therapies on the mental health of children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (autism, behavioral or anxiety spectrum disorders). For two years, this research collected data on the impact of therapy dogs in the Day Hospital of the Child and Youth Psychiatry Service. However, the benefit of therapy as a complementary treatment has been observed. According to the Clínic-IDIBAPS researchers, “the results of therapies with dogs are very positive: they improved in attendance, the children were calmer, it was easier to work on the objectives with them. The crises and agitations decreased significantly and, in addition, the presence of the dogs in the hospital facilitated the self-control and social functioning of the children.”
The research team made up of health professionals from the Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona hospital together with canine trainers from the CTAC have prepared a study on the effect of dog-assisted interventions in pediatrics and their benefits in hospitalized patients. This report, which was made possible thanks to the collaboration of Purina and the research grant awarded to the hospital, found that the presence of therapy dogs helps to calm and distract children at critical moments, such as when they have to be lay a track. The pets that roam the waiting rooms of outpatient clinics to interact with families and children manage to make the wait for patients shorter and more distracting and, without a doubt, the dogs awaken smiles and allow children to forget regarding the pain for a moment. .
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