Studies that have shown that people who suffer from depression can benefit greatly by simply adding the presence of a pet to their lives.  A depressed person suffers feelings of sadness, lack of energy, inability to feel emotion, fatigue, and decreased self esteem.  Depressed people have lost interest in participating in life.  It’s surprising how much a pet can do to alleviate the weight of severe depression.

The routine of pet ownership has been shown to be beneficial to sufferers of depression because it gives them something positive to focus on, instead of focusing on all the problems in their own lives.  To start, a pet gives a depressed person a reason to get out of bed in the morning.  The need to take a dog for his morning walk is a great motivation to start the day and getting up and moving.  Another tonic for the soul that a pet provides stems from an animals ability to amuse.  Some animals, dogs and cats in particular, are capable of some very goofy behavior which is totally innocent in nature and can evoke a smile from even the most depressed individual.  Stroking, brushing, or other physical contact with pets has been connected with reducing blood pressure and relieving stress, and having an excited furry friend to greet you at the door when you come home can work wonders for self esteem and make you feel wanted, needed, and loved.

The old saying says that a man’s best friend is his dog, and when that man (or woman) is in a battle with depression, sometimes something as simple as a small, four-footed dependent can mean the difference between despair and hope, and can provide much needed companionship, love, and affection that he or she desperately needs.