Having a pet can be fun. You share the love with an animal that is so much more different from the love you share with another person you care about such as family or friends. Some people treat their animals like they are family, or as if they are a child to them. Pets can be a best friend to you when you are at your darkest times. So having pets can be amazing for mental health. However, it is important to know what kind of pets are great for you and do your research.
Types of pets that are good to have with mental health
As I said before, having a pet can be super fun! However, it’s important to look at pets that can be great for mental health. I have listed pets based on research and personal experience. Number 1 would be the best pet for anyone with mental illnesses and all pets listed would be good in their own way.
- Dogs – dogs are loyal! Yes, they take a lot of your time and require a lot of attention and responsibility, but they are amazing therapy pets!
- Cats – cats stick to themselves, most of the time they sleep and the only training they need is to use the litter tray which most of the time they use already when they’re with their mother as they learn. Cats are amazing and loving if treated right.
- Any rodent such as hamster or rats – rodents are low maintenance pets and they’re super fun to watch as they play in their cages. With time you can also teach them to be handled and enjoy it! That’s a great way to give you a positive feeling.
- Reptiles – I agree not every pet is for anyone but reptiles are only expensive to buy them and their homes. After that, they’re low maintenance and most of them only eat once or twice a week so you save money buying food.
- Finally, birds – in my opinion, birds are not the best in terms of having them as a pet and that is more a fear of them escaping because they fly. Even though they are low maintenance they also require monthly vet checks which can be costly but other than that they’re super fun to be around. Teaching them to talk is also super cool too!
Pros and cons of having pets with mental illness
Pros
There are many good things about having pets and it’s important to first research the type of animal you want. Gain the knowledge before buying. Here are some of the basic good things for any animal when you have mental illnesses.
- Animals help to keep your calmer
- They give you a responsibility
- Can help shift your focus
- They can help you feel much better positively
- Most of the time they help you through tough times just by being there and giving you love in return for your love
- Some pets are low maintenance
- Can be fairly easy to take care of
- Can help you make better lifestyle choices
- They might help you become more active
- Make you smile when you need it
- Are an amazing entertainment source, some are so goofy and can give you a good laugh
- Relieve stress
Cons
Now with everything you wish to do there are always going to be cons. For pets, it’s no different. They are a lot of hard work and it’s important to know the possible bad things about having a pet! So here are some of the cons when having a pet with mental illnesses.
- Can be super expensive (vet bills, their enclosures, food, etc.)
- They can be too much work (you have to research your animal before deciding on a pet)
- Can actually make your mental illness worse
- Might be too much to handle
- Too time-consuming for your daily lifestyle
- Might give you negative feelings if the animal behaves badly
- Too hard to train for you
- Although I mentioned they can relieve stress, they can also cause stress
Picking the right pet for you
It’s important to pick the right pet for you and it’s not that hard to do. Firstly, review your mental health with your GP ask them if they think it’s good for you to have a pet. If they agree, then you’re already at the start of finding your next best friend! Secondly, think about what kind of pet you want and to do this list down what things you can and can’t do for example, “I don’t have a lot of time because of work but I do have room for a cage.” After you have that, you can pick if you have time for an animal. Using my example above I would say “I would love a rabbit, they’re small and they require less time than a dog.”
Once you have decided on your pet it’s now important to research. People make the mistake of going all in and buying one straight away. This is bad because it causes stress not just to the animal but also to yourself. You can call up pet shops and ask for advice and also pull up leaflets online and other articles. Research what they will need, the food they can and can’t eat, possible vet costs, and then start preparing. Once you’re ready to buy your animal it’s also important to decide where you will get your pet from. A pet store, a person or adopt. In my opinion, adopting will always be better because you can give an animal the home it deserves.
Conclusion
So, pets are amazing but also have their negative side to them. It’s great to have a pet but only if you are really ready for it. Research and speaking to your GP and loved ones will surely help your decision. Once you have your pet and you have them at home, I hope they make you happy! As someone who has pets with anxiety, I can surely confirm how amazing they are. They make you feel so much better and give you a smile that you rarely can show!