Do Pets Help Boost Your Mental Health? A Scientific View

Mental HealthNovember 8, 2022

Being a pet owner has many perks. If nothing else, you receive a positive boost when you come home after a tiresome day and your dog hails you at the door. The gentle welcome from your pet can enable you to forget what you have gone through during the day. Likewise, a gentle kiss on your pet’s forehead will make you ‘superstitiously’ happy. Thus, these are the apparent perks of owning pets. However, there is a scientific view about pet owners as well. Unlike the ‘common’ view, the scientific view is more inclusive and all-encompassing in nature.

Kai / Pexels / Pet owners are at least three times happier than those who do not own pets, says a scientific study.

In this article, we will explore the perks of being a pet owner. We will see what science has to say about the mental health and well-being implications of being a pet owner. Without any further ado, let’s get started.

What is Mental Health & Why is it Important?

Before we kick off with how pets can help boost your mental health, let’s address the elephant in the room first. What is mental and why is it important? Well, your mental health is how you feel about yourself deep inside. And what is going on in your subconscious mind? This is all about your mental health.

Helena / Pexels / Your mental health declines if you do not take care of it. Pets can play a key role here, science suggests.

Your mental health declines if you do not give enough attention to it. And bad mental health means a decline in your overall well-being. Because mental health and physical health work in sync.

This is where pets come into play. These unique animals can be handy in changing your mood for the better – adding to your overall well-being. Here is how pets can help you boost your mental health, according to science:

Pet Owners are Happier than Those Who do Not Own Pets

To begin with, pet owners are, by nature, happy people. Unlike others who do not have pets, pet owners tend to be happy people. They are always surrounded by the sense of happiness given by these pets.

Mathew / Pexels / Pet owners, by nature, are happy and content people.

Thus, being happy means stable mental health. Of course, if you are a happy person, you are naturally stable. After all, a happy person is a healthy person.

Mental Health & Overall Well-Being of Pet Owners

According to scientific studies, their mental health and overall well-being are way better than those who do not own pets. Why? Because they are content with their lives.

Essentially, pet owners are accompanied by their pets. These pets always tame their owners and give them company all the time. In the long run, this plays a pivotal role in determining the mental health of their owners.