What does a therapy animal mean? Do you know about this type of health therapy?
A therapy animal is a therapy that involves an animal as the assistant for some treatment. Usually, the therapy animal is in the form of a dog or a cat.
It says that a therapy animal will give us a great impact in lonely time and help cure other mental health problems.
As we know, that animals are the best partner humans can have. Pets especially are the most loyal creatures for their owners, just like a dog that will loyal to its owner.
So it is common to have a therapy animal for some troublesome people. But what are actually the benefits of having a therapy animal?
Is this really effective to do? Here we will talk about the benefits of having a therapy animal. Here we go!
1. Reduces anxiety, grief, and isolation
One of the benefits of having a therapy animal is to help people reduce anxiety, grief, and isolation. Animals aren’t judgmental and they will accept us without any resentment.
It means that most people may feel comfortable while they are around animals. Just like when we have a horse, we will get some health benefits of owning a horse.
Especially dogs, that known as the most loyal pets to human. They tend to give you comfort and make you feel at ease.
So, it is clear that therapy animals will help reduce the anxiety you may have from your deep life problems.
It also helps people to move on from a grief condition. As we know some people tend to live like nothing will give them light.
So, by having an animal therapy at least they will have others to open up their heart so the darkness and grief they may feel can be reduced.
2. Makes you happier
Of course this therapy will help you bring in a happier condition. Like we have talked before that animals have the ability to comfort people.
They will help reduce the anxiety and grief that can give a happiness for some people who are suffering from many problematic conditions.
Playing with animals may give them an extra comfort that will make them happy. It may not exactly solve any problem, but it sure makes people happier.
Animals always have the best way to make people feel comfort and safe around them.
Just like when they act cute or spoiled so people will love them so much, and it will make them happier.
Even you will also get benefits of growing your own garden for your physical and mental health. Having a therapy animal will give a similar effect.
3. Improves motor skills and joint movements
When you have a therapy animal, it means that you will do some activities with the animal.
Either you will have your own pet or you want to visit some certified therapy animal places. You will do activities that will involve your body movement.
For example you play Frisbee with your dog, it sure an activity that makes you either walk or run.
You also may go outside with your pet to get some other activities. Those activities surely will improve your motor skills and of course your join movements.
That is way this therapy is recommended for many people. Maybe you are one of the people who will get some benefits of zumba, but this therapy will also give you a lot of benefits.
4. Develops social skills
There are some people who have difficulties to socialize. Usually this type of people are considered as introvert.
So, to develop their social skills, they may try to have a therapy animal. You will also get benefits of talking to older family members, but for you who are shy, it is a good option to try having a therapy animal.
Since animals won’t protest or criticize their owner, it sure can be a good way to develop social skills.
Before you go outside in a real social life, doing it with your pet will be a good choice.
Moreover, there are many people who love pets, so you may get a topic to talk about with others.
5. Reduces blood pressure
Other benefits of having a therapy animal is it will help you reduce the blood pressure.
Why is it so? Because the comfort effect that the animal will give to the people will also result in a lower blood pressure.
When we feel comfort and relax, the blood pressure will also in a normal state or lower for someone with a high blood pressure risk.
Moreover, lower blood pressure will also result in another healthier state, such as reducing the heart attack risk.
Other than that, it also results in reducing the risk of stroke. So, comforting yourself with a therapy animal will give you a lot of benefits related to the blood pressure.
Even you will get health benefits of grapefruit for blood pressure in a simpler way.
Those are just some of the benefits of having a therapy animal.
There are many others you will get such as reducing the need for medication, improving balance, enhancing problem–solving skills, and many more.