Having a pet improves psychological well-being

People who have a strong emotional bond with their pets are more likely to improve their psychological well-beingaccording to the systematic review carried out by the Affinity Animals and Health Foundation Chair of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), within the framework of World Animal Day, which was celebrated last Saturday, October 4.

The presence of a dog or catamong many other benefits, provides stability and helps maintain routinesactivities that, in turn, can be a factor of resilience in difficult times, concludes this study. The analysis includes information from more than 50 international studies carried out in recent years, including those carried out by the chair itself.

The daily routine with the animal and the emotional bond

Walks with the dog and basic tasks of care as food, hygiene, or play They help maintain a daily structure and feeling of normalityalso favoring the physical activity and contact with the environment. Likewise, animals improve mood, they can reduce feelings of loneliness and offer company constant. In this line, even the simple gesture of petting or hugging the animal is associated with stress reduction and a feeling of calm. “The constant presence and emotional closeness of companion animals make them a fundamental source of social support. This bond can only develop in a healthy way if it is built on love and respect for your needs“explains Dr. Jaume Fatjó, director of the Affinity Animals and Health Foundation Chair at the UAB.

He care that animals require also contributes to make the person feel useful by giving it meaning and purpose. In this sense, Loreto Sánchez de Nicolás, clinical psychologist who collaborates with the Affinity Foundation, emphasizes: “This emotional bond can be a great ally to protect and reinforce our psychological well-being by making us feel necessary and loved.”

A campaign that highlights what animals can do for us

The expert insists on the importance of clarifying that “animals cannot cover all our needs,” but they can provide us with something that is “key to facing daily challenges”: “Very valuable elements such as company, routine, affection and the security of a constant presence that can help us improve our emotional state.

In this sense, the Affinity Foundation has presented ‘Experts on you’, a campaign that makes visible how animals can support us and provide us with what we need most at every moment. In a humorous way, it shows that, although animals can’t solve your problemsYes, they can provide listening, company or motivation, generating a positive impact on mood.

“With this campaign we intend contrast those things in which animals cannot help usr, such as our partner coming back after a breakup or the rent going down, about which they can do somethinghow to listen to ourselves when we need it most or get us out of recurring negative thoughts through play or walks,” concludes Laura Rodriguez, communications manager at the Affinity Foundation.