Choosing and Caring For Your First Mental Health Companion Animal

Guest author: Brandon Butler

If you’re struggling with a mental health condition, you may want to consider adopting a companion animal. Many people struggling with mental health conditions have found that a companion animal helps keep them steady and secure, even on their worst days. While all pet owners find comfort and companionship in their pets, this is especially true for those with mental health illnesses.

How Pets Help Those with Mental Health Conditions

Interactions with pets can lessen anxiety, lower blood pressure and heart rate, and offset feelings of depression. From songbirds lowering depression in men at a veteran’s hospital to dogs improving depression in college students, studies have shown a variety of companion animals can help numerous mental health conditions, including depression, bipolar disorder, addiction, and more.

People benefit from their companion animal’s presence in several ways. Some people feel a deep emotional connection with their pet that they don’t feel from friends and family. People also report that companion animals distract them from their illness and keep them from feeling socially withdrawn. For starters, you’ll never feel alone with a pet around your apartment or house. Also, dogs in particular serve as great icebreakers. When people see a dog in public, they tend to approach the dog to pet him or her to say hello.

Exercise along with creating and keeping routines are helpful for many people struggling with mental health issues. All animals need to be tended to and cared for, so they give you meaning and keep you engaged while you maintain a routine. Because they need to be walked two to three times a day, dogs in particular force you to remain active and stay on schedule even when you don’t feel like it.

Finding Therapy Animals

If you need your dog to be specially trained in assisting you with your specific mental health condition, groups like the American Humane Association offer animal-assisted therapy programs for people with depression and other mood disorders. You may also be able to find a local group in your area that offers training. The AKC offers a list of certified therapy dog training groups.

In order for your pet to be covered by the Disability Act and thus be able to go everywhere with you, it must be trained as a psychiatric service dog, which is different than training for a therapy dog or an emotional support animal (ESA). While the latter do have certain legal rights in housing situations and when flying, psychiatric service dogs have the same abilities and protection by laws as other service dogs, such as those for vision impairment.

Choosing and Caring for a Pet

When choosing a companion animal, there are some questions to help you determine which type of animal is best for you. Be aware of the space requirements for different animals and breeds, and consider the space in your home and yard. Also, consider the cons of different pets. For example, can you live with pet hair or do you mind changing a litter box every day? Different animals and breeds require different levels of care, so ensure that you have the time necessary to devote to a pet. They also have different activity levels, and those should align with your own. One of the most important concerns is the financial consideration.

Caring for your pet requires a lot of responsibility, but the five most important things to provide are exercise, food, grooming, veterinarian check-ups, and a schedule. Exercise burns off stored energy, keeps them healthy, and provides a bonding opportunity. Food and treats should be the right quality and amount. Grooming and regular veterinarian visits keep your pet comfortable and healthy. A regular schedule helps your pet’s temperament and helps you create a great relationship with your pet.

Adopting a companion animal may provide great benefits to you if you’re struggling with a mental health condition. Whether you’re suffering from bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, PTSD, or addiction, a pet can provide comfort, security, and companionship. When you and your pet become bonded, he or she will be by your side always without ever judging you or asking questions about your struggles. It’s an unconditional love that’s sure to benefit you both.

Beyond the Pill Box

When a medication is prescribed,  its effectiveness in treating or improving the condition for which it was given can only be measured if taken consistently and as prescribed. For many, medication compliance is a challenge.This is especially true for those who take multiple medications, senior citizens, individuals with mental illness and those who are visually impaired.
Over the years several medication adherence aides have had some positive impact on compliance. However, even with the various devices available, non-compliance continues to have a negative impact in healthcare, inhibiting practitioners ability to improve a patients' health and their quality of life. This behavior ultimately leads to frequent hospitalizations and for some premature death.
Data suggest that 60 percent of individuals with depression, one half asthmatics and two thirds of individuals with HIV fail to take medications as prescribed.The cost of non-compliance in the United States is skyrocketing estimated  to be between $100 - $300 billion annually in the US alone. It is apparent a solution to this problem is needed.
In November 2017, the FDA approved the use of digital pills. This new technology will allow the tracking of a medication when taken. The patient receives a motivational message when a medication is taken or an alert if it is missed. The physician and designated family members also gets a readout on the patients' medication activity. The digital pill has several hurdles to overcome, especially those related to privacy but early data suggest a 99% compliance rate in a study of a small group of individuals being treated for Hepatitis C leading to a 100% cure rate. It is believed that with time the digital pill will be widely accepted not only by the medical community but also by the consumers of health. Learn more "What is a digital pill"?

What Lurks Inside

Hippocrates considered to be the "Father of medicine" has been reported to have said "all disease begins in the gut". When the general belief was that illness and disease were the result of demonic possession or disfavor of the gods, Hippocrates approach was to separate illness from superstition and treat the whole person (holistic medicine). He understood the connection between well being and the healing powers in nature (plants & herbs), diet, exercise, rest, and fresh air (environment). Hippocrates believed in the correlation of ill health and vapors that entered the body from residues that were formulated from eating a poor diet.
Today more and more practitioners believe that nutrition, along with proper digestion, assimilation and absorption of nutrients, is fundamental to overall well-being. The manner in which we treat our body's ecosystem will largely determine our overall health.  Eating healthy foods, managing stress levels, and maintaining an active lifestyle all contribute to the maintenance of a healthy gut microbiome.
Bearing this in mind, one cannot begin an effective wellness journey unless you address what is going on inside of your belly. Read more "Ten Ways To Improve Your Gut Bacteria, Based on Science".

N.B. Working with a knowledgeable nutritionist or physician is advisable when working to attain/maintain your wellness goals.

The Painful Muscle Cramp

From time to time all of us will experience an involuntarily contraction of a muscle that does not relax...also know as a muscle cramp. Muscle cramps can occur at any time for several different reasons. Some common reasons for muscle cramps are dehydration, lack or depletion of specific nutrients in the diet (calcium, magnesium or potassium), compression of a spinal nerve,  improper or inadequate stretching before exercise and certain medications. As one ages, they tend to experience muscle cramps more frequently due to the lack of muscle mass which can cause the muscles to become over-stressed more easily.
Most muscle cramps will resolve on their own but there are some instances where you may want to consult with your physician. These include

• The cramp causes severe discomfort
• The cramp is associated with leg swelling, redness or skin changes
• If you are experiencing muscle weakness
• Cramps occur frequently
• You have no improvement with self-care
• Cramps are not associated with an obvious cause

Several home remedies have been found to be very effective in relieving occasional muscle cramps. Start with stretching and massaging the affected muscle followed by the application of heat.
Always try to remain well hydrated, especially during exercise and warm weather.  Read more about Home Remedies for Muscle Cramps.
As always if you are under the care of a physician for a chronic medical condition or are taking medications, confer with him/her before using any of the above home remedies.