Depression Getaway's New Team Member


Meet Casey! He is the newest member of my depression management team! My husband gave me a wonderful article to read about veteran soldiers with PSTD who were helped by therapy dogs. Something touched me right then and we started looking for dogs. When I met Casey I knew he was the one and he has been giving me therapy ever since.

 It is too soon for me to say that my dog will make a difference but I will report back to you in a few months and give you an update. For now I am calmer than I usually am, smile more than I normally do and have someone (some'thing') that pulls me away from my self-obsessive thoughts. THAT'S GOOD RIGHT?

The frustration of puppy training lies ahead, we will see how I cope with that!

 If you already own a precious pet you know the power of their companionship, their free love and devotion. You know how just petting them is soothing. But if you'd like to know more about pets and depression, especially dogs and depression, then read on!

 Mood Boosting Power of Dogs has all sorts of convincing information about how pets are helpful to anyone:
  • Dog owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets.
  • People with dogs have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets. One study even found that when people with borderline hypertension adopted dogs from a shelter, their blood pressure declined significantly within five months.
  • Playing with a dog or cat can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.
  • Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels (indicators of heart disease) than those without pets.
  • Heart attack patients with dogs survive longer than those without.
  • Pet owners over age 65 make 30 percent fewer visits to their doctors than those without pets.
Or if you would like a list of ways that dogs can specifically help those of us with depression read 10 Ways Dogs Help Fight Depression

How a Dog Helped me Manage my Anxiety and Depression will give a personal testimony of one person's amazing dog and how he helped her.

 This article helped me decide what kind of dog would suit me: The Seven Best Dog Breeds for Fighting Depression

How Pets Manage Depression gives even more information about how any kind of pet can ease the symptoms of depression.

 WHAT ABOUT YOU? How are you feeling today? Do you have a pet in your life? Would you like to have one? 

 Don't give up! There is hope for depression.

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