My home has a variety of animals. We have 2 cats, a puppy, a rabbit, and 15 chickens. Out of them all, the chickens are, by far, the least cuddly (especially the rooster…he’s kind of a jerk). I think most of the people reading this probably have at least 1 pet considering that close to 70%**** of American households do. If you do, you may intuitively know what research suggests, which is that our pets are good for our mental health. As I’m writing this, my grumpy old cat is smacking at the puppy while he tries to get a toy, and yes, it’s definitely boosting my mood.

Through survey** data, we find that people say their pets:

Reduce stress and anxiety (69%)
Give unconditional love (69%)
Are great companions (69%)
Have a calming effect (66%)
Provide friendship (63%)

Other studies*** suggest that pets can lower depression symptoms, increase confidence, and give their owners comfort and purpose. Some of the ways that they help include*:

Making people feel loved by boosting dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin levels.
They reduce feelings of loneliness through companionship.
They reduce blood pressure to such an extent that the American Heart Association suggests pets (especially dogs) for reducing cardiovascular disease.
They lower stress and anxiety, and their presence can actually lower levels of cortisol (a stress hormone) within the body.
They encourage fresh air and exercise because taking your pet for a walk gives you health benefits too.
They can reduce the symptoms of PTSD, especially service dogs (though any animal*** that you form a connection to can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression)
Some pets can take care of us by helping with tasks
Pet owners tend to self-rate themselves as more happy and satisfied.

Some pets seem to know*** when their owner is stressed or upset. There are many stories of pets offering comfort through a nudge or a paw when people are sad or hurt. Children will sometimes share their feelings with a pet before coming to an adult. Therapy dogs can be found on any given day at Children’s Hospital giving a boost and a smile to kids who are ill.

Pets aren’t for everyone, though. Some people are limited in pets that they could own due to allergies. Others worry** about pet health or death, what to do with pets while traveling, or the cost of ownership through feeding and veterinary care. Others report not wanting to get a new pet while mourning the loss of another. Even if ownership isn’t an option for you, there are animal volunteering opportunities that can give some of the benefits of bonding with animals without the responsibility of ownership.

I’m not necessarily suggesting that everyone go buy a puppy. Though, having said that, there are a lot of pets at shelters or fostering situations right now that would love a permanent home. While pets aren’t for everyone, I’ve had a lot of clients tell me how much their pets mean to them and how sometimes cuddling up with their favorite animal makes things feel a little better. It is a lot of work, no doubt. Taking a dog for a walk, cleaning up accidents, or hearing the cat puke somewhere in the house in the middle of the night can be pretty inconvenient. However, this can also provide a sense of structure for some that they might find beneficial. When I get home from work, my kids may grunt a greeting at me, but my puppy is waiting at the door excited to see me, and that does feel pretty nice.

*https://psychcentral.com/health/pets-and-mental-health

**https://www.psychiatry.org/News-room/News-Releases/Positive-Mental-Health-Impact-of-Pets

***https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mind-body-connection/202010/the-psychological-and-physical-benefits-having-pet

****https://www.forbes.com/advisor/pet-insurance/pet-ownership-statistics/

There’s something that I frequently recommend to clients that often results in some groans of complaint. That thing is journaling. Journaling is a very effective form of self reflection, and there is a ton of research pointing to it being very effective in improving mood and processing negative beliefs. I often meet some resistance from clients when I suggest this, but I can say that those who do their journaling homework typically come back saying that they found it to be helpful. Psychcentral calls journaling* an expressive coping mechanism that allows people to release feelings onto a page or document. The idea is to take something from inside of us and place it outside of us. This is actually why I tend to recommend not going back and re-reading previous journal entries. After a significant amount of time has passed (maybe a year) it could give people a sense of their growth if they read an old entry, but going back and re-reading something difficult that they recently expressed tends to have the effect of reabsorbing the feelings they’ve previously expressed.

Journaling helps with many different mental health* conditions. It alleviates anxiety because anxious thoughts tend to feed each other, causing people to ruminate or dwell on them. This can often feel like a snowball going down the hill picking up more snow and growing larger. By journaling, people have the opportunity to process the worries differently and even reflect on other ways to think about anxiety-producing situations. Journaling is also very helpful with depression and trauma when used correctly. Studies show that journaling about the activities of the day do little to relieve depression symptoms; however, writing about deeper emotional experiences and the accompanying thoughts can (over time) help reduce depressed mood and feelings. It can also help people on their path to recovering from trauma to write about the experiences that they’ve been through. This can be very triggering, so it would be much safer for people who have been through trauma to do this while undergoing counseling.

Gratitude journaling is another option, or one that can be incorporated into other forms of journaling. We’re wired to notice the bad more than the good. It’s actually more of a survival strategy passed down from our ancestors, and it likely helped them survive in a more primitive and dangerous world. Still, this negativity-bias can contribute to or worsen negative moods and feelings. Taking time to write down* what you’re grateful for can be a way of countering depressive thoughts and feelings. If you’ve had a terrible day that started with stepping on a lego and only went downhill from there, you might tell yourself that there’s nothing to be grateful for. There’s always something to be grateful for, though. You can be grateful for the breath you just took, the sun on your face, the rain that keeps plants alive, or this giant space rock that we all call home.

Psychology Today gives 10 reasons** why it’s a good idea to journal:

Similar to what has already been mentioned, journaling relieves stress and anxiety.
It helps to stimulate creativity and the development of original ideas.
It helps to improve memory, which would be especially beneficial for those who are at higher risk of age-related memory conditions.
Boosting self-awareness and personal growth.
As mentioned previously, it improves mental health and reduces the symptoms of a variety of mental health conditions.
It helps improve motivation.
It improves relationships by helping people to better understand the people in their lives as well as a reminder to be grateful for them.
It improves productivity by helping people create structure for themselves.
Finally, journaling can be a form of legacy that is left behind for descendants, should you choose to make it available for them.

Journaling is an effective tool for coping in the moment. However, the best effects of journaling are cumulative. Ongoing journaling on a regular basis* is significantly more effective than when it is used as an as-needed tool. Having said that, I would still tend to say that anything a person does with the intention of improving their life, physical health, or mental health is a good thing, even if it isn’t done regularly. An important thing to consider is what method works best for you. You might want a specific leather-bound journal and a fancy pen, you might want a spiral notebook and a broken pencil or cheap give-away pen, you might prefer to type into a hidden folder on your computer. It doesn’t actually matter what method you use, and if it’s necessary to experiment with different tools, that’s fine too. Your method of journaling, like your thoughts themselves, belong to you.

*https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-health-benefits-of-journaling#depression

**https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/modern-minds/202301/10-good-reasons-to-keep-a-journal