"I am depressed, I feel lonely, There is no one who understands me". These are common statements that we hear in this day and age. Along with technological and financial advancement, the lack of social ties and identity crisis has led to a condition where people are more connected to their phones than to each other. It has indeed become a state of crisis.
It is a miracle if we find someone who is free of stress and satisfied with every aspect of their life. However, stress should not be mistaken as depression. While it can lead to drepression when not paid attention to, depression is more like a disease, which when untreated and ignored can bring about serious problem.
I have also felt on many occasions that the level of physchological imbalance that i go through needs to be keep under check as well. The most effective medicine for me then is the support of my close friends and families but most of all the company of my dog.
Dogs have proven themselves time and again to be not only intelligent but also a most sympathetic and loving part of one's life time. After a long, tiring and stressful day and hour spent with dogs and their unconditional love and affection can boost up the mood of any individual whether stressed or even chronically depresssed. Therefore, dogs have been adapted as therapy and counseling companions in many hospitals and treatment centers all over the world.
There are many ways dogs help in assisting depressed people or even curing depression especially when ifentified in its initial stage. I would like to share some tips which i addapted when i go through it a long time back ;
1. Simple act of touching, stroking, and even hugging a dog can be very soothing. Their touch helps to regulate blood flow to our heart, and calm us down in the most positive way.
2. Dogs cannot talk back, but they can listen and sometimes we need to be listen to them rather than talked back to. They do not judge us or ridicule us so even talking to them can actually act like therapy.
3. Playing with dogs inside or outside your house not only keeps you active and fit, but also brings down the level of internal complications.
4. Especially in cases when one has rescued a dog, the relationship becomes stronger as dogs are extremely grateful, loving, empathetic and moreover the best friend one can ever have.
In order to keep your dog calm and motivated, you need to be calm as well. The more agitated you are, the less responsive your dog becomes. They do not demand anything in return. A pet dog gives unconditional love to its owner all the time. Caring for a dog and loving it also keeps the person busy, which helps the person to change his/her state of mind from negative and positive. However, just keeping the dog in one corner of the house is not helpful. One has to spend time with the dog loving, caring and playing with it.
