Pet therapy or animal-assisted therapy can be a wonderful source of comfort, love, and companionship for those dealing with mental health issues.
However, when it comes to seeking mental health treatment, pet owners may feel hesitant to leave their furry friends behind. Pet-friendly rehabs and mental health facilities provide a wonderful option for pet owners to receive the care they need without sacrificing the companionship and support of their furry friends.
For many pet owners, their pets are like family members, and the thought of leaving them behind during a stay in a mental health facility can be distressing. However, more mental health facilities are recognizing the importance of pets in their patients’ lives and have started creating pet-friendly policies.
Gratitude Lodge is one treatment center in Southern California that offers pet-friendly treatment programs to ensure that our clients’ stay is as comfortable as possible. Call our team today and learn more about how our program can help you.
What are the Benefits of Having Pets in Mental Health Facilities?
Having pets in mental health facilities can offer several benefits, both for patients and the therapeutic environment as a whole.
Benefits of having a pet in a mental health treatment center include:
- Stress Reduction: Interaction with pets has been shown to decrease cortisol, a stress hormone, and increase serotonin, a feel-good chemical in the brain. This can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression in patients.
- Nonjudgmental Support: Animals offer unconditional love and acceptance. They do not judge by a person’s past or their mental health condition, which can be incredibly comforting to patients who may feel stigmatized by their mental health struggles.
- Increased Social Interaction: Pets can help facilitate social interactions among patients and between patients and staff. They can act as social lubricants, easing conversations and fostering community within the facility.
- Physical Activity: Physical activity, such as walking or playing, is encouraged, especially with dogs. This can be beneficial for mental health, as regular physical activity is known to help reduce depressive symptoms and improve mood.
- Routine and Responsibility: Caring for a pet requires a certain level of responsibility and routine, which can benefit people with mental health issues. It helps bring structure to their day and can make them feel needed and valuable.
- Emotional Comfort: Pets can provide emotional comfort. Simply petting an animal can help soothe and relax individuals. They can also help reduce feelings of loneliness by providing companionship.
- Increased Engagement: Pets can increase patient engagement with therapeutic activities. They can be incorporated into therapy sessions to encourage participation and make them more appealing and less intimidating.
- Therapeutic Tool: Therapists can use animals in their sessions as therapeutic tools. For example, observing a patient’s interaction with an animal can provide insights into their behavior and emotional state. Pets can also be used in specific therapeutic approaches, like animal-assisted therapy (AAT).
These benefits can contribute significantly to the healing and comfort of individuals in mental health facilities, enhancing the overall therapeutic environment.
For pet owners seeking mental health treatment, pet-friendly mental health facilities provide a unique option that allows them to receive the care they need without sacrificing the comfort and support of their furry friends.
If you or a loved one are searching for pet-friendly mental health facilities, Gratitude Lodge offers a substance abuse and mental health treatment program that welcomes you and your pet.
Visit our pet-friendly rehab page or call 844-576-0144 to learn more.
DOES ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPY WORK?
Many mental health and substance abuse treatment programs offer alternative or holistic therapies to supplement traditional treatment methods. While animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is not a “cure” for substance abuse or mental health issues, you can benefit from including pet therapy as a part of your comprehensive treatment program.
According to Heart Views, “Animals make people feel good – and a pet can improve health, studies show. Pets can ease loneliness, reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, promote social interaction, encourage exercise and playfulness, and provide unconditional love and affection.”
Whether you have a pet of your own or engage with animals as part of your mental health or substance abuse treatment program, many studies have shown that animals and pets can help with your mental health.
THE IMPORTANCE OF UNCONDITIONAL LOVE IN RECOVERY
Sometimes, mental health and substance abuse problems can create issues with the essential people in your life. You might experience disruptions in friendships or family relationships if your addiction or mental illnesses caused problems in those crucial relationships.
As you repair those essential relationships, you can still receive unconditional love from your pet. Pets are often happy to see their owners despite any of their flaws or issues. As you build your self-esteem during recovery, your pet can provide you with unconditional love and acceptance — even if your friends and family aren’t quite “there yet.”
GET PET-FRIENDLY MENTAL HEALTH & ADDICTION TREATMENT AT GRATITUDE LODGE
If you’re struggling with addiction and mental health disorders, our pet-friendly recovery centers offer a safe and welcoming place for both you and your furry friend.
At Gratitude Lodge, we offer compassionate care for mental health disorders and substance use disorders. When you call, our friendly team will walk you through the process of getting treatment with your pet by your side, providing a free insurance coverage check, creating a customized treatment plan for them, and much more.
Our world-class, people-first program includes addiction treatments like:
- Individual and group therapy (CBT, DBT, etc.)
- Dual-diagnosis (mental health treated with addiction)
- Adventure therapy (surfing, hiking, beach days, etc)
- Holistic therapy (yoga, art therapy, music therapy, etc)
- & More
Learn more about our programs on our treatments page, or call our friendly team today at 844-576-0144.