By Alice Melotti

You have undoubtedly heard about pet therapy and its numerous advantages to people's emotional well-being and mental health. But did you know that pets of all types and stripes can help you in the recovery process? If you haven't, we're here to support you and tell you all about the benefits of pets during addiction recovery.

What is pet therapy, and how can pets help their owners?

In general, pet therapy involves animal-assisted activities helping people cope with or recover from health issues. However, hardly any definition can explain the rewards coming from pet ownership. If you have ever owned a pet, perhaps you can grasp the scope of emotional fulfillment it brings.

If not, try to imagine unconditional love, absence of judgment, and highly contagious enthusiasm. Pets cheer us up, support us, teach, comfort, and empower us. That seems like a perfect definition of life-saving companionship. But what is it precisely that pets do for their humans in recovery?

• Reduce negative feelings of stress, anxiety, and anger
• Encourage healthful habits and exercise
• Help battle depression
• Enable healthy social interactions
• Substitute strained or missing family ties

In essence, pets provide emotional, mental, and physical stimulation to their owners in recovery. They act as an emotional outlet, inspire curiosity, and pave a path to healthy routines and fulfilling relationships.

Filters for negative feelings

Call it instinct or sixth sense but pets (mainly dogs and cats) can guess how you feel. What makes them special is what they do about it. When they come to greet you, they offer their company as reassurance we perceive as care. This friendly attitude helps people cope with stress and soothes anger and sadness—the stronger the bond with the animals, the greater the benefits of pets during addiction recovery.

Speaking science, neurotransmitter oxytocin is responsible for the emotional response pets' company evokes in us. But the feelings of trust and empathy are not the only stress relief you can get from relationship-building with animals. Making your loving creature happy helps you cope with loneliness, boosts your self-esteem, reduces stress and anxiety-driven fears. And it makes you happy, too.

Getting your life in order starts with healthy routines

Who better to teach you about routine than pets? Creatures of habit, cats, and dogs make sure to eat and sleep sufficiently. They remind you it's time to prepare food or get some much-needed rest. They even nudge you to get out and stretch your legs. Taking care of a pet is one of the important hobbies in recovery, as it instills a structured routine in your daily life. One that you can look forward to long-term.

Although there are many advantages to living with an animal under the same roof, doing so too soon in the recovery process can be counterproductive. Therapy animals’ handlers exist so you can introduce a pet into your life gradually. If pet ownership is not for you yet, that's fine. Being a regular volunteer in one of the many pet shelters will bring you closer to animals and allow you to adapt. Learning about them at your own pace is a basis of a strong bond.

Getting out of your head

When in recovery and battling depression, having someone else to focus on makes all the difference. Not being alone when you eat, sleep, work, or exercise in the fresh air brings a sense of purpose and strengthens resolve. Also, spending time outdoors with your pet has an added benefit. Exposure to sunlight is proven to boost mood and improve mental health, among other things.

Pets help you socialize

Conversations that start with your pet(s) in the spotlight quickly turn to other important topics in life, often leading to friendships, romantic relationships, and even employment proposals. Responsibility, dedication, and passion, something that all devoted pet owners share, are at the root of all these connections.

And what if your newfound job is not in the same city that you live in with your pet? No problem. Moving within Michigan can be effortless and quick, even with your loving pet in tow. Simply leave it to professionals while you focus on your other priorities.

Promoting social interactions is among the benefits of pets during addiction recovery that also encourages emotional healing. If you have a pet, it means you're a caring person and likely have a lot in common with other pet owners. In other words, people owning pets are perceived as more approachable and easier to socialize with.

Learn emotional intelligence

If your connections with family and friends have suffered, being in recovery is the perfect time to strengthen them. Owning a pet teaches the importance of familial ties and that strong bonds don't easily snap, even though they seem thin. It also helps pet owners develop emotional intelligence by focusing on the feelings of another sentient being.

There's no secret; pets give an example of how to share the love - yours is only to give it back. All of it brings about a change in perception of oneself and the one their family has of them. Living with and caring about a pet speaks volumes of a person. It wouldn't be the only time people smoothed the rough edges of a relationship over a shared affection for an animal.

A long-term commitment? Think cherished companionship.

Animals don't have superpowers, yet you will immediately feel different in their presence. Pets don't care about your looks, past choices, or about your job and earnings but will inspire you to be and do better. True, they rely on you to meet their basic needs, but they are capable of meeting yours, too, even if you're not aware of them.

You will never feel lonely, low-spirited, or bored with a pet. You can rest assured that your self-worth and morale will gradually improve, as will your social life. It is much easier to find gainful employment in recovery and become self-sufficient with this newfound confidence. The many benefits of pets during addiction recovery await you. So does your future furry best friend and companion!

By Alice Melotti