To ask if anyone else has a pet that's helped them with their MH struggles?

[Pippp]

Me and DH have been through a lot in the past 3 years.

We got our dog a year and a half ago now and he is a little star. He has helped me mentally so much.

I've been having a bit of a cry this morning and he's here giving me a cuddle wondering what the hell is up with me. He'll get me out of the house today when before I would have done well to make it out of bed.

Just a little appreciation for the soul that doesn't even know how much he's helped me

Has anyone else had an animal help them with their MH struggles?

I borrowed one of my friends dogs (she has a few dogs) at the start of lockdown. I’m really struggling with loneliness but having the dog has got me out of bed each day and given me a little bit of purpose to the day.

I regularly borrow her or the other dogs when I need some head space.

My best friend will never ever know how grateful I am that she allowed me to have her dog.
Although now with the extended lockdown I feel I will need to give her back soon as not fair to keep her from her family for so long.

We have two indoor guinea pigs and they have been so good for all of us but especially my teenage daughter, she will often cuddle up with one and just chat and stroke her.

I got 2 8 week old ragdoll kittens in January 2019
If you don't know the breed, please google and you'll see why. They are the most beautiful cuddly cats. Id been secretly struggling with my mental health for a few years but by Jan I was in a really bad place, starting with trouble at work that started in October the year before.
I got my 2 cats Kevin & Perry and my god did they give me some life back. Id been feeling very lost and frustrated but having them to come home to gave me a reason to wake up.
People can say that 'they're just pets' all they want, but animals can do so much for MH.

(If the picture has attached correctly, that's them at about 10 weeks old)

We got a puppy end of January. Should have done it years ago. Helped dh’s mental health enormously. It’s given him some unconditional love at a time when his confidence was low, due to bereavement. I don’t know how we’d be getting through this without the puppy.

Dh stress levels reduced , mine are up but eh...

We got a staffy rescue in March 2018. We are experienced staffy owners with no children so pretty straight forward.

My goodness, the difference this girl has made is immeasurable. She's good for our mental health mainly because hers seem worse. So many problems,none of which would ever get us to part with her. She is the most affectionate animal I've ever had the pleasure to share a house with.

BUt, goodness,she is needy. It took us the best part of eighteen months before she stopped hiding when we wanted to put her lead on. She still won't go out in the dark or shit anywhere but concrete.

But she now goes upstairs without being carried, and she doesn't steal food (very often).

She's an absolute darling despite her sometimes odd behaviour. We wouldn't be without her

Tickelmelmo they are adorable!

My two Boston terriers. So affectionate, make me laugh every day, and just give the best cuddles.

One in particular seems to have decided that I’m Her Human, and follows me everywhere. It’s wonderful - I might be 45, but my self-esteem isn’t great, so knowing that little dog loves me best is a real honour.

Pics for cuteness

My two indoor guinea pigs. There is nothing so moving as a small creature trusting you enough to fall asleep on you. Their contented little chirrups and the smell of hay on their fur works on me like a tranquilliser.

Love these stories. And am excited to say I have a meme for this very topic.

My little cat. She knows when my anxiety is bad and will pretty much sit on my shoulder until I calm. She is my amazing little therapy cat and I love her to bits. I've never in my life had an animal that's so in tune with my feelings.

My cat helps me. She does nothing any differently but that's what I take a weird kind of comfort in. That she carries on like nothing has changed lol. Still grumpy, still attacks me one day, affectionate the next but it's a bit of normality I welcome!

Definitely. My dog’s 12 now, so getting on a bit, but she knows when I’m feeling low and will come for a cuddle. My little parrot is a real comedian and never fails to make me laugh! I’d be lost without my pets.

I think just having pets to take care of who don’t whinge or judge has helped me massively. They love me unconditionally when I am incapable of loving myself.

Yes. We had the most adorable cat who helped me through a truly awful 18 months. Literally brought me back from the depths of despair. We were devastated when some speeding feckwit of an idiot driver hit him in February (we live in an area with schools and nurseries and several older residents and yet people insist on speeding down the roads at 40mph plus. I sincerely hope whoever hit him has lost something of equal value.) He was dead by the time we got to him. The vet couldn't save him. The only consolations were that we had given him a good life while we had him and it must have been quick. We now have another lovely if feisty young cat as the older cat pined terribly and sat on the windowsill waiting for Adorable Cat to come home for weeks after he died. She's much happier with someone to boss about. Due to lockdown though we can't get new young cat snipped and chipped. And he has BAGS of energy....

Yes op this one. She's a tonic 😊

What a lovely thread
We got our rescue cat after years of DS begging to have a pet.
Cat helps (autistic) DS when he’s having a bad day, he always knows and will even come in from outside just to sit on/near DS.
Cat will wake me up to tell me if either child wakes in the night or has kicked off their covers.
He’s so good for my mental health too, he’s sitting on my legs right now taking up half the bed as I can’t sleep. I love him to bits.

My two rescue dogs have most definitely rescued me. Got me through depression and anxiety and a loooong period of infertility and IVF. They are my little saviours and I love them dearly xx

He’s gorgeous OP. And thanks for all the other pet pics :)

I just got a rescue dog about 6 weeks ago and she has been amazing. I'm out of work at the moment but my partner is still working a lot so I'm spending most of the days by myself and I don't know what I would do if I didn't have her. She's a bit naughty but she absolutely loves me and seeing her wiggling her little body and wagging tail when she greets me is amazing. She loves her cuddles too and makes little grunting sounds when she's happy.