Mental Health and Animals

Mental health is something that should be a top priority for everyone and somehow goes to the bottom of most college students; priority lists. Thankfully, mental health is a conversation topic that is talked about more in recent years as we’ve witnessed and been through hard times, especially during COVID-19. Due to this, I wanted to think of ways to help you improve your mental health and live a happier and more fulfilled life. There are traditional ways of treating bad mental health. For example, getting therapy, support groups, medication, and some easier and free ways like self-care. Self-care for me is to do things that make me happy at the moment which helps me cherish the little things in life. My self-care routine is taking my dog, Bentley, to the art museum and having a little quiet picnic. It has been proven that animals can help your mental health immensely. I interviewed a Meredith student to see how much her Australian shepherd helps her with her day-to-day life. In response, she said “Cleo, my pup, helps me get out of bed in the morning since she needs to go out first and foremost. She gives me a reason to come home. If I’m not here to take care of her, then who will? That thought alone keeps me here on this Earth. She reminds me every day that I have to be here for her and I have to succeed in life to keep her healthy and happy. Ever since I adopted her I have always had someone there on my bad days which makes it that much more worth it!”