O’Connell 1

Emily O’Connell

Crandall 2nd

AP Language

17 December 2019

Research Paper Literature Review-Revised

Not only are dogs great life partners, but they can also help their humans with mental

health issues with which they may struggle. An abundance of evidence from many different

sources has proved that interaction with animals can help patients who struggle with anxiety,

depression, PTSD, etc. to be more relaxed and ease their symptoms. In her article for TIME.com,

Mary Oaklander, writer for the long-trusted news source, references a study and states that

“stroking a living creature, whether hard-shelled or furry, relieved anxiety. It worked for people

regardless of whether they initially said they liked animals” (Oaklander 29). Lots of research has

been done to prove that no matter whether patients say that they like animals, interacting with

them helps them to de-stress and be calmer. Oaklander also references another study in which

“elderly people who were given five crickets in a cage became less depressed after eight weeks

than a control group” (Oaklander32). These studies prove that no matter whether the person

necessarily likes dogs or not, the animal can have a positive impact on that person’s mental well-

being.

Part of the reason we know that animals can help humans with mental health is that we

can relate to them. Just like humans, animals can experience trauma, no matter what the event.

When we begin to understand that humans have much more in common with animals than

originally thought, we can be more open-minded and work to find treatments for human and

animal mental health; some of which may involve interaction and help from each other. In her
 O’Connell 2

article ‘What We Can Learn From How Animals Cope’, writer Laura Braitman states “the labels

we give to [the animals’] suffering reflect not only our beliefs about animals’ capacity for

emotional expression but also our own, most popular, ideas about mental illness and recovery”

(page 1). If the medical community, along with the rest of us can be more open and accepting of

mental health, no matter what the species affected, we can move towards better treatment options

and a healthier, happier world.

Another way we know so much about the benefits of animal interaction and its effects on

our own mental health is through personal experience. Almost every pet owner has stories about

them and their pets, and many have stories about one saving the other, be it literally or

figuratively. Sometimes we save the dog and sometimes the dog saves us. Kate Speer of The

Dogist wrote an article about herself and her dog Waffle Nugget, and the story of the ways

Waffle has saved her life. “Waffle started jumping in my lap or wrapping her paw around my

ankle about thirty seconds before every panic attack and flashback I experienced” (page 8). Dogs

know their people well, and sometimes the relationship between a dog and their human is so

strong it saves livesDogs are friends, partners, therapists, playmates, and so much more. Years’

worth of research, as well as personal experience, has proven the effects animals can have on us

and it is time doctors consider this information when prescribing treatment options for mental

health patients.

Overall, it seems to be that there is much more evidence proving that service dogs truly

do wonders for their people, and having an animal by your side to help through every-day

difficulties makes life much easier. The connection between animals and their people is a bond

nearly unbreakable, and most importantly both parties’ health is significantly improved through

these interactions. While drugs or therapy may be the more traditional way to go about treatment
 O’Connell 2

for mental health issues, it is time the medical community began accepting service animals and

emotional support animals as a primary treatment for those who deal with mental health issues.