The Benefits of Animals During the Griefing Process
Spending time with animals can help someone process grief. It is difficult to lose a family member, friend, or coworker and if this happens due to wrongful death, the challenges are that much more difficult. Everyone has their own way of coping. Some people might confide in loved ones while others may turn to a professional counselor. It is always a good idea to have a well-rounded approach when it comes to processing grief and this includes being around animals.
When it comes to dealing with the loss of a loved one, there are many benefits to spending time with an animal. Understanding these benefits can go a long way toward helping someone process emotional trauma, such as that of wrongful death.
Animals Provide Emotional Support
Animals have the power to provide emotional support through hormones. Research has already shown that people who interact with cats and dogs on a regular basis have increased levels of key hormones, such as oxytocin. Even making eye contact with a dog can increase levels of this important hormone.
Evidence also suggests that interacting with an animal can lower hormones that indicate stress, such as cortisol. This same interaction can raise levels of hormones that indicate happiness, such as dopamine. Because of these benefits, it is important for anyone processing grief to interact with an animal on a regular basis. This is the main reason why hospitals bring animals to visit patients. They have the power to distract patients from their illness, reduce levels of stress, and cheer people up!
Watch YouTube Video: Animal Assisted Therapy. The following video discusses how a patient’s interaction with an animal can provide positive emotional and physical benefits.
Addressing Social Challenges
When someone is dealing with emotional trauma, they might feel like closing themselves off from the world. They might want to avoid contact with family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and others. Another benefit of spending time with animals is that they can help someone with social issues and anxiety. Interacting with an animal can do this by reducing feelings of social isolation.
Social isolation can be a serious issue following the death of a family member or friend. Loved ones are a tremendous part of people’s social spheres. Therefore, it makes sense that the death of a loved one can trigger a feeling of social isolation. This is where interacting with an animal can be beneficial. This can help someone feel a sense of love, security, comfort, and even companionship. When someone has the responsibility of caring for an animal, this can create a sense of purpose. For this reason, taking care of an animal can help someone overcome feelings of social isolation following a wrongful death.
Treating Physical Symptoms
Some people say that playing with an animal can reduce their blood pressure, a common sign of stress. A few additional signs of stress include body aches, difficulty sleeping, headaches, and cramps. Because animal interaction can help reduce someone’s stress levels, this interaction can alleviate many of these physical symptoms.
There are numerous benefits that come from spending time with animals. Following the loss of a loved one, it is important for everyone to take steps to process their grief in a healthy way after a wrongful death. Interacting with animals can help someone do exactly that.
Sacramento Wrongful Death Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento Wrongful Death Lawyer. Animals can play a major role in helping someone process grief. If someone you love has passed away due to the negligence of another person or entity, please reach out to me today at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly legal advice.
I am honored to be a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum & the Top One Percent. Members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum have either negotiated settlements or have won trial verdicts worth more than $1 million.
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Citation of Photograph: The picture used at the start of this post was found originally on Pixabay.com It has been used at this site with permission.
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