Health Benefits of Animals
For those of us who are animal lovers, there is nothing better than coming home to a pet who is happy to see you no matter what your day was like. The warmth, affection, and love pets give to us can feel soothing, and draw out our own feelings of care and mutual connection. Emotional support animals (ESAs) are pets who provide these feelings in a way that improves mental health for their human companions who have a diagnosed mental health condition. Emotional support animals can impact our emotions by alleviating worry, providing comfort, and mitigating feelings of loneliness.
Financial Stress
Many people are currently or in the past experienced a wide range of financial stressors, from being between jobs, having debt (student loans, mortgages, car payments, credit cards), or simply struggling to keep up with the ever-increasing cost of living. Financial struggles are real, and have real impacts on mental health. Day-to-day life can feel like a nightmare when you’re unsure if you can pay the bills, afford groceries, or be prepared for life’s emergencies.
Climate Anxiety
Climate anxiety can both prevent and motivate people to address climate change through action. Different levels of climate anxiety have effects on motivation levels to act, which can ease the effects or address the causes of climate change. Surprisingly, some anxiety about climate change can be helpful in pushing us to take action, although too much or too little may result in not taking action at all.
Time Outdoors and Your Mental Health
A study of 20,000 people in 2019 found that those who spent at lease 2 hours total per week outside in green spaces reported feeling healthy and a strong sense of well-being, across ethnicity, class, age, and abilities. Looking at nature or listening to natural sounds can help energize a tired brain in the middle of repetitive tasks.
The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Adulthood
Trauma is an emotional reaction to a significant event that can happen once with intensity, a series of significant events that may have varied intensity and be ongoing, or a combination of both. Trauma affects our interconnected systems physically, emotionally, socially, and intellectually.