Friendship Day, celebrated this Saturday (20), celebrates not only friendships between people but also the coexistence between animals and human beings, often built from traumatic events, bringing benefits not only to the physical but also mental health of the guardians.
The president of the Regional Council of Veterinary Medicine of Rio de Janeiro (CRMV-RJ), Diogo Alves, notes that, in fact, science has been studying the benefits of having an animal to help with mental health for quite some time. According to the veterinarian, pet owners have lower levels of triglycerides and cholesterol when compared to people who do not have animals. “Studies show that people over 65 years of age who have an animal at home are 30% less likely to go to the doctor, compared to those who do not have one.”
Diogo Alves assures that “playing with dogs, cats and other pets raises serotonin and dopamine levels, bringing relaxation, peace, calm and a sense of well-being to us”.
According to a veterinarian, people who have pets also have lower blood pressure and stress levels. “There are studies that show that people who had high blood pressure, after a few months with a pet, had a considerable drop in blood pressure. [da pressão alta] compared to those who didn’t have the animal. The benefit is immense,” he said.
Today, it can be said that the interrelationship between humans and animals is a two-way street, says the president of CRMV-RJ. “There is less loneliness. We see that people are approached by other people when they walk with their pets on the street. A relationship of friendship and contact is established. It is very interesting from a social and behavioral point of view. This mutual coexistence between animals and humans is very important”, he says.
Diogo Alves says that living with an animal can even help to ward off suicide threats. “Isolation can certainly worsen symptoms of depression, and the company of a pet can benefit people who are depressed or depressed,” he says.
According to the veterinarian, caring for a pet makes the owner feel needed and loved, and makes them think that if they die, who will take care of them? “This mutual companionship makes the person give up on the idea of suicide,” he says.
The love of pets Elza and Alfred helped Carla and her daughter Gabriela overcome the death of another dog. Photo: Carla Ribeiro/Personal archive
Filling gaps
Social worker Carla Maria da Silva Ribeiro and her daughter Gabriela were deeply saddened by the death of their poodle Mel, whom they had lived with for 16 years, in 2017. “It was a painful experience. There was a void left,” said Carla. The following year, Carla’s mother also died.
At her daughter’s suggestion, Carla decided to adopt a new animal. After four months in her home, Carla discovered that the dog was epileptic. “After all the care, we could see the affection and gratitude in her eyes.” Six months after the first adoption, they decided to adopt another dog, Alfred. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Carla was infected and the animal would not leave her side.
“They are loyal. It’s a passion we have,” says Carla. According to her, the two animals helped to lessen the void caused by the death of Mel and, later, Carla’s mother.
Therapeutic effect
For Raquel Coutinho, the cat Azeitona is part of the family. Photo: Raquel Coutinho/Personal Archive
In the life of Raquel Coutinho, 22 years old, the one who made a difference was Azeitona, a black-furred stray kitten born in 2016. Azeitona was the only survivor of a litter that was rejected by her mother. “She suffered a lot, we were the ones who took care of her, so we were very attached to her,” Raquel, a nursing student, told Agência Brasil.
Now, Azeitona is part of the family. “Nowadays, I can’t imagine being without her, because she’s like a member of the family. She grew up with me, she was with me from my teenage years to my adulthood. She’s always been very important to me.”
The cat proved to be especially important when Raquel’s mother faced health problems. “My mother had depression, extreme depression, which really limited her life, for a few years, from 2019 until the beginning of 2023. And it was a time when Azeitona was my point of confidence. I needed to leave the house and if my mother was alone, Azeitona would stay with her,” she said.
“Azeitona would certainly be that little animal capable of being therapeutic, because she is precisely a point of mental balance for my mother and me. And I believe for everyone here at home,” he added.
* Collaborated Francielly Barbosa, intern at Brazil Agency
