Comments on: How Animals Help Survivors http://www.sundrip.com/journal/2009/07/13/how-animals-help-survivors/ Sundrip Journals Sun, 12 Feb 2012 09:44:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Kate http://www.sundrip.com/journal/2009/07/13/how-animals-help-survivors/comment-page-1/#comment-7027 Kate Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:28:11 +0000 http://www.sundrip.com/journal/?p=4754#comment-7027 Hi, Studies show that pets help people. They can increase their positive attitude. They can make them happier. They can make them less lonely. They can help us to feel emotions like love and trust. They can bring us joy. They can help those in pain to use less pain medication, all kinds of things. On another level, it really doesn't matter, we are not alone when we have another being with us and that means all the world to some and can be especially helpful and healing for survivors of trauma. I believe that we don't choose animals, they choose us. So I think that they have made a decision to be in our life, no matter where we are in our path. Good and healing animals to us all. Kate Hi,

Studies show that pets help people. They can increase their positive attitude. They can make them happier. They can make them less lonely. They can help us to feel emotions like love and trust. They can bring us joy. They can help those in pain to use less pain medication, all kinds of things. On another level, it really doesn’t matter, we are not alone when we have another being with us and that means all the world to some and can be especially helpful and healing for survivors of trauma.

I believe that we don’t choose animals, they choose us. So I think that they have made a decision to be in our life, no matter where we are in our path. Good and healing animals to us all.

Kate

]]> By: Austin http://www.sundrip.com/journal/2009/07/13/how-animals-help-survivors/comment-page-1/#comment-7023 Austin Thu, 16 Jul 2009 05:15:56 +0000 http://www.sundrip.com/journal/?p=4754#comment-7023 Yup, dogs mean exercise. They take a lot more to care for than cats but I really like what my cat has to offer. I like the totally different energy and thinking process she has. She'll let me sleep all day (if I were able to do that she would let me) but having Gus means I have to get up and focus. I have to get dressed to leave the house and walk him. I have to pick up the brush once a week and brush him as well as focus enough to clip his nails and brush his teeth. My boy doesn't have a dental plan so heck yeah I brush his teeth. The amount of doting on the dog is rather healing for me and he enjoys the attention. I think having a routine for his grooming helps too. A long time ago when Captain was living I had a severe panic attack. I wasn't doing well at all so I went down to a neighbors house to sit and get myself together. While down there it got even worse. Captain got up in the Lazy-boy chair, which was reclined, and laid across me. He laid on me until I calmed down and was able to go home. My neighbor and I talked about that day for a long time. Gus hasn't done anything like that but his presence lets me sleep and that in itself is worth gold. Thanks for sharing your story. I hope this entry gets a lot more comments about small acts of heroism and large. It would be nice to see a host of stories that show how animals assist those in any kind of recovery. Smiles to you and yours, Austin Yup, dogs mean exercise. They take a lot more to care for than cats but I really like what my cat has to offer. I like the totally different energy and thinking process she has. She’ll let me sleep all day (if I were able to do that she would let me) but having Gus means I have to get up and focus. I have to get dressed to leave the house and walk him. I have to pick up the brush once a week and brush him as well as focus enough to clip his nails and brush his teeth. My boy doesn’t have a dental plan so heck yeah I brush his teeth. The amount of doting on the dog is rather healing for me and he enjoys the attention. I think having a routine for his grooming helps too.

A long time ago when Captain was living I had a severe panic attack. I wasn’t doing well at all so I went down to a neighbors house to sit and get myself together. While down there it got even worse. Captain got up in the Lazy-boy chair, which was reclined, and laid across me. He laid on me until I calmed down and was able to go home. My neighbor and I talked about that day for a long time. Gus hasn’t done anything like that but his presence lets me sleep and that in itself is worth gold.

Thanks for sharing your story. I hope this entry gets a lot more comments about small acts of heroism and large. It would be nice to see a host of stories that show how animals assist those in any kind of recovery.

Smiles to you and yours,
Austin

]]> By: Enola http://www.sundrip.com/journal/2009/07/13/how-animals-help-survivors/comment-page-1/#comment-7010 Enola Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:56:07 +0000 http://www.sundrip.com/journal/?p=4754#comment-7010 I love animals but I'm afraid to love them. My childhood pets disapeared when they got to be too much trouble or too old to take care of. I fear getting attached to them - like people too. I love animals but I’m afraid to love them. My childhood pets disapeared when they got to be too much trouble or too old to take care of. I fear getting attached to them – like people too.

]]> By: ann http://www.sundrip.com/journal/2009/07/13/how-animals-help-survivors/comment-page-1/#comment-7008 ann Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:21:26 +0000 http://www.sundrip.com/journal/?p=4754#comment-7008 Excellent entry! Thanks for sharing. I love both dogs and cats as well but prefer the more "social" dog to the independent cat as a pet. Cats provide me with a means of comforting another being just to a point (the point usually decided by the cat). Dogs force me to get up, get out and be a part of the world, if only because they need to walk. Thanks for dogs I've managed to lose 100 pounds mainly due to walking them. As I take them to a public park the walks have also helped me overcome my social phobias and react with the people we see on our walks. I've had many pets over the years and they have been so incredibly important to my well being. When I was being abused the dogs and cats were a source of comfort and escape. A huge part of my survival. One dog did also save my life once...biting me for the first and last time when I was falling asleep at the wheel of my car on a long awful journey. I cannot imagine life without an animal being a part. Again, thanks for the entry and the opportunity to yak! Excellent entry! Thanks for sharing.
I love both dogs and cats as well but prefer the more “social” dog to the independent cat as a pet. Cats provide me with a means of comforting another being just to a point (the point usually decided by the cat). Dogs force me to get up, get out and be a part of the world, if only because they need to walk. Thanks for dogs I’ve managed to lose 100 pounds mainly due to walking them. As I take them to a public park the walks have also helped me overcome my social phobias and react with the people we see on our walks.
I’ve had many pets over the years and they have been so incredibly important to my well being. When I was being abused the dogs and cats were a source of comfort and escape. A huge part of my survival. One dog did also save my life once…biting me for the first and last time when I was falling asleep at the wheel of my car on a long awful journey.
I cannot imagine life without an animal being a part.
Again, thanks for the entry and the opportunity to yak!

]]> By: Austin http://www.sundrip.com/journal/2009/07/13/how-animals-help-survivors/comment-page-1/#comment-7007 Austin Mon, 13 Jul 2009 19:32:44 +0000 http://www.sundrip.com/journal/?p=4754#comment-7007 The entry was in fact in response to your comment. I figured my response warranted a bit of detail so I went ahead and made it an entry. I have to wonder why you were raised to fear animals. I was raised to fear and hate cats. To my surprise I love cats. I'm more of a dog person but I like cats a lot. They're calm nature offers something different than my ever panting, always ready to play and up for anything dog. They're adorable companions. Thank you for your response Austin The entry was in fact in response to your comment. I figured my response warranted a bit of detail so I went ahead and made it an entry.

I have to wonder why you were raised to fear animals. I was raised to fear and hate cats. To my surprise I love cats. I’m more of a dog person but I like cats a lot. They’re calm nature offers something different than my ever panting, always ready to play and up for anything dog. They’re adorable companions.

Thank you for your response
Austin

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