animal abuse and mental health

Animal Abuse and Mental Health

September 27, 2007 was chosen as a day for all bloggers to unite and

write posts against abuse. Being an animal lover, I chose to write

about animal abuse.

Animals play an important part in a healthy lifestyle and environment.

We have all seen the beautiful photos of the earth from space. What is

so unique and beautiful about the planet that we live on--the plants

and animals that inhabit it--life itself. As humans, we are just one

of the species that form a part of our environment. All species--both

animals and plants--live in a delicate balance. As custodians of the

environment, the human species must do all that it can to protect this

delicate balance. If we do not protect the environment, the health of

future generations will be adversely affected through global warming

and all of its ramifications. A rise in sea levels will flood major

coastal cities, reduce habitable land mass, force the extinction of

many species of animals, bring on drought and desertification, and

many species will have difficulty finding enough food to eat,

including humans. Al Gore pointed out the dangers of global warming in

his An Inconvenient Truth.

The recent dog fighting case brought against NFL football star Michael

Vick, that has been in the news recently, points out the need for

educating our children to respect the environment and the animals that

live in it. Teach your children about the wonder of nature early on

and they will grow up learning to respect the environment. Children

showing signs of aggressive behavior towards animals should be

referred for mental health counseling. This can be an early sign of

conduct disorder or even later sociopathic behavior. Many serial

killers started out as animal abusers.

Learning to respect animals is important to mental health. Pet

ownership can reduce depression, be companionship for an elderly empty

nest senior, and reduce tension and anxiety. It has also been shown

that playing with a pet not only improves mental health but can reduce

blood pressure, so there are physical benefits as well.

As I play with my chocolate lab mix, Julia, I never stop being amazed

by how intelligent she is. I enjoy interacting with her. She is a

companion that follows me every place that I go. She is always eager

to greet me, and puts a smile on my face. She cannot talk, but she can

communicate with me. It is amazing how she is able to read body

language. If I go through a series of motions, she knows what is

coming next. Without my saying anything, she knows that I am about to

leave the house, or that she should go into the bedroom because I am

expecting guests and they don't like being barked at. She also knows

how to signal her wants and needs through her own body language. Julia

is also capable of expressing a wide range of emotions. Surely, such

an amazing creature should be treated with respect.

For information on how to save money on mental health services, visit

my website at: http://www.healthplansplus.net/.