Something that popped up in our Mindset Class a few weeks ago…
Do you unconditionally love your pet more than your partner?
Owning a pet has long been correlated with enhanced mental well-being and diminished levels of loneliness and depression.
But there is another side (of course there is).
Let’s geek out for a minute. Johanna Lass-Hennemann and her team conducted an online survey involving 610 German dog owners to explore the hypothesis that emotional attachment to one’s dog correlates with mental health strain and feelings of insecurity regarding human attachments.
Their aim was to untangle the relationship between emotional attachment to pets, human attachment, and their respective influences on mental well-being.
The researchers utilised dog owners’ websites and social media platforms to distribute survey links, predominantly attracting female respondents aged between 18 and 73.
Alongside demographic and dog-related inquiries, participants completed questionnaires assessing mental health symptoms and distress levels, as well as gauging their attachment to animals.
What was interesting, the findings revealed that stronger bonds with their dogs were associated with more pronounced signs of mental distress among respondents.
Additionally, heightened emotional connections to their dogs correlated with reduced trust and confidence in others and increased fear of rejection and feelings of being unloved, both of which were linked to heightened mental health issues and anxiety.
Hmmm?! Has you thinking…
I can recall a few clients over the years that have had such a strong bond to animals, and let’s say, an aversion to humans.
Like human experience is too painful.
Yet when we try to avoid something, and see comfort elsewhere, we find ourselves avoiding growth and staying in out comfort zone.
Life is meant to be lived.
And what is beautiful about the work is that as you apply the work on yourself and your perceptions, then you stop looking or needing something on the outside for you to feel ok.
You don’t need a pet, you choose to have one.
And not if, but when the pet dies, that your world doesn’t crumble into a million pieces and you have to spend time piecing it back together again.
Growth is an uncomfortable process, and pain (well the perception of it) is a n important component of growth.
Just as the caterpillar endures a period of significant transformation before emerging as a butterfly, we too must embrace our struggles and discomforts to realize our true potential.
It’s not the presence of something external, like a pet, that defines your sense of self, or your fulfillment but your capacity to resolve, dissolve and evolve.
True mastery comes from within.
With love,
Tanya x
Leadership Coach & Master Certified Demartini Method Facilitator
BAppSoSc (Counselling)
