In a time of economic downturn, it’s truly astounding that last year, pet owners in the United States spent a collective $50 billion on their furry friends. Out of this figure, $25 billion was spent on pet healthcare and medicines. As a country, we now spend more on our pets than the gross national product for all but 64 countries around the world. With a staggering 62 percent of all American households owning a pet, it’s clear that pets are becoming increasingly valuable to us.
As our homes fill with fur babies, our passion for treating our animal companions as family members grows. We provide them with designer clothes, gourmet pet foods, corrective dental braces, and sometimes even plastic surgery. Our pets often share our beds and play the role of beloved family members. The pet product industry is booming, but it begs the question, are we going overboard?
The Emotional Benefits of Pet Ownership
There’s no denying the numerous health benefits that come with pet ownership. Many studies demonstrate the healing power of pets. For example, a Purdue University study found that affection from pets helped seniors facing traumas or adversity to prevent depression and loneliness. They provide emotional support, which is an essential component for healing.
Pets enhance psychological and physical well-being, by providing positive feelings of love and companionship. They love and listen to us unconditionally, without expressing disappointment or requiring any compromise. In other words, pets offer companionship without the politics or agendas of human relationships, and they happily return our affection.
Is It Safer to Love a Pet Over a Person?
As wonderful as pet relationships may be, it’s important not to allow these connections to replace human relationships. Emotional intimacy with others of our own species is critical to good health. We are complex beings who require physical, emotional, and spiritual intimacy from our relationships.
In today’s world, our connections with others have diminished. Social networking has changed the way we communicate and form relationships. The intimate contact experienced with other human beings even ten years ago has been replaced by technology and the fast pace of modern life. This isolation from each other has led some people to seek attachment and connection with their pets instead.
However, we should maintain a balance between our human connections and the love and care we give to our pets. Forming close, meaningful relationships with other people can enhance our lives and improve our mental and emotional well-being.
Strengthening Your Human Relationships
To achieve balance and wholeness in your life, you need to prioritize and nurture your human relationships alongside the love and care you provide for your pets. Here are some ideas to help strengthen your connections with other people:
- Make a conscious effort to spend quality time with family members and friends. Prioritize face-to-face interactions over phone calls and texts.
- Seek out social events or group activities where you can meet new people. Forming new connections and making friends adds value to your life.
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Show empathy and understanding to others when they are facing challenges, and offer your help and support.
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Communicate openly and honestly. Expressing your feelings and thoughts to others helps create deeper bonds and understanding between you.
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Maintain a few close, trusted friendships. It’s not the number of friends you have but the quality of the relationships that matters.
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Keep in touch with friends and family members who live far away. Call, visit, or send letters and emails to stay connected.
In the end, our challenge and hope are to develop human relationships in which we can share, exchange, empower, and enable one another to make our lives and the lives of others more rewarding and fulfilling. Pets can be an essential part of the fabric of our lives, but it’s important not to forget the value of interpersonal connection.
