Tag: Animals

Veganism: How Compassion Shapes Our Emotional Wellbeing by Sadie Jade

~ Eleanor Segall ~ Leave a comment

(image: Hollie Usher Photography)

Being vegan means a person chooses not to use any animals products – whether that’s the food they eat, the clothes they wear, the products they use, even down to the entertainment they choose. This lifestyle choice is a philosophical stance and belief system that seeks to exclude all forms of exploitation and cruelty to animals.

I’ve been vegan for around 9 years now and speaking from experience as an empathetic and sensitive person, at times the world can feel a little overwhelming (understatement? Possibly). Don’t get me wrong, going vegan was the best decision for me. I am an animal lover at heart and deeply care about the environment, so being vegan enables me to live a life in harmony with my values. When I finally aligned my actions with my beliefs about animal welfare, I experienced a sense of relief and authenticity that had been missing before.

The problem is knowing the full extent of animal suffering at the hands of humans that really weighs heavy.

I remember the first time I truly connected with a cow. Looking into her gentle eyes, I saw an individual who was sentient and wanted to live, love, and be free from harm – just like any of us. That moment changed me forever. Now, walking past butcher shops or seeing leather goods in store windows can feel devastating, knowing a beautiful creature had their life needlessly taken for something we can source elsewhere with no suffering involved. These everyday encounters that are ordinary to most, serve as constant reminders of the disconnect between my values and society’s ‘normal’ practices.

This awareness has affected my relationships too. There was a time that social gatherings were tricky to navigate. Watching friends or family consume animal products while knowing what I know about factory farming creates an internal struggle: balancing my love for them with my ethical convictions. Sometimes it makes me so sad to know that, after all I have told them about animal suffering, they continue to choose to subject animals to it in the name of taste preferences.

However, this emotional challenge isn’t unique to vegans. Many people feel uncomfortable watching documentaries about animal agriculture or visiting slaughterhouses. This natural empathy exists in most of us, but marketing campaigns and industrialised food systems have created a psychological distance between our plates and the reality of animal suffering. The meat industry spends billions on advertising that presents happy animals on family farms, while the reality remains carefully hidden from public view.

The emotional challenges faced by vegans often stem from a place of deep compassion – a quality our world desperately needs more of, not less. Rather than viewing this sensitivity as a weakness, we can recognise it as a strength that drives positive change. Understanding that these feelings of distress come from a place of love and justice can help frame them in a more constructive light.

(image: Kerry McLaughlin Photography)

In my book, The Vegan Lifestyle Journal, I talk about the secrets to finding ways to channel our emotional sensitivity into positive action while maintaining our own wellbeing. This might mean setting boundaries, practicing self-care, celebrating small victories, and remembering that personal peace and advocacy for animals can coexist. After all, the goal isn’t to carry the weight of the world’s suffering, but to do our part in creating positive change while maintaining our own emotional balance.

For anyone feeling overwhelmed by awareness of animal suffering, remember that every person who chooses compassion contributes to a larger movement toward a more ethical world. While the journey may sometimes feel lonely or challenging, living in harmony with our deepest values ultimately contributes to better mental health and a more peaceful existence.

Sadie Jade is a Suffolk born author and public speaker who is passionate about making the world a better place for animals, people, and the environment.With almost a decade of experience in animal advocacy, Sadie is well known for delivering talks to thousands of people across the UK in schools and colleges, at community events and public speaking engagements such as podcasts and panel debates, and through the publication of her book and her guest articles for respected news outlets.

This blog is the view of Sadie Jade.

Can Animals and Pet Therapy help our Mental Health? Guest post by Dawn Prime

~ Eleanor Segall ~ 1 Comment

pettherapy2
(image: http://www.usatherapydogs.org/)

Can animals help our mental health? Approximately one in four people in England will experience a mental health issue each year (YouGOV). Every mental health issue is individual, and every situation is different; this can be shown in many forms including stress, anxiety and depression. Living with a mental health condition can affect many aspects of our daily life, with many describing it to be a lonely and isolating experience, whilst others withdraw from social interaction.

So, can animals help with mental health? In my experience they certainly can, and the therapeutic power of pets has been well documented. I believe that this is done in a number of ways, from improving mood, to calming down and giving a sense of purpose.

Whether it’s dogs, cats, rabbits or fish – each animal has a way to help and offer great companionship to those experiencing and overcoming mental health.

Mental health benefits associated with pets include:

* Decreased anxiety

* Reduced loneliness

* A known sense of comfort and safety

* A greater improvement of self-esteem and confidence

* Help in depression

At the best of times a pet can be a great source of comfort, companionship and motivation, and in many ways they can help us all to live mentally healthier lives.

Caring for a pet gives our day a purpose and reward, similar to that sense of achievement in say, looking after a child. For example, owning a pet – especially a dog – means you will need to go for walks, which can often lead to conversations with other dog owners along the way, so simply put, it’s helping someone with mental health stay connected and less withdrawn in a social circle. Social anxiety can be a major hurdle to overcome but by having a dog, you have a ready-made conversation, as dog owners like to talk to other owners about their dogs!

Pets can also give owner’s incentive to remain calm – most pets are generally cute or cuddly and have the ‘awww’ factor, however our pets’ mood, at times, can very much reflect our own, so if we feel sad, our pet could be too.

Commanding and teaching our pet brings confidence and reassurance, and in time this will naturally train our own brains to let go of any negative stress. Unlike people, pets won’t judge your illness, so many people find it therapeutic to talk to animals as they listen – remember they are non-judgmental, and who knows they might just understand!

We can take stroking our pet as something we sub-consciously do whilst we watch the TV or read a newspaper, but did you know that stroking a pet can, at the same time, stop our minds drifting into negative thoughts.

Our mind releases feel good endorphins, so can make us feel better and calmer. The simple act of stroking a pet is also well known to lower blood pressure, as well as reducing physical and emotional stress.

Therapy animals also have a valuable role to play; often in a professional setting they provide comfort, support and can help to engage people. Therapy animals are trained to help people with mental health conditions such as depression and provide a calming atmosphere – with a typical therapy session involving the therapist, the animal and their handler.

Therapy pets can include “dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, rats, miniature pigs, llamas, alpacas, horses, donkeys and mini-horses,” as long as they’re at least a year old and have lived with their owner for six months (Pet Partners).

Personally, I have known people whose anxiety has improved since having a pet. They find it very comforting in having some company which isn’t human, and someone they know who will love them unconditionally. It is re-assuring to know that they have a responsibility for looking after someone else that takes their mind off their own problems, whilst having a positive impact on their own well-being – helping them cope with everyday life.

Finally, it’s important to remember that every pet is different and it’s vital to be aware of the commitments they bring, for example a dog will need good walks at least twice a day and a horse will need to be ridden out. If you are not sure about taking on a pet but want the benefits that are associated with being around animals, then there are many local animal sanctuaries which would value a volunteer.

Animals can be wonderful creatures and really therapeutic for our mental health.

This article was written by animal nursing assistant, health advisor and writer Dawn Prime.