Animals in Mental Health Treatments

Imogen Jones, Year 2

Mental health disorders can be chronically disabling for many people, with around 14% of the global burden of disease attributed to neuropsychiatric disorders (Prince et al., 2007). Many conditions such as depression and anxiety have been linked to an increased risk of developing many diseases, as well as increased incidences of both intentional and accidental injury (Prince et al., 2007). Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic the prevalence of mental health disorders in many societies has significantly risen and strain on NHS mental health resources has increased as a result. This study aims to assess the prospective success of emotional support animals as a means of ongoing help for individuals living with different mental health conditions.

The Problem of Mental Health & COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic we saw a rise in the prevalence of mental health conditions, with anxiety and depression being the most common. Through the first month of the April 2020 lockdown the population prevalence of clinically significant levels of mental distress rose from 18.9% to 27.3%, showing an almost 50% increase (Pierce et al., 2020). This rise in mental health disorders has put strain on the NHS, with waiting lists for therapists and psychologists reaching around six months. 

Mental health disorders can cause many health risks beyond the psychological toll they have on patients. With risk of injury, illness and other health conditions rising in individuals suffering from mental health conditions it is important that measures are put in place to assist people struggling with mental health disorders in the long term (Prince et al., 2007). These long-term measures may include many types of therapy as well as drugs such as antidepressants. However, these drugs can have many side effects and are not a viable option for all individuals.

The Effect of Animals on Mental Health Outcomes

Animals have been used in the treatment of mental health disorders since the late 18^th century in England (Shubert, 2012). Since then, animals have been used as tools in therapy sessions, schools, offices and many other places to help individuals lower anxiety and improve mental health outcomes. In one study by Barker et al. (2003), patients who were being treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) took part in a trial to see the effects of animal assisted therapy (AAT). During the study, half the patients were assigned 15 minutes of AAT before their ECT treatment while the other half spent 15 minutes with magazines before treatment. The patients were tested to discover their fear and anxiety levels and found that ‘AAT reduced fear by 37% and anxiety by 18%’ (Barker et al., 2003). This study suggests that the presence of an animal, even only for 15 minutes, can help reduce anxiety levels significantly.

Another study by Wołyńczyk-Gmaj et al. (2021) involved patients suffering with anxiety disorders. During the study, half of the patients spent 15-20 minutes walking with a dog and researcher outside, while the other half walked with only the researcher. The research found the group who walked with the dogs reported lower anxiety and fear levels as well as resting heart rate being reduced. 

Current Laws Surrounding Assistance Animals

In the UK, current laws give leniency to service dogs such as guide dogs, allowing them entry to different shops and social areas, as well as preventing individuals such as landlords from rejecting potential tenants. However, as emotional support animals are not recognised as assistance animals, this can lead to many problems for owners who rely on these animals in everyday life. It is important to note that for emotional support animals to be recognised as assistance animals there would need to be clear guidelines on the qualifications to require one, as well as levels of training that the animal will need. It would also be important to know that the patient has the ability to care for the assistance animal fully.

Overall, the evidence of current research suggests that animals such as dogs can be extremely successful in improving mental health outcomes, especially for individuals suffering from depression and anxiety. This indicates that the inclusion of emotional support animals as assistance animals could be successful in improving the lives of many patients suffering with different mental health conditions. However, before this inclusion can be made, standards would need to be created with regards to the training of animals and eligibility of individuals.

References

Barker, S.B., Pandurangi, A.K. and Best, A.M. 2003. Effects of Animal-Assisted Therapy on Patients’ Anxiety, Fear, and Depression Before ECT. The Journal of ECT. 19(1), pp.38-44.

Pierce, M., Hope, H., Ford, T., Hatch, S., Hotopf, M., John, A., Kontopantelis, E., Webb, R., Wessely, S., McManus, S. and Abel, K.M. 2020. Mental health before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal probability sample survey of the UK population. The Lancet Psychiatry. 7(10), pp.883-892.

Prince, M., Patel, V., Saxena, S., Maj, M., Maselko, J., Phillips, M.R. and Rahman, A. 2007. No health without mental health. The Lancet. 370(9590), pp.859-877.

Shubert, J. 2012. Dogs and human health/mental health: from the pleasure of their company to the benefits of their assistance. U.S. Army Medical Department Journal. p21+.

Wołyńczyk-Gmaj, D., Ziółkowska, A., Rogala, P., Ścigała, D., Bryła, L., Gmaj, B. and Wojnar, M. 2021. Can Dog-Assisted Intervention Decrease Anxiety Level and Autonomic Agitation in Patients with Anxiety Disorders? Journal of Clinical Medicine. 10(21), p5171.