Animal-Assisted Therapy as a Supplemental Treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder Patients
Ivey McCartney
The University of Georgia
Animal-Assisted Therapy as a Supplemental Treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder Patients While some people may enjoy the crisp air and shorter days that accompany the fall and winter months, there are many who develop an annual occurrence of depression during these months. This disorder is known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. The disruption of the body’s circadian, or biological, clock by external factors, specifically light and the surrounding environment, is backed by strong evidence as being the main cause behind SAD (Partonen & Pandi-Perumal, 2010). It is also necessary …show more content…
On the occasions where light therapy has been ineffective in SAD patients, other forms of treatment have been given or have been given in addition to the light therapy, such as antidepressant drugs and psychotherapy (Partonen & Pandi-Perumal, 2010). In addition to the aforementioned treatments, SAD patients are recommended to receive plenty of exposure to natural light, remain in contact with other people, participate in social activities, stay warm, exercise regularly, and maintain a regular sleeping schedule (Partonen & Pandi-Perumal, 2010). Studies specific to the effects of animal-assisted therapy in treating depression are particularly pertinent because there have been studies that have proven the success and validity of using AAT as a form of depression treatment (Souter & Miller, …show more content…
Animal-assisted therapy can be used in individual or group settings to enhance a patient’s mental, emotional, and/or social functioning. AAT has many perceived benefits, including, but not limited to, mood improvement, feeling of peacefulness, temporary stress and anxiety relief, and feelings of confidence and inclusion (Souter & Miller, 2007). One meta-analysis used a set of high standards and requirements to select five studies from which to base its conclusion that AAT significantly lessens the negative symptoms associated with depression (Souter & Miller, 2007). It has been suggested that there is a great chance that AAT has biological and physiological effects on those who interact with the animals and that this communication between patient and animal may lead to higher levels of brain activity in the prefrontal cortex of a patient diagnosed with depression, especially one who usually has low levels of activity in that cerebral area (Aoki, Iwahashi, Ishigooka, Fukamauchi, Numajiri, Ohtani, & Ohta,
Ivey McCartney
The University of Georgia
Animal-Assisted Therapy as a Supplemental Treatment for Seasonal Affective Disorder Patients While some people may enjoy the crisp air and shorter days that accompany the fall and winter months, there are many who develop an annual occurrence of depression during these months. This disorder is known as seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. The disruption of the body’s circadian, or biological, clock by external factors, specifically light and the surrounding environment, is backed by strong evidence as being the main cause behind SAD (Partonen & Pandi-Perumal, 2010). It is also necessary …show more content…
On the occasions where light therapy has been ineffective in SAD patients, other forms of treatment have been given or have been given in addition to the light therapy, such as antidepressant drugs and psychotherapy (Partonen & Pandi-Perumal, 2010). In addition to the aforementioned treatments, SAD patients are recommended to receive plenty of exposure to natural light, remain in contact with other people, participate in social activities, stay warm, exercise regularly, and maintain a regular sleeping schedule (Partonen & Pandi-Perumal, 2010). Studies specific to the effects of animal-assisted therapy in treating depression are particularly pertinent because there have been studies that have proven the success and validity of using AAT as a form of depression treatment (Souter & Miller, …show more content…
Animal-assisted therapy can be used in individual or group settings to enhance a patient’s mental, emotional, and/or social functioning. AAT has many perceived benefits, including, but not limited to, mood improvement, feeling of peacefulness, temporary stress and anxiety relief, and feelings of confidence and inclusion (Souter & Miller, 2007). One meta-analysis used a set of high standards and requirements to select five studies from which to base its conclusion that AAT significantly lessens the negative symptoms associated with depression (Souter & Miller, 2007). It has been suggested that there is a great chance that AAT has biological and physiological effects on those who interact with the animals and that this communication between patient and animal may lead to higher levels of brain activity in the prefrontal cortex of a patient diagnosed with depression, especially one who usually has low levels of activity in that cerebral area (Aoki, Iwahashi, Ishigooka, Fukamauchi, Numajiri, Ohtani, & Ohta,