Social Anxiety By Jane Renshaw



Pets can be more than just companions; they can also aid you in overcoming your social anxiety.

Treat a pet kindly, and it will love you for who you are. He/she will never judge you for your looks or shyness. He will depend on you to keep him alive. He will be there to comfort and play with you or make you laugh when you are having a bad day. He will shower you with love and reduce your loneliness if you have any.

Cross a dog with a cat and a human child, and you have a parrot. While opinions may differ, for me, a parrot is the ultimate pet.

A parrot doesn't give love unconditionally at first, you have to earn it. But once a parrot bonds to you... wow. It will make you feel like the most important person in the world. A parrot that is well socialized with humans will also be friendly towards strangers, but you will always be his number one person.

Parrots are loving and affectionate, incredibly playful and silly, many love to be cuddled. A parrot can be taken into public with you as long as he wears a harness. The special talent that the parrot has is his ability to speak 'in context'. They easily learn to associate human words with objects, actions, and sounds and can communicate to you on an incredible level.

This article caught my eye because...as some of you know, I have a history of depression and am agoraphobic. I can't begin to tell you how therapeutic my birds are to me.

Goodness Susan! What is this - agoraphobic?? Sounds almost special to me! Which of course you are!

Having social anxiety, among other things, myself. I totally agree! When you take your bird out in public with you, you totally forget about yourself as the bird becomes the center of attention and other people's focus!

Susan! I didn't know you were agoraphobic! I could have never been able to tell! I have had bouts of agoraphobia as well due to my anxiety and SLIGHT OCD. I've got it all pretty much under control now, though *knocks on wood*

Some days are better than others. I have to talk myself in to going to the grocery store and the only one I can go to is Winn Dixi. I'm on meds so that helps. If I'm with someone else it isn't bad either. One place I can never go is Walmart. You have no idea how many times I have left a cart full of stuff in a store because I just have to go home. I'm much better than I use to be. A few years ago, there was a period of about 5 months where I was just barly able to go to the mail box.

I, personally, deplore the practice of humans using animals to overcome psychological problems. An animal should not be a therapeutic tool, a clutch or a panacea.

Animals help us many ways that most cant understand. Mine have shown me great patience. I too suffer anxiety and have to talk myself into going places so I can understand. Dogs have helped the blind to see, a purring can can calm a fast heart rate, talking birds have scared away robbers by yelling at them. I dont see any harm in letting the population of domestic animals work to bring peace. They know things that man has yet to learn.