If you have been suffering from anxiety, depression or any form of mental health disorder, you may feel as if you are at your wits end. You may feel as if there is nothing else that you can do to keep yourself calm. You've tried stretching, yoga and meditation, but the benefits are just short-lived. A happier, more peaceful life doesn't occur overnight, even if you're seeking help from a counselor. However, when coupled with counseling (at the right time, of course), getting a dog may be able to help you lead a happier, calmer life and live longer due to a decreased risk of heart disease. Here are three reasons why you need a dog:

1. It Initiates Responsibility on Your Part.

When there is someone else for you to take care of, it tends to distract you from your own feelings, especially worrying about them in-depth. If you have a dog in the household, you will be kept insanely busy with playtime, feedings, bathing and lots of attention. This responsibility will help divert some of your own feelings away from yourself and to your dog who needs your assistance in order to live from one day to the next.

2. It Encourages You to Exercise More.

When you have a dog, he or she will want to go for walks. Exercise is an important part of a person's life, and it is also just as important for a dog. Therefore, you'll become more physically healthy as you take your dogs on walks day after day. You may even come to find that you enjoy this time of the day. You may also discover that you can work longer distances with you have a good excuse (your dog!) to do so. According to WebMD, exercise will help release endorphins, which will help promote the feeling of peacefulness, calmness and happiness – similar to the feeling that the drug morphine provides you. WebMD also says that regular exercise can reduce stress, ward of depression and anxiety, improve your sleeping patterns and boost your self-esteem.

3. It Provides You With Some Level of Control.

Some people want to have a sense of control over their lives, but those who are dealing with bouts of depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions lack that much-desired control. With a dog to take care of, you will have that control. You control how, when and where your dog is groomed. You control the nail color of your dog. You control whether your dog is family pet, a companion in the hunting fields or a guard dog. The only thing you have zero control over is how much your four-legged furry friend is going to love and depend on you. Dogs tend to have a desire to please their owners, and you won't be able to stop this desire nor will you probably want to.

Most dogs are so cuddly and sweet that it is hard to be upset when they're around. Make sure that you can adequately take care of a dog before you get one, though. Although it can be helpful in keeping you calm and happy, your counselor may feel as if it is not the right time in your therapy sessions to make such a drastic change in your life.

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