Be unconditional. This is another lesson I learned from animals. Does it really matter what color we are? How much money we make? What our title is? Pets seem to especially pick up on one thing, how others make them feel. That’s a great area to focus on. How do others make us feel, and how do we make others feel? The saying goes that after we pass, people don’t remember much about these small details but they do remember how we made them feel.
Pets have always been more than just companions; they play a pivotal role in enhancing our mental well-being. From the unconditional love of a dog to the calming presence of a cat, pets have a unique way of alleviating stress, anxiety, and loneliness. But how do we truly harness the therapeutic potential of our furry, feathered, or scaled friends? How can they aid in promoting mindfulness, reducing depression, or even enhancing social interactions? In this interview series, we are talking to veterinarians, psychologists, therapists, pet trainers, and other experts who can shed light on how to maximize the mental health benefits of having a pet. As a part of this series I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Hong Yin MD.
Hong Yin MD is a board certified psychiatrist. She is trained as a physician and in her practices provides medication management, neuromodulation and psychotherapy services. Areas of interest include depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, and trauma.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your background and your childhood backstory?
Wow! That’s a very deep question. Let’s see…I’m not American born. I was born in China and arrived at the US at the age of three. Socioeconomically, the household survived on my mother’s living wages as a waitress and she eventually went on to start a restaurant. So by the time I was 12, I was working full time for her and attending school. It ended up being a great learning experience about the realities of the world, financial management, career development and building interpersonal skills.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
I’d have to say it is starting my own practice. Most physicians after their medical school and residency training move into employed positions such as a major hospital system or academic center. Having had entrepreneurial experience in the family already, I had a vision of starting a practice full of motivated providers who deliver evidence based care. But also of attracting a patient population who is motivated and not afraid to be challenged. At the time of pursuing this, I had no learning experience with medical billing, accounting, or working with insurance companies. I just went ahead and did it. Started a corporation, got office space and took it one day at a time. It was a huge financial risk. A lot of money had to be invested up front, but it worked out great!
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
I’m actually not much of a reader, as embarrassing as that is. Actually, much of my learning was always in lectures, direct clinical experience and interacting with others. In the start of my parenting journey, I struggled a lot. There was so much to keep track of such as activities, food, and more. At that time, I was a psychiatrist at the VA in Milwaukee. One of my patients was wheelchair bound with many other medical comorbidities but he raised children who grew up to be some fantastic human beings. I asked him what his secret was and he said “just love them.” And so I followed his lead and it helped so much.
Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. Can you share a personal story about how a pet has helped you or someone you know to improve mental wellness?
In my work, I see many individuals who have chronic substantial emotional pain. Pets can be so incredibly therapeutic. I can think of patients who came from childhoods of abuse and neglect, growing into adulthood who understandably feel so mistrusting of others. Having a pet has really helped them finally have a healthy relationship, experience love without conditions, and feel confident enough to be more active in the community and day to day life. In extreme circumstances, pets are very protective against suicide. Because the patient is worried of who will look after their loved ones. And instead of pursuing an out, the pet serves as a support for that person as they work through their problems and not run away from them.
While human interaction is essential for emotional well-being, in what ways do interactions with pets offer unique benefits that human relationships might not provide? Pets can offer unconditional love and support. They don’t care what you look like, what you wear, your societal status or how much money you make. They don’t talk back. They’re just there, innocent bystanders, who don’t bring further baggage into the situation.
Can you explain how this works? How do pets, particularly common ones like dogs and cats, biologically and psychologically help to alleviate human stress levels and anxieties?
Well, pets are furry and cute. Their appearance and behavior can trigger our internal instincts to help and protect in much the same way we react to a cute and cooing infant. Also, physical experiences like the sound and vibrations of a cat’s purr or the act of petting a furry friend can be meditative and bring down our blood pressure and heart rate in a biofeedback type of way.
In the backdrop of global events like pandemics or natural disasters, how have you seen pets playing a role in alleviating anxiety and providing comfort? Can you share some instances where pets have been integrated into therapeutic practices? How do they complement traditional therapeutic techniques?
Especially during COVID, pets can help a lot with reducing the stresses of isolation. Even without COVID, pets make great company and provide a safe environment for a person who feels insecure to develop a relationship with another being and that being reciprocates your affection. Service animals can be incredibly helpful in circumstances such as patients with trauma or social anxiety. I’ve seen great benefits in veterans having trained service animals. These are great additional tools to therapy and evidence based medication management. Plus, with very few side effects!
Not all pets are dogs or cats. From birds to fish to reptiles, how can individuals choose the right pet that aligns with their mental health needs?
I would say some areas to consider are finances. For example certain breeds are more vulnerable to certain medical conditions, certain animals may be higher maintenance on a day to day basis. You also want to consider what the pet will need day to day. Dogs often need to be walked in addition to needing to be groomed and bathed whereas cats do not. So you need to consider a level of responsibility you are ready for.
How does the act of taking care of a pet — feeding, grooming, exercising — contribute to an individual’s sense of purpose and mental well-being?
It provides structure to the day. There is a reason to get up and perform certain tasks which at the end of the day we feel better about ourselves and feel more accomplished. Pets provide us a family. They also force us to do healthy things like go on walks, interact with others (e.g. dog park, vet visits, etc.).
Ok. Here is the main question of our discussion. The past 5 years have been filled with upheaval and political uncertainty. Many people have become anxious from the dramatic jolts of the news cycle. From your experience or research, what are your “Five Ways To Maximize the Mental Health Benefits of Having a Pet?” Can you please share a story or example for each?
1 . Take your pet on a walk! This is easiest to do on a dog, but even some cats don’t mind being out on a harness! This will incorporate some physical activity into your day and can be a great conversation starter with people.
2 . Keep your pet on healthy habits. Some find it harder to pursue healthy habits for themselves but easier to do it for others. Once you see your little loved one harnessing the benefits, it could inspire you to apply it to yourself. This includes keeping up with vet visits, having the pet eat healthy, keeping the pet active. These steps keep the pet well physically and happy. Not surprisingly, these same concepts apply to humans too!
3 . You can learn a lot from observing your pet. Something that stood out to me is seeing how my pets lived in the moment. They didn’t seem to overthink situations as much as I did. And you know what, that’s probably the way to go! We easily spend too much time in the past, the future and what if’s, that the right nows pass us by. As I watch my cat enjoy a patch of sun in an afternoon nap, I learn that there’s a lot in the now to bring to awareness, and enjoy : ).
4 . Be unconditional. This is another lesson I learned from animals. Does it really matter what color we are? How much money we make? What our title is? Pets seem to especially pick up on one thing, how others make them feel. That’s a great area to focus on. How do others make us feel, and how do we make others feel? The saying goes that after we pass, people don’t remember much about these small details but they do remember how we made them feel.
5 . Savor the relationship. In my work, a lot of anguish stems from past and current stresses of relationships. These can be insecure attachment starting with parental figures to strife with other peers. But a pet does not judge. The pet is there. The pet loves you and loves you for you. Savor that. That is a healthy relationship, and use that to heal and as a framework for elements you look for as you pursue healthier relationships and influences in your life!
The loss of a pet can be deeply traumatic. How can individuals navigate this grief, and how does it compare to other forms of loss in terms of mental health impact?
Losing a pet can be extra traumatic and some patients have expressed more so than the passing of some of their human companions. This in part has to due with the purity of pets. They generally don’t bring baggage, bad intentions, nor do they generally inflict trauma on to us. Pets can be so innocent and all the more painful to see them pass over the rainbow bridge. Support groups with others who lost a pet can be incredibly validating. Continuing to reflect and journal about your grief experience is helpful too. And just being self aware of how you are feeling and not being afraid of these stages of grief. It can can many months to over a year to continue to process this. And it is important to realize that, this is ok and to not panic or fret over it. It does improve over time and your furry friend will want you to heal as well.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of peace to the greatest amount of people, what would that be?
That is a great question and I wish I had a smart answer to this! But since this article is about pets, I have to say I really enjoyed reading how bringing animals into environments has helped morale and productivity so much. Some of the stories were about bringing animals to the work environment and how people were cheered up and felt more motivated and productive. But the most touching story I read was about bringing pets into the correctional system. These pets would have otherwise been euthanized due to lack of space. What was found is that inmates had a chance to build a therapeutic relationship with these animals. Prison violence decreased dramatically and there was better participataion and outcomes in programming. It really sounds like quite a win win situation!
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them. 😊.
Any major entrepreneur to be honest! Especially one who rose from great adversity as i can relate. I’d love to hear their backdrop story. I love stories where it sounds like there is no way out but the person holds on to their resilience, continues to fight and comes out with success. Especially the greater the adversity, the more inspiring the find the story to be!
How can our readers further follow your work online?
My clinic website is newfrontierspsychiatry.com. There is a blog I sometimes write in but also information about what is currently offered in the practice and current events!
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com .
