Many of these people experience feelings of loneliness and isolation. Sometimes, being diagnosed with a long-term condition means losing one's previous social status and connections with people.
These feelings have been documented in psychiatric literature and connected with a patient's so-called ontological security. The term refers to a sense of order, continuity, and meaning in a person's life, together with a positive outlook on the future.
New research examines the impact of having a pet on the sense of ontological security and well-being of people with mental health problems.
Of the interviewees, over 46 percent - 25 participants - placed a pet within the personal communities that help them manage their illness and everyday life.
Of these, the majority - 60 percent - placed their pet in the central, most important circle. Another 20 percent placed their pet in the second circle, and only 3 participants placed their pet in the third circle.
Patients reported various reasons why pets were so important to them. Some of them said they provided much-needed distraction from symptoms and upsetting experiences, such as hearing voices, suicidal thoughts, or rumination.
Pets also gave their owners a feeling of responsibility, which in turn made the owners feel respected by other members of society. Having a pet was seen as an effective way to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
Caring for a pet also gave owners a feeling of being in control, as well as a feeling of security and routine. This provided participants with a sense of ontological security, by generating a sense of order and continuity to their day-to-day activities.
Finally, the feelings of acceptance and unconditional support that pets gave their owners contributed to an overall sense of meaning.