Outline for CAP #2 I. Introduction a. Around 7 million people in the United States were abusing prescription drugs in 2010.

According to drugabuse.org, CNS depressants, which are used to treat sleeping problems and anxiety, are highly addictive ("Topics in Brief: Prescription Drug Abuse"). Forty-five percent of drug overdoses are caused by depressants, opioids, and antidepressants which is greater than the thirty-five percent of deaths that cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines, and amphetamines are responsible for ("The Truth About Prescription Drug Abuse"). b. Prescription drugs can be the only way to go when facing some diagnoses, but when diagnosed with depression or another emotional disorder, there are more options than you think. Animal Assisted-Therapy (AAT) is one of those options and can be very effective in treating emotional disorders. If you have an emotional disorder, why take the risk with prescription drugs before trying pet therapy? Animals have been used in several places, including some unlikely ones, to assist and treat many people with various health issues. However, despite research and personal testimonies, Harold Herzog, a psychology professor at Western Carolina University says that there simply isnt enough evidence to support pet therapy. c. The idea behind this article is to illustrate why pet therapy is a safe option for those facing an emotional disorder despite what Herzog says. Ill be explaining what pet therapy is, what other treatments are currently in use, why professor Herzog may be wrong about pet therapy, and the benefits of engaging with AAT are. In doing so, I aim to enlighten people in need of treatment to how animal therapy in particular can be used as a safe alternative to pharmaceutical drugs. Pet Therapy a. Animal Assisted Therapy is a therapy that can be used with a wide variety of health problems. Almost any animal can be used depending on the issue and the person affected. It can help improve a patients physical, mental, emotional, or social health (What is Animal Assisted Therapy?). b. Some of the places pet therapy is being utilized include hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, elementary schools, colleges, and in the comfort of your own home. AAT is used to aid hundreds of people reach their health goals. c. However, despite the wide use of pet therapy, it isnt the first choice for many people. Other Treatments: For emotional disorders like depression, post-traumatic stress syndrome, and anxiety control, the possibilities are nearly limitless and researchers work on new treatment methods every day. Unfortunately, these methods may have harsh side effects or can even be dangerous. a. Drugs are an incredibly common form of treatment that is prescribed and can be a quick fix for the problem. They are proven to be effective, which is fantastic, but the side effects are seemingly endless. Often, those on antidepressants continuously must increase their dosage and in recent

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years, the effectiveness of medication for depression has come into question. Antidepressants can cause insomnia, headaches, weight gain, anxiety, sweating, and much more. They can be especially dangerous for people over 65, pregnant women, and teenagers. Shockingly, antidepressants can even increase depression rather than help (Smith, Robinson, Segal, and Ramsey). Pet therapy does not require any medication and if one chose to pair up the two, the dosage of the medication could be much lower than it would be with AAT. Another treatment that is less common is the use of St. Johns Wort. Its an herb that people use for a variety of health problems, including depression. The evidence to support its effectiveness is minimal and has dangerous side effects. Tremors, confusion, muscle stiffness, drop in body temperature, and, according to nccam.nih.gov, even death, can be a side effect of St. Johns Wort (St. Johns Wort and Depression). These serious side effects are hardly worth risking, especially with harmless treatments available. Animal Assisted therapy has no health risk involved, only the chance for improvement. Self- help is a method that many people employ to treat their depression. While for some people, this may assist in some ways, it can be dangerous to treat yourself. An untreated case of depression can worsen or lead to suicide. It takes someone who is trained to treat an emotional disorder to effectively be helped. Psychotherapy is a popular choice for those suffering from an emotional disorder. There is lots of evidence to back up psychotherapy as very effective, especially when it is paired with a drug. However, psychotherapy can be a hard choice for those who fear other people or perhaps dislike the social stigma that seeing a psychologist or therapist can cause. For some people, it can be difficult to share all of their secrets and thoughts with someone who they feel is judging them or are too much like a stranger. What makes pet therapy so special versus music therapy, art therapy, or almost any other therapy is that sharing thoughts with an animal hardly leaves room for judgment. It is the unconditional love from a pet that can make it so calming and effective in some cases. Electroconvulsive Therapy is often used as a last resort to treating depression or extreme anxiety. It can be effective for some patients, but something so serious as electroconvulsive therapy should not be taken lightly. It can cause memory loss that can remain for extended periods of time and although rare, ECT can be related back to causes of death (Side Effects and Risks). The treatments Ive gone over are not nearly all of the ones available and while the positive effects may not be included, the negative side effects and dangers are certainly not entirely represented either. With these potentially dangerous treatments out there being used instead of harmless animal therapy, you might ask what anyone could say against it. Professor Harold Herzog, at Western Carolina University, does how ever have a different opinion about it.

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Article about Herzogs Thoughts on AAT a. Herzog does not necessarily knock AAT out of the realm of effective treatments, but he does remain unconvinced of it. In an August issue of a journal published by the Association of Psychological Science, Dr. Herzog states, While pets are undoubtedly good for some people, there is presently insufficient evidence to support the contention that pet owners are healthier or happier or that they live longer (in comparison to those with no pets). He also implies that pet therapy can even make the disorder worse, however, in this article, there is no evidence presented to back up this claim (Nordqvist). b. While Herzog maintains that pet therapy lacks scientific evidence, he does think that it is a promising field that is worthy of further research. Unfortunately, this article neglects to divulge any of Herzogs research to back up his claims. c. If Animal-Assisted Therapy is so baseless and unproven, as Herzog believes, then why is it used all over America in several social settings and in treatment of more than just emotional disorders? The answer is simple; AAT is not baseless and has proven benefits as well as personal testimonies from people who really need and use it. AAT: Why Herzog May be Wrong a. In the book, Complementary/Alternative Therapies in Nursing,animalassisted therapy is spoken very well of. Therapy for the human mind and body with the use of animals is grounded in research on the humananimal bond. In the 1970s researchers began looking into this bond and since then have correlated some aspects of improved human health with animal interaction. b. Theory: A lot of the research on human-animal interaction has been based on the social support theory which says that we battle stress with relationships then encourage and grow trust, security, and the feeling of being needed. Studies that use this theory as basis for the research have found that companion animals, the ones we most likely think of as pets, promote well-being, health, and longevity and provide a source of relief, love, and companionship for the person involved in the therapy. Loneliness is both a symptom and cause of depression. While drugs and other harmful treatments will help, studies by Calvert, Friedmann, Katcher, Lynch, and Thomas have demonstrated that animals have a positive effect on loneliness in humans (Snyder and Lindquist). c. According to Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy, studies have been down to prove good cardiovascular health with animal interaction. One study was conducted patients who survived heart attack, myocardial infractions, or severe chest pain. Only 5.7% of the 53 pet owners compared with 28.2%of the 39 patients who did not own pets died within 1 year of discharge from a coronary care unit. This study clearly displays the benefit of heart health from animals in the home or pet therapy (Fine). Having good health can help keep a person suffering from anxiety or depression keep one more thing off their plate which is a positive move in

the direction of recovery. A healthy body can bring focus to getting mental and emotional stability back. d. Depression in the elderly is another problem people face. As a person grows older, they lose their sense of quality. They often find they have nothing left to take care of and therefore no reason for anything. Animals can both provide physical therapy benefits to the elderly and give them someone to care for. Pets can fend off loneliness in depressed elderly men and women (Pet Therapy in Hospitals). e. While scientific research is very reliable in assessing the effectiveness of pet therapy, hearing from actual people who have experienced the effects themselves sometimes speak louder. This testimony from Larry Vincent about his daughter who was battling cancer involves a therapy dog who visits hospitals and shows first-hand how powerful animals can be. i. I know from experience that pet therapy makes a difference. My daughter Jordan has been battling cancer for more than 9 years. At one of the darkest points on her journey, she was in a coma for a week. We were astonished during that week when the pet therapy dog paid a visit. She'd been lifeless until the dog got up on the bed with her. Then, without warning, she bolted upright in bed [and] placed her hand over the dog. It would be a few days before she fully awoke, but the dog mustered the first signs of revival and hope when life was looking bleak. She's had many pet visits during her hospitalization, and they always imbue my girl with wonderful life (Larry Vincent). Larry included a link to a picture of this event actually taking place which is certain to pull on the heart strings of anyone (Pet Therapy: How Animals and Humans Heal Each Other). This animal actually brought life to a motionless child if even for a few moments and brought hope to her father who, no doubt, must have been facing a heaping amount of anguish. VI. f. Where can I go to find more information and to get signed up? Conclusion