Remedy for Depression

[cherriemater]

Greetings, folks! As Joe and I sit here in the computer room/library/small bedroom that won't even fit a bed, I find myself chuckling for the umpteenth time while watching Max sleep at my feet in what should be the most uncomfortable position.

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I have realized that the depression I have been in for the last year or so has been lifting ever so gradually.

Perhaps this is TMI but, you see, four years ago after I lost my big Corporate job ... ((I had this big, long diatribe typed out and decided it would be best to leave it to imagination)) ... then we lost Kimba this year ... so ... anyway ...

I find as the days go by that I am laughing, smiling, chuckling ((sometimes even snorting)) at/with the boys. I am also exercising more and more by virtue of their need to be chased, tickled, scratched, walked, played with, cuddled and kissed (which is also a depression reliever).

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So, my words of wisdom(?):
Are you mad: look at your chow chow's fluffy face
Are you sad: watch your chow chow bark in its' sleep
Are you glad: praise your chow chow's purple kisses, wiggly butts and waggly tails
Are you plaid: revel in the diversity of color in the chow chow.

Thank you, Lord, for bringing me to Joe. Thank you for allowing me the joy of Kimba and Rocky. Thank you for the new joy derived from Leo and Max. There may be sorrow in the night, but joy comes in the morning.

>>happy sigh<<

[Ursa's daddy]

Cherriemater, I can identify with some of that. Right now, I am having trouble typing because Yoda has decided to get on my lap and interfere with my reach. Malachi is asleep at my feet. Your photo of Leo reminds me of Ursa when she was that size.

[Sarahloo]

It's not TMI! Thanks for sharing! Shame about the diatribe though!

[BeckiHutton]

Thanks so much for sharing that, marti. I, too, have had problems with depression, but lily, mixed with alfie, makes my days so much better. You just described exactly what my words cannot, as much as I would like to write them so thank you. You helped me to clarify things a bit... I find it so easy to open up to you guys

[karenmarie]

Well said. They are a blessing!

[TyChowgirl]

I can also identify with this. I moved away from home (which I wanted to ) right after graduating college and moved in with my fiance. I transferred the job I had with the intention of only being there for another year at most. (I did get a degree for a reason) It's a convenience store job, no rasises, (I do get benefits though so that's why I'm still there) sometimes rude people, and many more who don't want to do their jobs. We live in a condo, with my cat that I've had since I was 13. I was used to having two cats and thought he needed company, so we adopted another, a female of about 2 years. A year passes and I'm in a slump. I hate my job, I no longer have friends (well, I do, just a huge change from seeing them every week to never because we're all spread out and far away. Life moves on) and I wasn't seeing much of Brian due to conflicting work schedules. All I wanted was my chosen career, and a dog. But we had no room for one. No back yard, and hardly time to spare. I wanted one so much. I was told Chow or nothing, because he liked them and at the time ignorant as I was I didn't. I thought, well, chow is better than no dog and did my research. I convinced him and we picked up Ty a month later. I don't regret it. He's my pal. I take him everywhere I can with me, and enjoy his company. I love my cats, I do. But I can't leave the house with them (I had tried to harness and leash thing, they about died as they have always been inside only cats) and feline love though great is not the same as canine love. And now I've learned that canine love, though amazing, is nothing compared to Chow canine love.

[Ursa's daddy]

TyChowgirl, If you work with it, you can actually train your cats to walk on a leash. It is not that hard. I have been training my cats since 1969 to walk on a leash. You are correct, there is nothing compared to Chow canine love.

[TyChowgirl]

Oh, I know you can. It's just both of mine just about had a heart attack and I didn't feel the need to push it on them. My oldest cat is 10, and the youngest is 2 or 3ish. They also don't have extra immunizations because they are strictly inside only. It's ok, I have Ty now. I won't torture them lol

[Sirchow]

I am glad that the babies are helping you Marti. It is really hard being prone to depression but there is nothing like the love of animals to help you through.
I had really bad deppresssion about eight years ago and nearly lost my job through it. I had a beautiful chinchilla cat at the time called Oscar and he never left my side for the three months that I spent pretty much in one room or in bed. He lay on my chest and kept me company and warm and never seemed to leave. I find with the chows if I am down now they come and quietly just lie as close to me as they can get either at my feet or on the settee and it doesn't take long till I feel I need to perk up for them cos I cant bear to see them so sad and worried about mom. So they get me out of it that way

[Penelope]

I also have depression issues, and I think chows are so great as an Emotional Support Animal. Am about to get another one for just that purpose.

[cherriemater]

Siriol and Penelope ... not just depression but during this sickness Joe and I have suffered since 12/22 they have stuck SO close to us. If one of us is in the other room and sneezes ... it's THUNDER PAWS to the rescue. Both boys will run to be sure all is well. If there is a cough, there is a paw touching us. Sleeping on the sofa, they either want to come up or sleep right beside the sofa on the floor. They didn't do that before and while it might just be their age and how accustomed to us they have now become, it was so timely and so endearing.

Lately I have not been physically able to stay awake for Joe to come home at 2:00am so I tell the boys, "Momma's going nite-nite," which means they don't HAVE to follow but can roam if they like. Nope ... they sleep on the floor ride beside the bed. Max by the night stand and Leo at the foot at an angle under both the side and end (funny). As soon as they hear a noise, they're up and inspecting. When all is well, they come right back. When Joe get's home they do their Morning Ritual, hang with Joe in the computer room while he unwinds, then back to their spots for the night. This routine gives me such a peace, I cannot tell you.

Be it illness or sentimentality, Joe welled up with tears just the other night and said, "I love our boys!" They truly are a healing element in our lives, both from the loss of Kimba, my inability to have children, and lonliness. I am grateful every day that they have come into our lives.

[Victory]

Thee have been more and more articles about pets, especially dogs, helping with mild to moderate depression. This one is from WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/depression/recogni ... depression

I find for myself that my two help a lot with my own feelings of depression and right now worthlessness, (being unemployed really makes you feel small at least it does for me), If not for them and their needs I think I'd be curled up on my bed waiting for the world to end. But they need stuff, so I'm up pushing through it and going out there and seeking a new job. I have to have the money for their annual check ups and heartgard in a few months. They help me focus on tomorrow, and not on today which may suck, but on tomorrow that may be better, that has to be better really.

I think it is interesting that a lot of the articles talk about the tactile element that pets bring to their theraputic ways, Freud kept chows around his patients for the same reasons. There is just something so "right" about burying your fingers into a chow's fur, whether is it course and thick like my Dreamdancer's or sliky and soft like Firesong's. Just stroking them and maybe smelling that wonderful chow sent, is enough to relieve my stress. There is also the fact that even if I've just yelled at them for some stressed out reason, I can turn right around and say I'm sorry and they are both there with total forgiveness. No human will do that.

I have also seen the effect dogs have on people with other emotional problems. There is a lady who lives in the building behind me, she suffers from a couple of disorders that used to keep her pretty much house bond. But then she got Keifer. He's a Yorkie. He's one of the best bred ones I've seen, at the top of the weight class for Yorkie's with a nice solid build and a face that fits. At first the lady would only take him a half block to the park and only with a human friend. But as time went on, I'd see her taking longer walks with just Keifer and then by herself, getting on the bus and going places by herself. She has a paid helper that comes sometimes, (she also has some physical problems) but all in all Keifer has made her more confident and greatly improved her emotional and physical states.