The anxiety project

The anxiety project

Anxiety, how animals reduce it, and how our action plan supports people with it.This report will state facts about how animals can help decrease anxiety in people, and symptoms and causes of anxiety. We have formed this project to create equity for all people with anxiety.

These are some common symptoms of anxiety. Anxiety can cause panic attacks, chest pain, shortness of breath, and sweating uncontrollably. Anxiety can happen at any time of the day, but it mostly occurs at night because it’s just you alone and your thoughts.Many children can also succumb to anxiety at school due to stress of test anxiety,homework problems, and work that’s too hard. There are many different symptoms, so this doesn’t cover every single symptom.

Animals can benefit people in many ways, especially with their mental health. For example animals release a hormone in people called oxytocin which is a stress reducing hormone, this decreases production of the stress hormone cortisol. Statistics can also support this, 74% of pet owners reported that their animals improved their mental health, and 75% of pet owners reported a friends/family members mental health has improved from pet ownership. Having a pet can also improve your physical health by taking them on walks or playing with them, which if you count that as an exercise, it’ll release a hormone in your body, that can calm anxiety and lift your mood.

To assist students at Otaki college my group has decided to plan a visit to Huha. Huha is an animal shelter that creates a safe haven for animals in need. To see the effects animals have on students with anxiety, we will be bringing a group of students from Oc,including us to visit huha. To make sure this is a pleasant experience for all of us our student councilor is making sure the group of students are comfortable with participating in this project. 

If this creates a positive effect on both students and animals, we will try to continue this on to a school event.