Animal-related Therapies to Support Mental Health

In the modern world, there have been great steps forward to make mental health more talked about and an accepted topic to talk about. Yet, mental health is still very stigmatized. Parcesepe and Cabassa (2013) explained public stigmatization to be negative attitudes and beliefs that are motivated by fear, avoidance, and rejection discriminating against people with mental illness (2013). Zolezzi et al. (2018) exclaim that public stigma occurs when the public endorses stereotypes about mental health and acts based on the stereotypes. The stigmatization of mental health seems to persist through multiple cultures but may present differently. 

In a study reviewing stigmatization in the United States, it was found that there was a general belief that “shame, blame, incompetency, punishment, and criminality of people with mental illness are common” (Parcesepe & Cabassa, 2013, p.394). As a general theme in Asian cultures, Arab cultures, and Indonesian cultures the view of mental health and mental illness diagnosis was seen as shameful and a disgrace to the family. For example, in Korean cultures “having a mentally ill family member is an unspeakable secret, something to hide, and the family focuses on making the individual invisible” (Kim Goh et al., 2014, p.67). It is believed that mental illness is more likely due to black magic, demonic possession, or associated with sin and illness being due to gods’ punishment. (Kim Goh et al., 2014; Parcesepe & Cabassa, 2013; Subu et al., 2022; Zolezzi et al., 2018). Due to the different beliefs about the cause of mental health and the stigma, it results in people not seeking help or being reluctant to even talk about it. Another theme presented is the alternative method of treatment to seeking out shamans or traditional healers or religious experts. Kim Goh et al. (2014) discovered three main themes for the reluctance to seek out help which are stigma and shame, suppression of emotions, and communication barriers. These findings suggest that alternative therapies need to be further researched to help intervene to reduce stigmatization and be adaptive to diverse cultural beliefs.

An alternative therapy that has been gathering momentum is animal-related therapies. The overall findings in studies have been that more research needs to be done and that although there have been some conflicting findings there is a positive potential around using animals for therapy. The study of human-animal interactions is a field that covers a broad scope of interactions on a continuum (Odendaal, 2000). Animals used in therapeutic ways can be split up into a variety of categories such as companion animals, working animals, service animals, therapy animals, and emotional support animals. Differences can range where service animals and working animals have specific tasks to complete whereas therapy animals take part in animal-assisted therapies and emotional support animals help relieve stressors (Wilder et al., 2023). A strong theme in research has presented that people have benefited from animal companionship both physically and psychologically. Studies have shown that the presence of animals can lower heart rates and cortisol as well as increase dopamine and oxytocin (Herzog, 2011; Odendaal, 2000). Psychological benefits also presented are higher self-esteem, positive moods, lower levels of loneliness, and greater life satisfaction (Herzog, 2011). The biological effects that animal interactions can have on people can be explained as “beneficial interaction[s] between two social species is set in equilibrium, it can be described as a social symbiotic relationship” (Odendaal, 2000, p.276). However, there have been conflicting findings such as more risk of accidents with companion animals and greater financial stress. Although, in the research, it is accepted that animals play a vital role in almost every aspect of people’s psychological and cultural lives (Herzog, 2011). A greater dive into how animals can be used in therapy must be explored and branching out of the realm of focusing on just dogs.

Animal cafés have not been around for very long, but present promising results for a greater purpose in helping people’s mental health. Cat cafes are the better-known and more popular animal cafes. A big part of the popularity of animal cafes came from the healing boom in Japan and what is known as Iyashi. The healing boom in Japan came out of a time of a lot of hardship (Robinson, 2019; Plourde, 2014). Iyashi is described as healing while carrying connotations of mental, emotional, and physical soothing (Robinson, 2019). Animal cafes have grown in numbers, but the research is only starting. There has still been an ongoing conversation about what animals in the cafes would classify as and whether they should be regarded as working animals (Plourde, 2014; Zhao et al., 2023). Research about animal cafes has focused on the roles of the animals and the ethics of protecting animals but also the commercialization that goes into creating an atmosphere for customers that is soothing. The focus of the previous research is the healing or beneficial mental health impacts that animal cafés may evoke. Robinson (2019) reported that visitors to the cafes felt “re-energized” and ready to “re-engage with the world” after they left the cafes. 

The findings have mostly been positive about the impact the animals have on people in the café. However, it is a general understanding that further research needs to be conducted as there seems to be very few studies available. More evidence is needed to identify how the cafes could be used in a creative and beneficial therapeutic way. A knowledge gap has been presented that stigmatization of mental health prevents people with different cultural backgrounds from seeking help. Predominantly Asian cultures have these troubles, and it is where animal cafes had first developed. Also, within a potential technique using animals in therapy needs greater exploration into the opportunities to use animal cafes as the solution. To start closing the gap in the research I hope to answer the question of whether animal cafes are a beneficial and easy-to-access, mental health outlet leading to other forms of therapies? Can animal cafes reduce the pressure of stigma around therapy and mental health concerning cultural perspectives?

Cat Cafes: An Ethnographic Approach to Study Human-Animal Interaction

To complete some qualitative research of the cat cafes I took an ethnographic approach attending cat cafes in Kelowna called Catelowna cat cafe and Edmonton called Cat Cafe on Whyte. I attended two sessions at the cat cafe in Kelowna and one session at the Edmonton cat cafe. A theme in the ethnographic observations was consumerism. For both cat cafes, I went to in Edmonton and Kelowna their drinks and treats menu would have as many cat-themed names as possible. Both cafes worked to provide calming atmospheres with light colours and comfortable places to sit. Both cafes had merchandise that was cat-themed for sale. I personally had almost bought a cat-themed Harry Potter mug. Both cat cafes offered one-hour sessions with cats and took both pre-booked appointments and walk-ins. The Edmonton cat cafe allowed for unlimited drinks within the hour paid session with the cats whereas the Kelowna cat cafe charged for drinks alongside the fee for the hour session. 

In the ethnographic findings, some of the main key findings were the way people reacted to the cats when they entered the cat café. My observations led me to believe that people seemingly going to the cat café for the first time were taking a lot more pictures of everything and were trying to get the attention of the cats. Those people who seemed to have been to cat cafes before were a lot more relaxed as they were not rushing around to see the cats and document the experience but rather to take in the cats and the atmosphere. During the observations, there were people of a variety of ages, genders, and ethnicities. The sample of people I observed in my time at the cafes provided evidence that the experience can be generalized to all kinds of people and not one subgroup. In the observations, I gathered two types of visitors. Some people came to the cat cafes in groups where they would play with the cats and would be more interactive with other visitors. The other type of visitors arrived at the cat café alone or potentially with one other person who would be on their own, taking in the presence of the cats. There was a visitor who stood out to me as they wore headphones while sitting in the corner of the café and a cat in their lap just seeming happy to be in the moment. People seemed to be relaxed and calm at the cat cafes. From my personal experience, I do have a slight bias being an animal lover and missing pets that I have at home, however, I felt in a better mental state leaving the cat cafes after each of my sessions. The previous observations I believe resonate with the theme of wellness. 

Through the secondary sources, it became apparent that in Canada there are only cat cafes whereas in other countries like Japan and South Korea, there are many more varieties of animal cafes. These findings can potentially make accessibility more difficult for people wanting to attend animal cafes. However, a Statistic Canada (2023) review showed that only 48.8% of participants in their surveys had sought out help from mental health professionals and documented those disorders such as anxiety and depression have been increasing. Statistics Canada (2023) also saw that the levels of disorders were lower among South Asian, Chinese, Filipino, and Black people which they believe may be due to the socio-cultural difference of stigmatizing mental health. Regarding these findings, I bring it back to the argument that animal cafes can serve as a starting point for people to receive therapeutic benefits from animal interaction on their well-being. I will draw attention to the fact that Statistics Canada (2023) did look at more severe disorders with which animal cafes cannot directly help and require more professional assistance. I still believe, however, that animal cafes can help people get to the point of self-reflection that they may need more help and that help is not just there for people who have severe disorders. The above finding is best brought together by the article “Finding healing through animal companionship in Japanese animal cafés” where it is stated, “There is a clear connection to the idea of iyashi and therapy, but therapy is controversial in Japan, with many Japanese seeing therapy as only an option for the seriously mentally ill” (Robinson, 2019, p.192). 

Other sources presented how there is a variety of animal cafes from snake cafes to meerkat cafes and owl cafes. This is interesting as it gives people the choice of what kind of animals, they find the most comfort in. In the article “Emotional Support Animals Supporting College Students’ Mental Health and Well-Being: A Qualitative Analysis Exploring Practices, Policies, and Perceptions” the student had support animals ranging from dogs and cats to bearded dragons and rats showing the range of animals that people may get comfort from (Kirnan et al., 2022). The multiple kinds of animal cafes also allow for those with allergies to still have the potential to still attend one of the cafes. A person may not have the ability to go to the pug cafe but then can go to the bird cafe. 

Some sources that have focused on human-animal interaction, specifically through ownership, have expressed the negatives of how having a pet could create greater stress for people (Hill et al., 2020; Herzog, 2011). I argue that animal cafes could reduce or altogether eliminate the stress a pet causes such as vet fees, extra costs for food, and the overall increased anxiety of caring for another being. Through the animal cafes people can interact with the animals and benefit from the interaction without the stress and responsibility of caring for the animal afterward. However, if a person does create an attachment to an animal in the cafes, particularly the cat cafes, many of the cats are up for adoption. A person can then adopt the cat if they feel ready for the next step of owning an animal and although negative impacts have been expressed there are also positive effects to owning animals (Herzog, 2011; Wünderlich, 2021). Many of the cat cafes even have policies where they make sure that the person and cat are compatible and have a connection rather than adopting just to have a cat. 

Regarding the benefits of interacting with animals, there have been some conflicting findings but overall, a person does not need to be with the animal the whole time to experience a benefit. The sessions in the cafes can prove to be beneficial through multiple sessions. Referencing Odendaal about normal human-animal interaction the contact does not need to be long “In practical terms, it means that a contact session could be rather repeated more often than for a very long period of time” (2000, p.279). For the overall findings, there is a positive outlook on attending cafes to improve mental health and using it as a stepping-stone towards greater therapy assistance. More research is needed, especially in ethics and the standards the cafes are held to. With these findings, I hope to promote further research in not just animal therapies but also animal cafes. 

References

Clancy, D. (2018, October 18). Animal cafes around the world. Far & wide. https://www.farandwide.com/s/animal-cafes-around-the-world-f1864cf9ef1b47e1

Every, D., Smith, K., Trigg, J., & Thompson, K. (2020). How can a donkey fly on the plane? The benefits and limits of animal therapy with refugees. Clinical Psychologist, 21(1), 44-53. DOI: 10.1111/cp.12071

Herzog, H. (2011). The impact of pets on human health and psychological well-being: Fact, fiction, or hypothesis? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 20(4), 236-239. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23045778

Hill, L., Winefield, H., & Bennett, P., (2021). Are stronger bonds better? Examining the relationship between the human–animal bond and human social support, and its impact on resilience. Australian Psychologist, 55(6), 729-738. https://doi.org/10.1111/ap.12466

Kim Goh, M., Choi, H., & Yoon, M.S. (2014). Culturally responsive counselling for Asian Americans: Clinician perspectives. International Journal for the Advancement of Counselling, 37, 63-76. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10447-014-9226-z

Kirnan, P. J., Shapiro, R. A., Misretta, J. A., Sellet, M., Fotinos, G., & Blair, B. (2022). Emotional support animals supporting college students’ mental health and well-being: A qualitative analysis exploring practices, policies, and perceptions. Journal of American College Health, 1-12. DOI: 10.1080/07448481.2022.2095871

McClatchy, (2012, Mar 12). Loosening up on animal cafes [EDITORIAL]. Tribune Business News, https://www.proquest.com/wire-feeds/editorial-loosening-up-on-animal-cafes/docview/927576011/se-2

Odendaal, J.S.J. (2000). Animal-Assisted Therapy – Magic or Medicine?. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 49(4), 257-280. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3999(00)00183-5

Parcesepe, A. M., & Cabassa, L. J. (2013). Public stigma of mental illness in the United States: A systematic literature review. Administration and Policy in Mental Health, 40(5), 384–399. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-012-0430-z

Peacock, J., Chur-Hansen, A., & Winefield, H. (2012). Mental health implications of human attachment to companion animals. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 68(3), 292-303. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.20866

Plourde, L. (2014). Cat cafés, affective labor, and the healing boom in Japan. Japanese Studies, 34(2), 115-133. https://doi.org/10.1080/10371397.2014.928183

Robinson, A.S. (2019). Finding healing through animal companionship in Japanese animal cafes. Medical Humanities, 45(2), 190. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/medhum-2018- 011635

Stephenson, E. (2023, September 22). Mental disorders and access to mental health care. Statistics Canada. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/75-006-x/2023001/article/00011-eng.htm

Subu, A. M., Holmes, D., Arumugam, A., AI-Yateem, N., Dias, M. J., Rahman, A. S., Waluyo, I., Ahmed, R. F., & Abraham, S. M. (2022). Traditional, religious, and cultural perspectives on mental illness: A qualitative study on causal beliefs and reatment use. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 17(1), 2123090. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2022.2123090

Wilder, C., Holliman, R., & Jaeger. M. (2023). Clinician’s beliefs, practices, and attitudes regarding emotional support animal recommendations. Journal of Creativity in Mental Health, 1-15. DOI: 10.1080/15401383.2023.2245753

Wünderlich, N. V., Mosteller, J., Beverland, M. B., Downey, H., Kraus, K., Lin, M.-H. (Jenny), & Syrjälä, H. (2021). Animals in our lives: An interactive well-being perspective. Journal of Macromarketing, 41(4), 646-662.https://doi.org/10.1177/0276146720984815 

Wu, L. (2016, January 4). Cat cafes prowl across Canada. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/lesliewu/2015/12/31/cat-cafes-prowl-across-canada/? sh=116615ca4239

Zhao, Y., Chen, P., & Kong, X. (2023). More than human consumption space: Human-animal encounters and relationships in cat cafés in Shanghai. Social & Cultural Geography, ahead-of print, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/14649365.2023.2206791

Zolezzi M., Alamri M., Shaar S, Rainkie D. (2018). Stigma associated with mental illness and its treatment in the Arab culture: A systematic review. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 64(6), 597-609. doi:10.1177/0020764018789200