From The Lanark Animal Welfare Society (LAWS) L.A.W.S., P.O. Box 156, Smiths Falls, ON, K7A 4T1:

By: Stanley Popovich (He has submitted this article for use in our weekly column)

Animals and our pets can be a great way to reduce our every day stresses and anxieties. It is not easy to deal with our fears and anxieties, however, spending time with animals can makes us feel better. Here is a list of the ways in which animals can help us to better cope with our fears, anxieties, and stresses.

Spending time with animals can be a great source of companionship. Whether you have a pet or go to your local shelter, spending time with an animal or pet can help us to feel better. Many people talk to their pets and that can help us to get our problems out in the open. Animals can be good company to all of us and can prevent the fear of being alone during troublous times.

Helping animals and other people through community service can be a great way to overcome our anxieties. There are many animals out there who could benefit from your time and talents. Doing something that will help your pet or other animals can give you a source of pride and accomplishment and also can lead to possible friendships with others.

Sitting around and accomplishing nothing will not make things any better whether its dealing with the fear of being alone or something else. Animals can help us to be active and to focus our energies on working with them instead of worrying about things that may or may not happen. This will prevent us from worrying about our current situation.

One of the ways to manage stress is to challenge your negative thinking with positive thoughts. Animals can help us to relax and help us to focus on the good things in our lives. This will help us to deal positively with any situation. Playing with animals can help reduce our fears and anxieties in any situation.

Animals can help get our mind off of our problems. A person could do an activity with their pet or other animals that will give them a fresh perspective on things. Spending time with animals will distract you and give you the energy to do other things. Most importantly, playing with animals will give you the self-confidence to believe that you can cope and can get through the day.

Remember that there are many ways that animals can reduce the stresses of our every day life, however, they are not a substitute for getting professional help. If your fears and anxieties become overwhelming, then you will need to seek out professional help. The next time you feel stressed, spend some time with your pet or other animals and you will be better able to cope with your worries.

BIOGRAPHY:

Stan Popovich is the author of "A Layman's Guide to Managing Fear Using Psychology, Christianity and Non Resistant Methods" - an easy to read book that presents a general overview of techniques that are effective in managing persistent fears and anxieties. For additional information go to: http://www.managingfear.com/