Recent psychological research shows that losing a pet can have a profound emotional impact comparable to, and in some cases exceeding, that of losing a loved one. Published in the journal PLOS ONE and reported by Al Arabiya Net citing researchers from Maynooth University in Ireland, a significant proportion of participants said their grief after losing a pet was more severe than the loss of a previous human being.
This study showed that the close daily relationship between humans and pets, based on care and ongoing emotional interaction, creates a strong psychological bond, making loss a traumatic experience with long-term grief, sleep disturbances, and mood disorders. Researchers have confirmed that socially ignoring this type of grief can increase its severity and delay psychological recovery.
The American Psychological Association notes that acknowledging the feelings of sadness associated with the loss of a pet is an essential step in psychological treatment, especially for children and older adults who are emotionally dependent on this type of companionship. Experts also advise seeking psychological support if feelings of sadness persist for a long time or turn into overt symptoms of depression.
Experts believe that modern society needs to redefine the concept of emotional loss, rather than just limiting it to relationships, and stress that family and social support play a vital role in getting through this stage with minimal psychological impact.
Recent psychological research shows that the loss of a pet can leave an emotional impact as deep as, and in some cases even greater than, the loss of a loved one. A significant proportion of participants said the loss of a pet was more intense than any human loss they had experienced, according to a study published in the journal PLOS ONE and reported on the Al Arabiya Net website by a research team from Ireland’s Maynooth University.
This study showed that the close daily relationship between humans and pets based on care and continuous emotional interaction creates a strong psychological bond, making loss a traumatic experience with long-term grief and disturbances in sleep and mood. The researchers emphasized that socially ignoring this type of grief can intensify the grief and delay psychological recovery.
The American Psychological Association notes that acknowledging the feelings of sadness associated with the loss of a pet is an important step in psychological treatment, especially for children and older adults who are emotionally dependent on this type of companionship. Experts also recommend seeking psychological support if feelings of sadness persist for a long time or turn into overt symptoms of depression.
Experts believe that modern society needs to redefine the concept of emotional loss, rather than just limiting it to relationships, and stress that family and social support play a vital role in getting through this stage with minimal psychological impact.
