Serious Post: Guinea Pigs And Mental Illness

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bumbling-bambi

bumbling-bambi

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So i was wondering if anyone has used the companionship of guinea pigs to help with mental illness

Thats how i got my boys and they have helped a great deal with the problems i have.
Before i got them I was unable to even open the curtains or sit near a window due to severe agoraphobia and anxiety. This made going to the doctors without being dragged kicking and screaming by an ambulance crew in the dead of night almost impossible!
Since I've had them they have helped me in ways i could never repay them for - I'm starting to get my life back together even to the point i can attend busy uni lectures again.

I dont know about anyone else but when i saw my boys looking rather sorry for themselves in pets at home (i was there to get snake food but it was done in mission impossible mode so i didnt have to encounter hardly anyone!) for some reason i had a look into the pen they were in and they both came running up to the glass - all the other pigs ran off and hid but these two just ran towards me and as i stood there wondering why these two wigs on legs had chosen me of all people i just sort of knew they had to come home with me. Firstly because they seemed to have chosen me as their human and it would be rude not too but also because the more i looked the more i saw that out of all the pigs in that pen or the one next door they were in the worst shape... fast forward about 6 months of good food, good nutritional supplements and a lot of hair everywhere i can honestly say they have helped me more than any talking therapy or pill has as of yet!
I still have a long way to go and they are still blossoming into rather handsome boars but everyone seems to have noticed a big difference in me!

A little soppy/odd story for you there but if anyone else has had guinea pigs help them with issues to do with your brainbox i'd love to know :)
 
Glad that nursing your boys back to good health has helped you as well!

We have a fair number of members with anxiety and other mental issues.

I am moving your thread to our Guinea Pig Chat section, as you will get more responses to your specific post there.
 
Yes, I have been diagnosed with a generalised anxiety disorder. I have a full time job, which can be quite stressful, and with long hours, plus I am doing up my own house with my OH. I also have very supportive line managers!

I look forward to going home to cuddle the piggies, knowing that they sprawl all over me and lick me. I wake hearing them wheeking for their breakfast. I poo clean every two days and I clean weekly. None of this ever seems like too much trouble, even if the anxiety keeps me awake all night.
 
Wiebke said:
Glad that nursing your boys back to good health has helped you as well!

We have a fair number of members with anxiety and other mental issues.

I am moving your thread to our Guinea Pig Chat section, as you will get more responses to your specific post there.
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Thank you, sorry just realised i was in the wrong section!
 
Flamestriker said:
Yes, I have been diagnosed with a generalised anxiety disorder. I have a full time job, which can be quite stressful, and with long hours, plus I am doing up my own house with my OH. I also have very supportive line managers!

I look forward to going home to cuddle the piggies, knowing that they sprawl all over me and lick me. I wake hearing them wheeking for their breakfast. I poo clean every two days and I clean weekly. None of this ever seems like too much trouble, even if the anxiety keeps me awake all night.
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Its funny you should mention the licking because I used to self harm and had a tattoo a while ago to cover the scars but the funny thing is both pigs won't lick anyone else and when they lick me they only lick the wrist where the scars are - I've ruled out the fact they just like the tattoo because i have one in the same place on the other arm as a tribute to my grandad and my families naval background and they couldn't care less about that one xD . In a really odd way and it probably has nothing to do with it but its like they know what is behind the scars and are doing what they can to comfort me. they always seem to know when something isn't right too - whenever i am having a particularly bad day with my anxiety or something else I've been diagnosed with they sit at the bars staring at me untill i pick them up and have them on my lap. they never do it when everything is going fine and i've offered them their favourite veg when they do it too but they won't take it they just want to be put on my lap and both instantly go to licking and rubbing their cheeks along that wrist.
They seem to be quite protective in a way over me as if they are on my lap and by boyfriend puts his arm around me they start making their funny little grumpy noises until he moves away! any other time they don't care and jump onto his lap for a cuddle but when I'm having a hard time they just won't be away from me!
 
Mine love being sprawled on me, especially if I'm wearing fleece. They don't mind a cuddle from the OH either, but they will try to get to me if they know that I am nearby.

Snowy is still getting used to everything, poor boy. But he seems happier now that he is next door to the girlies.

He was out with me earlier, and I think that he might become a cuddle monster...
 
My mental illnesses were a pretty big factor in getting my current piggies. like you, I was in pets at home getting snake food and bugs when I saw Blackberry and Bramble and knew they would be coming home. I had been considering guinea pigs for quite a while, as much as I love my reptiles and amphibians, they dont take much care and I was finding myself alone at home most days with very little to do and piggies were the perfect amount of required daily needs to fill that time.
I started thinking back to when I was last truely happy, with no anxiety and realised it was as a kid, sat on the lawn with my 16 piggies in the sun :) I realised I hadnt been outside even in the garden by myself in a few years...
I'll admit to start with it was a bit of an adjustment as it had been 3 years or so since the last of our piggies passed. My social anxiety and GAD had branched into health anxiety and the sudden onset of my hayfever from having hay in the house along with the several medications they needed for ringworm and things meant I was washing my hands almost constantly, and a little uncomfortable for a while.. but with perserverence ive got passed that and theyve really helped. I spent quite a while this year outside either with them or looking for grass and weeds to bring in for them.

Best thing I ever did.
 
Eriathwen said:
My mental illnesses were a pretty big factor in getting my current piggies. like you, I was in pets at home getting snake food and bugs when I saw Blackberry and Bramble and knew they would be coming home. I had been considering guinea pigs for quite a while, as much as I love my reptiles and amphibians, they dont take much care and I was finding myself alone at home most days with very little to do and piggies were the perfect amount of required daily needs to fill that time.
I started thinking back to when I was last truely happy, with no anxiety and realised it was as a kid, sat on the lawn with my 16 piggies in the sun :) I realised I hadnt been outside even in the garden by myself in a few years...
I'll admit to start with it was a bit of an adjustment as it had been 3 years or so since the last of our piggies passed. My social anxiety and GAD had branched into health anxiety and the sudden onset of my hayfever from having hay in the house along with the several medications they needed for ringworm and things meant I was washing my hands almost constantly, and a little uncomfortable for a while.. but with perserverence ive got passed that and theyve really helped. I spent quite a while this year outside either with them ir looking for grass and weeds to bring in for them.

Best thing I ever did.
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i totally agree ! I had lots of animals growing up - horses, cats, guinea pigs and about 40 rabbits! (my mum bred rabbits for our enjoyment and to teach the local kids to look after animals and eventually to let them have one, i used to work at a riding for the disabled stables locally so i'd bring the piggies and our best behaved bunnies to work and the stables clients would cuddle them with me)

My happiest days where when my dad made me a little safety pouch that attached to the front of my saddle while i went riding round the woods! (they were totally happy with this otherwise i wouldnt have taken them with me!)
I really do believe in the ability animals have to heal us - without them i don't think id be where i am now :)
 
I suffer from depression and anxiety and I find that all my pets helps in their own little ways. My pigs make me feel at home, love their wheeks!
 
Not meaning any offence to the lovely forum members but there are many pig owners that I've met over the years that have mental illness problems. Myself included.

I think it's a wonderful thought that these gorgeous creatures give some of us a purpose in life. That's how it is for me. There's been days that I felt that I would happily walk in front of a bus but the thought of not knowing what would happen to my pigs has kept me here.
 
I agree wholeheartedly with this post . I myself suffer from depression , sometimes it got so bad that I couldn't get out of bed ..

Now I have the boys just the thought of them not being clean and fed spurs me on yo face the day .
everyday they cheer me up regardless how I'm feeling :love::love::love:

Guinea pigs rule
 
Another here with longstanding (30+ years) of anxiety and depression and I have always had pets in my life, cats, rabbits and piggies.

They do give you something to get out of bed for knowing they need your care gives you a responsibility and takes your mind off your own worries :)
 
I fully believe that my boys helped me finish my PhD. During the final few months my depression and anxiety went through the roof; just being able to watch these guys interact with each other and pootle around allowed me focus my attention on them rather than a panic attack.

As other forum members have said, having living creatures to look after helped spur me on, especially the very difficult initial getting out of bed.

What I find lovely is that while they normally really don't like being cuddled, if I'm upset or otherwise down, they have no problem with lying on my chest or lap and letting me gently stroke them. :wub:
 
I'm always pretty upfront about my depression/anxiety and I believe my two piggies have helped me with my 'battle'. My little babies.
Mr Rochester and Mr Darcy have given me a purpose in life, and I wouldn't know what I'd do without them.
My employers are utterly useless in regards to my mental health, I feel like they don't believe me, and I feel so unhappy in my job right now. I am taking steps to study (online course) to be a veterinary nurse in the New Year, which is giving me hope once more.

I think it's a great thing to speak up, so let's keep it up :)
 
I'm the main carer for my husband who has mental health problems and the girls help me out as well as him. He's not been use to have pets but just having them is helping in small amounts. He worries about them but has a favourite in the herd, Saffron. Taking care of them helps me to not worry about things as they need me to make sure their home is taken care of.
 
Perhaps it is because they are sensitive vulnerable prey animals that makes them so very attractive and wonderful as pets for those of us with anxiety, etc.

My dogs, rabbits and hamsters have been wonderful for helping with anxiety.
 
I have a history of depression and generalized anxiety, although generally under pretty good control at this point in my life, although it definitely comes and goes and is definitely worse in the winter. I find that pets do help a lot in terms of my mood. There is something unique about the relationship to an animal. There is research that patting an animal lowers your blood pressure. They certainly do help me to relax and feel happier.
 
I suffer with borderline personality disorder bipolar treats schizophrenic treats duck meaning to psychosis autism ADHD and top that off I can't see at all
I would be lost without my little squeak box
The thing I love about him is that he takes me however I am up or down or in the middle whenever that is and I love him dearly for that you text me what ever way I am are you is make me laugh which is more than I can say for the humans in my life
I got him from pets at home as well and he ran up my sleeve and refused to come out and then tried to bite the shop person when he tried to pull him out of chicken hot like that he was quite happy in my head so I don't see any point in moving in
Correction inside the herd of my jacket under my hair is it face taking out going hi
Sorry for the really rubbish words in this post my dictation is being really rubbish it doesn't cope with the Scottish accent very well at all
The more I use it though the better it's getting
 
There is nothing more satisfying than coming home from a stressful day and having my 4 piggies come wheeking and running to greet me, their little noses pressed against the mesh in a line, falling over themselves to catch my attention in the hope of getting veggies...:):):):)

Guinea pigs are just so friendly and cheerful, i love how they speak to each other in their own piggie language, how they have such individual personalities, how they beg for food and are so easily made happy.

It kind of reminds me to appreciate the basic things in life, like having somewhere safe to live, food, clean water and companionship. And that it's good to live in the here and now and not to worry about things I cannot change and the millions of things that might not ever happen!

But even more than all of that is how much love floods into my heart around them. It's really indescribable. My best attempt to try to describe it would be that the connection i have to them sparks so much love that it just drives out all my negative feelings like anger and disappointment, and leaves me feeling more in a state of peace.

They truly mean the world to me :luv::luv::luv::luv:
 
I came home today and got wheeked at by Snowy!

Had cuddles from the girlies for over an hour, with Poppy snuggled under my fleece with her little nose poking out, and Smudge sprawled over my lap. I'm sure she believes that she is part cat the way that she curls up.

Snowy came out then, squeaking quietly to himself. He wasn't keen on cuddles from daddy piggy and crawled back over to me. It really was a wonderful moment.

And he licked me for the first time! Woo!
 
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