Pet Therapy Program

Did you know that The Discovery House treatment centers offer pet-friendly addiction treatment programs? We are proud to offer addiction treatment pet therapy as part of our inpatient drug rehab. Awesome, right? Well, besides being awesome there are actually some pretty amazing benefits to bringing your pet to treatment with you.

A Pet-Friendly Drug Rehab Can Have Profound Effects on Your Emotional State

Addiction is an isolating disease and one of the most difficult things about recovery is the struggle to rebuild relationships or to start fresh ones. Having a pet with you during treatment provides you with much needed judgment-free unconditional love. Everyone needs a snuggle after a hard day and you’ve got some hard days ahead of you.

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When you first arrive at any rehab center, you might feel a bit uncomfortable. It’s a new place with new people. You’re going through a lot physically, mentally, and emotionally. Having your pet with you can give you a sense of comfort in an otherwise uncomfortable situation.

Being in a new place while in such a vulnerable state is enough to make anyone homesick. When something is new to you it can take a while to feel right. Even though going home sounds like a good idea, leaving mid-treatment is counterproductive. Having your pet by your side allows you to have that little piece of home to set your mind and soul at ease.

Physical Benefits of an Addiction Treatment Pet Therapy Program

We love animals (dogs especially) but we aren’t blinded by our love. Turns out, there are tons of well-documented studies on animal-assisted therapy (AAT). And it doesn’t even have to be your pet. Simply being around any animal is proven to decrease blood pressure and lower your heart rate. And since we’re pet-friendly, there will always be a dog or cat around.

In addition, addiction treatment pet therapy has been shown to:

Reduce blood pressure
Reduce heart rate
Decrease reported anxiety
Elevate mood
Increase beta-endorphin levels
Decrease reported feelings of tension or stress
Stabilize mood
Improve anger management
Raise self-esteem
Improve frustration tolerance

Having a pet around encourages you to be more active and keeps you accountable to your recovery and overall well-being.

Pets Are the Ultimate Conversation Starter

Have you ever been stumped for what to say? Do you get all clammed up when someone asks you to tell them “a little bit about you?” When you have a go-to topic picked out ahead of time it totally takes the social pressure off. Use your pet as a talking point. Talking about your love of animals is a great way to jumpstart any conversation. Even if your new friends are not animal people (and yes, there are people like this out there) it’s an opportunity to ignite a healthy and friendly debate.

You Can Be Nurturing

Before you get to rehab, the only person you’ve really been taking care of is you. And even that is debatable. You will learn so much during your first few weeks in rehab and one of the biggest things is that you can be a nurturing person. Having a pet around will prove that not only can you take care of yourself but you can keep another being alive and happy as well. This is a huge learning opportunity and a chance to prove that you can take care of someone other than yourself.

No More Excuses Not To Go To Rehab

One of the biggest reasons that people don’t go to rehab is that they have existing responsibilities that are preventing them from cutting drugs and alcohol out of their lives. For most people, this means a job or children. But for some, it means their pet. When you choose a pet-friendly addiction rehab center, this is one less thing you will have to make alternate arrangements for. One less excuse.

Our Pet Policy

We are so proud to offer a pet-friendly addiction treatment program and we believe it contributes profoundly to the mental wellness and overall well-being of our clients. However, it is our policy to ensure the safety and comfort of all of our clients. Therefore, we accept pets on a case-by-case basis. If you have questions about our pet policy, please call us at 818.452.1676.