Dog therapy, a great help for adolescents with eating disorders

Science supports the popular opinion that living or interacting with an animal improves our quality of life, both physical and mental.

And this is also demonstrated by a pioneering program, started in 2018 and developed with young people with Eating Disorders (ED) and dogs, which has been carried out at the Niño Jesús Children's Hospital in Madrid, in collaboration with the Rey Juan Carlos University and the Purina company.

In it, 32 adolescents between 14 and 17 years old with these disorders have participated and, according to the results, these boys and girls have improved their health in a remarkable way, according to the promoters.

These types of programs are important because, according to epidemiological data, eating disorders in Spain affect 5% of the population between 12 and 25 years of age.

The specialists report that the young women have improved because "a reduction in anxiety levels and an increase in their trust towards others, as well as a decrease in fears regarding the sensations about their own body" have been achieved, says Beatriz Martínez. , child and adolescent psychiatrist, coordinator of the Adolescent Day Hospital at the Niño Jesús University Children's Hospital in Madrid.

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This favorable result is due to the fact that "the dog is an animal that, on a regular basis, lives with people and it could be said that a symbiotic relationship is generated between the animal and the person," adds the expert.

“In this way, we have taken advantage of these socialization capacities of the dog and its attitude of unconditional support to carry out this intervention.

Thus, the animal becomes a therapy facilitator with its presence because it allows professionals and their relationship with patients to work better,” says Martínez.

According to the experts, the program was developed in 50-minute sessions that included a welcome designed to come into contact with the dog, a main part where the participants learned basic notions about dog training, followed by another development in which they tried to train to the dogs and, finally, a closing part to say goodbye to the animals.

During the main part of the session, the patients carried out different activities and exercises with the dog to progressively work on different objectives that improve their mental and physical health, through bonding with the animal.

Another key to the success of animal-assisted therapy is the dog's attitude, since "it does not judge the person and its behavior is spontaneous and natural."

“When people participate in these sessions, rather than go to therapy, they will be with people and animals that understand them and go from being cared for to being caregivers, where through different activities, among other objectives, they work on reinforcing their self-esteem. ”, comments Israel González, director of the Office of Assisted Interventions with Animals of the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid.

Program that is developed with young people with an Eating Disorder. Hospital Niño Jesús

Dog doctor and his therapeutic skills

What is it about dogs that manage to reach patients so easily?

The presence and participation of dogs in therapy with adolescents with eating disorders can help them because they are an important source of social support in times of difficulty.

This is a universal and observable characteristic in any scenario where a bond is established between a person and a dog, according to experts.

“In the clinical environment, the companion dog acts as a catalyst in the relationships between the young person and their peers, as well as with their therapists, who can start from the interactions that the adolescent establishes with the animal, as a model to talk about the own emotions and relationships with others, from non-judgment”, highlights Jaume Fatjó, director of the Affinity Animals and Health Foundation Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Autonomous University of Barcelona and the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute.

Another fundamental aspect regarding the success of the animal therapy program in hospitals is that dogs have a “great capacity to create bonds with people”.

Sonia Sáez, a veterinarian from the Purina company, a participant in this program, explains why.

"They motivate, give emotional support and are capable of generating empathy far superior to most people, so they go where we can't," she highlights.

In addition to dogs, other animals with which therapies are carried out with good results are horses or cats, "but the training, for example, of felines, is less viable because they are very independent and since it is about getting them to animals also enjoy these programs, in most of these therapy activities we work with dogs, which are more sociable and adaptable”, says Sáez.

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