Kicking depression can be a life-long battle for many sufferers, and people are always looking for additional techniques and options to help defeat it. Well, surprisingly enough owning a pet - especially a dog or cat can help you defeat your depression once and for all.

There have been several academic studies that support the physical and mental health benefits of owning a pet. Owners moods have improved based on several factors.

Exercise

1. Ask any mental health professional, and they will tell you the benefits of an exercise regime for relieving depressive symptoms. When you own a pet like a dog, you have to walk the dog, bathe and brush the dog, go to the store for the dog's food and other care items. It gets you up and moving. Something that many depressed people do not do.

Affection

2. Giving your dog or cat affection such as stroking, hugging, brushing, rubbing etc. has been proven to help decrease stress in humans, therefore lowering blood pressure, and improving quality of life.

Unconditional Love

3. A pet offers its owner unconditional love and affection. Pets simply want to be want to be loved and cared for and desperately want your companionship. This type of love without strings is very calming, relaxing, and pleasurable for most people - especially people who are depressed.

Loneliness

4. The presence of a pet helps depressed people who are suffering from loneliness, whether they are actually physically alone in the world or whether they have created a self-imposed lonely world for themselves. A pet is there giving love, sitting by your side, and creating a presence in your home.

Routine

5. The routine of caring for a dog, walking a dog, buying food, etc. is something that helps people with depression. Many depressed people no longer have a positive routine - but are "stuck" in their lives with mundane tasks, work, or perhaps do nothing at all. Being a responsible pet owner creates routine -- enabling someone who is depressed to get out into life.

So now that you have been convinced-- what now?

Well, it doesn't really make sense to buy pure breeds for hundreds of dollars unless you are planning to breed them - the perfect companion dogs and cats are ones up for adoption that are hungry for homes.

Try going to the The North Shore Animal League of America for information on how to adopt the right pet for you in your area.

Recommended resources:

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Choosing A Pet

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Lisa Angelettie is an author, counselor, & coach on mental health, relationship, and other life issues for women. You can also visit her at www.GirlShrink.com for some Free Advice. Please visit us for more discussion on this topic in the depression forum to talk about it further. Don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter for topics in the news, new articles, website & book reviews, and other useful mental health resources. Subscribe below.