Did you know that 20% of teens in the U.S suffer from depression before they reach adulthood (teenhelp.com)? 31.9% currently suffer from anxiety (livescience.com). Much of the stress and general hopelessness of these kids seems to stem from school. The workload and the pressure from schools and parents can be overbearing at best. Eventually, these mental illnesses begin to take a toll on young students’ minds. Many students at Oak Hills High School are suffering from anxiety and depression right now, and as a result are more likely to catch physical illnesses, engage in substance abuse, and commit suicide. Several of those students often miss multiple days of school due to the severity of their symptoms with no change in their well being. However, recent studies have shown that there are ways to help these students cope with their mental illnesses and even reduce the symptoms they suffer from as a result from anxiety and depression. One of these anecdotes is the interaction between students and therapy dogs. …show more content…
Often times, these thoughts can spiral into unrealistic negativity. “Dogs help break that cycle by providing comforting companionship and a sense of purpose,” writes Jacquelyn Bennett, author of “Feeling Depressed? There’s a Dog for That!” Often times we rely on the internet, cellphones, and social media to feel that connection with another human being. “However, we are losing real interpersonal connection, and that is contributing to more emotional problems and disorders,” Bennett elaborates. “Love and connection does exist in the world, and animals are a great resource to find this in one’s