After sessions of counselling, loads of anti-depressant medication and lifestyle change may be it is time for you to go to the dolphin city to enjoy a splendid ride with a dolphin to help ease your depression. This new form of treatment supports the theory of biophilia that illustrates the dependence of human health on our relationships with the natural environment.
Nearly 30 patients with mild to moderate depression were chosen for the study and were randomized into two groups, the experimental group and a control group. The experimental group participants were designed to receive an animal facilitated therapy with dolphins for the treatment.The experimental group participants were allowed to swim in the water with dolphins for one hour per day. This routine continued for 2 weeks. The control group participants were also assigned to similar water activities, however in the absence of dolphins. All the participants were prohibited from using anti-depressant medication during the entire duration of the study.
At the completion of the study, the participants were evaluated for depression using a questionnaire. Analysis of the results revealed a reduction in the severity of the symptoms in the experimental group when compared to those in the control group.
This has led the researchers to arrive at the conclusion that animal facilitated therapy with dolphins is more effective than water therapy in treating people with mild to moderate depression. The effects exerted by animals were found to be significantly higher than that of a natural environment alone.
Furthermore, a long lasting effect of the treatment was felt even at the end of three months, eliminating the need for further treatment. Hence biophilic treatment with animals could be more effective than drugs or conventional psychotherapy in treating mild to moderate depression.
The healing properties associated with the dolphins could be attributed to the habitat location, and the emotional arousal as a result of the interaction with dolphins.
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