You will come across many people who are animal lovers and share an amazing bond with their pets, especially introverts. Introverts don’t just have an amazing bond with their furry buddies, they are deeply attached and connected to them; for them, their pets are nothing less than their human family members. For an introvert, their pet is the silent companion who makes it easy for them to deal with the world with their soothing presence, one sticky kiss at a time.
Introverts have gentler and calmer souls than people who are not introverts, and that’s why they always look for peace, quiet, and calmness around them. Feeling overwhelmed in a world that seems predominantly extroverted is something every introvert struggles with, but when they go back home and see their furry friend waiting for them, somehow everything seems a bit easier to handle.
5 Reasons Why Pets Are An Introvert’s Best Friend
1. They don’t expect much from you.
Pets only expect some food and love from you, and that’s it. Unlike humans, they don’t have unending expectations from others, and are happy to just be there for you, and feel the happiest when they get to spend some time with you. They are good for your mental health because they will never push you to do something that you are not comfortable with, and will be content with just laying their head on your lap.
Unlike most people out there, they will never expect you to be someone else you are not; they won’t have a ton of expectations from you, for example, they will never expect you to be more outgoing and extroverted and will love you and accept you just the way you are. They will only expect you to love them and feed them, and you will gladly do it because these two things seem minuscule compared to what they do for you and how they make you feel.
Introverts get a lot of understanding and acceptance from their pets that they normally don’t get from other human beings, and this is one of the biggest reasons why they are so deeply attached to their pets.
2. They are comfortable with silence and solitude.
One of the best things about having a pet for an introvert is that, just like them, their pets have no problem with solitude and silence. Silence doesn’t overwhelm them, nor does it make them feel crazy (unlike some other humans!), and they can sit with you in silence for as long as you want. All that matters to them is you and your presence beside them.
If you don’t feel well, emotionally and mentally, you won’t have to talk it out with them, you can just lie down with them and cuddle their soft, furry bodies, and within seconds you will feel your tiredness and sadness melting away. Research has shown that cuddling your dog releases the love hormone, oxytocin which reduces feelings of anxiety and stress, and makes you feel positive, empathetic, and loved.
For introverts, solitude, silence, and calmness matter a lot, and a lot of times they are judged for that because people are quick to associate all that with loneliness and depression. But your pet will never judge you like that because sometimes they understand you better than your fellow human beings.
3. They are unconditional with their love.
“Nobody can fully understand the meaning of love unless he’s owned a dog. A dog can show you more honest affection with a flick of his tail than a man can gather through a lifetime of handshakes.” – Gene Hill
This probably sums up an animal’s unconditional love perfectly; there’s a reason why some people believe that animals are better than humans. Introverts like everybody else need a lot of understanding, acceptance, and emotional support in their lives, and unfortunately, they don’t always get it. But pets are not like human beings, they can understand when you are sad or unhappy, and they are quick to make sure that they do everything in their power to make you feel better.
Their love is selfless and unconditional, and they never want anything in return, except for maybe a little bit of love from you. You are their whole world, and they live for you and because of you. As an introvert, the depth of your feelings is not that hard for them to understand, because they might not be able to speak, but they see and sense everything with their heart.
4. They don’t need you to talk all the time.
One of the biggest struggles that introverts face is this constant need to talk to others, even when you don’t want to. Most of the time, you might feel that it’s an extrovert’s world, and everywhere you look, everybody’s always talking and is always up to something. Seems overwhelming, doesn’t it? You need to slow down sometimes and be quiet and introspect a little in order to understand yourself better, and function properly.
Well, human beings might not always understand this, and they might fail to respect the fact that you hate talking all the time, but not your pet. When you are with your pet, you never feel the need to fill the silence with unnecessary banter and small talk. Small talk is nothing short of a nightmare for you, so when you are home with your pet and it’s just the two of you, it feels like heaven.
Our four-legged friends understand that we don’t always need to talk to understand people, sometimes you can love someone and be there for them, without saying a single word. This simple understanding that exists between an introvert and their pet is the reason why most introverts (including you, even!) prefer to spend most of their time with their furry buddies, instead of other human beings.
5. They never let you feel overwhelmed and alone.
After a long, tiring day at work, when you come back home and your pet jumps into your arms with happiness and a wagging tail, everything seems alright, doesn’t it? Animals have this amazing ability to make you forget all your troubles and pain, the moment they come to you and shower on you all their love. Most of the time, introverts are highly misunderstood, or they are always expected to be someone they are not, and this can make you feel isolated and lonely.
But when you have your pet with you, they make it a bit easier to cope, don’t they? Their innocent eyes and soothing presence are sometimes enough for you to battle the negative feelings that rage inside you and make you feel grateful about having a best friend like them in your life.
Whenever you are hit with a wave of anxiety, they are there to help you through it. Whenever the outside world seems overwhelming, the thought of them waiting for you on the other side of the door with their tail wagging, makes you feel optimistic and happier. Whenever you feel like nobody understands you, they are there to help change that perception. With your pet around, it’s almost impossible to feel sad and alone.
Pets always find a way to make everything better, and unlike most human beings out there, deep down inside they know that love is the answer to every trouble. They know what unconditional love is, and they never hesitate to shower it on you. Just like introverts, they feel everything deeply and that’s why they are the best companions you can ever have in your life.