5 Positive Impacts Owning a Dog Has on Mental Health

Photo Credit: @ryan_daryl_bailey

"I love my dog like it's my child" I turned around and said to my friend.

"Don't be silly" She shrieked. "How could you compare your love to an animal the same as a child?"

The answer quite simply is a hormone in our body called oxytocin. For those who were not particularly interested in science, the hormone oxytocin is also referred to as 'The Love Hormone'. This is usually released during sex or in childbirth. However, research has found that cwtching, petting and having eye-contact with a dog actually releases the human oxytocin. Which creates a bond with our furbabies.

Now, what positives are there when releasing the human oxytocin hormone? For starters, it reduces stress, and in this world, we could all do with a little less stress. Secondly, it boasts of sexual arousal...Thirdly, statistically, it reduces drug cravings. Fourthly, It improves social skills and Lastly, helps promote healthy sleep!

So how does owning a dog help your mental health?

1. Your Own Immediate Exercise Partner:

Let's face it, most of us would lie in bed and want to eat pizza and ice-cream for the rest of the day. Having your furry little friend forces you to walk him/her. Feeling unmotivated? Just one look at my little furbaby's face when I get the lead in my hand, it is priceless! a 60- hour walk feels like no time has passed at all, doesn't feel like any exercise has been done at all!

2. Someone to Provide Unconditional Love:

Dogs will wait for you, especially when they know that you are coming home. My dog can still sometimes pee due to being so excited to see me. Let's face it, no-one else dances with excitement when they see you (unless if you have multiple dogs) or when you enter a room, other than your furbaby!

3. Your Own Cuddle Monster:

Cwtching your dog is so much better than eating that tub of Ben and Jerrys that is in the fridge anyway! Having a down day? Your dog will definitely help boost your mood. Even just spending as little as 15 minutes with your dogs head on your lap, or even just watching your dog will increase your mood. And did I mention... Free cuddles?

4. Your Own Little Socialite:

Photo Credit: @ryan_daryl_bailey

Having a dog does improve your social life. Whenever I have him, I cannot walk more than five minutes without someone wanting to speak to me about my dog. Whether if it is a child who wants to pet him or an old man who tells me that he had a 'spaniel' which is similar to mine. Or even just a comment about how much fun he looks like he had in the river. People just can't seem to get enough.

5. Your Own Security Alarm:

Photo Credit: @ryan_daryl_bailey 

Yes, my dog will bark at almost anyone who enters the house. Even myself. But, If someone ever tried to break into our house. I would definitely know about it. Because Charlie would bark and bark and bark and that is pretty handy. So there is an element of feeling safe.

Does anyone have any furbaby stories to tell?xo

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👻 Spooky Sunday's 👻

Some of you might be aware that I have started a weekly series in where I post my favorite character ideas to dress up for Halloween. Halloween is one of the best time of years and after being invited to multiple Halloween events, I am constantly looking for Halloween costume ideas!

 My top five characters this week are:-

1. Maleficent: Sleeping Beauty

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2CLuWAQ

2. Buffy: Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2MmdMZP

3. Amy Pond: Doctor Who

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2Mk5kug

4. Katherine Pierce: The Vampire Diaries

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2CIE6OA

5. Norma Bates: Bates Motel

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2NygwrU 

What are you're favorite costume ideas? xo

👻 Spooky Sunday's 👻

I don't know about anybody else, but since September has started I already feel like it is Autumn which is my favorite time of the year. Hot chocolate and thick jumpers sound like absolute bliss right now. Especially because Halloween is approaching around the corner. It is not a secret that me and Earth to Talia LOVE Halloween. I mean, it's an excuse to dress up and watch scary films with your pals whilst getting intoxicated! What is not to love?

Since I am already hunting down ideas for my costume; I thought that I would start a series which is on every Sunday, from now until the 28th of October about which costume ideas I liked on that particular week. 

So without further ado, here are my top five favorite costume ideas: 

1. Moira O'Hara: AHS Monster House

Image Source: https://binged.it/2PZmjF7

2. Anna Valerious: Van Helsing  

Image Source: https://binged.it/2wBQedD

3. Zombie Little Mermaid

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2N9iT4h

4. Mother of Dragons: Game of Thrones

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2MKdMYT

5. The Countess: AHS Hotel 

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2NCMe3P

What is your favorite costume idea so far? xo

Top 10 Joey Tribbiani Quotes

On Sunday, 26th August 2018 I attended Friends Fest at Blaise Castle which is in Bristol. I had an amazing time and agreed to attend a Friend Quiz Night in two weeks time. As I was revising trivia; I felt inspired to write a post about my all-time favorite character, Joey Tribbiani. I mean, how can you not fall in love with someone who is as loyal and foodaholic like Joey? So let's get this show on the road. 

1. 'Custard, Good. Jam, Good. Meat? GOOD!' (Season 6, Episode 9: The One where Ross got High)

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2PLdIGd

2. 'Well the fridge broke, so I had to eat everything. Cold cuts, ice cream, limes. Oh, and what was in the brown jar?' (Season 6, Episode 19: Joey's Fridge)

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2PjOEVG

3. 'You hung up on the pizza place? I don't hang up on your friends' (Season 8, Episode 11: The One with Ross' Big Step Forward')

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2wFYfP5

4. 'You can't have S-E-X when you're taking care of a B-A-B-I-E' (Season 9, Episode 14: The One With The Blind Dates)

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2C2cIKW 

5. ' Here come the meat sweats'  (Season 8, Episode 9: The One with a Rumour)

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2C1H7ch

6. ' 'Some girl ate Monica!' (Season 2, Episode 14: The One with a Prom Tape)

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2BYZ8bl

7. ' Over the line? You are so past the line that you can't even see the line! The line is a dot to you!' (Season 4, Episode 7: The One Where Chandler Crosses the Line)

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2MC2tSk

8. 'Okay... sex. No, food. No, uh... I want both! I want girls on bread!' (Season 10, Episode 10: The One where Chandler gets caught)

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2PkW3E7

9. 'JOEY DOESN'T SHARE FOOD!' (Season 10, Episode 9: The One with the Birth Mother)

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2NAPcWS

10. ' How You Doin?' (A Lot)

Image Source: http://bit.ly/2wswgD7

Who is your favourite friend's character? 

Welcome Back

Well, it has been seven months since I last wrote a blog post. What can I say? Time flies when you're constantly a stress ball who does nothing else but stress about the inevitable. For anyone who wonders why I have created a new page; silly me has lost my log in details to my original page and now I am unable to access my old account. Ops! But, starting a fresh new page may give me more motivation to upload more?

Who knows... 

So just to update everyone where I am at. I have moved from Bristol, back home to my parents.
I chose to do this as I am due to start a Masters course on September 17th, 2018 in Behavioural Analysis and Therapy. 

My mental health has not been the best. In June I hit a really low point of my life. It slowly seems to be getting better. Although it has not been all doom and gloom! I have managed to achieve some things this year such as going to Rome, passing my theory test, losing weight and started driving lessons which last year I thought I would never be able to do. 

For those of you, who have no idea who I am, let's kick my first post off with some pointless facts. Twenty of them to be exact: 

1. My dog is my favourite person ever.

2. Lately, I have been obsessed with the Toffee Sundae at Mcdonalds. 

3. My favourite TV show as a child was Charmed - Me and my brother use to pretend that we had the power to freeze time. 

4. I crave orange juice a lot. 

5. Despite me raving on about my dog, my actual favourite animal are penguins.

My Dog: Charlie 

6. My favourite colour is green, however my best friend would not let me have this as my favourite colour because it was her's.. so I use to say it was purple. 

7. I have dyed my hair almost every hair colour besides from blue. And even then when I was younger my dad use to put washable streaks in my hair and one of them turned out blue. 

8. I have two tattoos, they are hidden as my dad would probably disown me if he ever found out I had even just the one (and my nan). 

9. Every year I plan at least 1 city holiday. 

10. I am dyslexic and dyspraxic but I only found out 3 months before I graduated university.

Rome: 04/2018

11. My best friend and I have a pact that we will only date guys who are compatiable with our star signs, otherwise they are out! 

12. My step mum calls me 'Little Griff' because to her I am a mini version of my dad, which I guess must be a good thing right? 

13. I LOVE candles but I am scared of fire, logical right?

14. The same as I love rollarcoasters but I hate heights...

15. I have a guitar plectrum which was given to me after Katy Perry threw it in to the audience. 

Katy Perry: California Tour

16. The last gig I went to, was with my dad and stepmum in January, me and my dad also danced like peacock in this gig. 

17. My favourite meal to cook is fajitas. 

18. I really cannot deal with mornings, I am 100% a night owl all the way. 

19. I am lactoise intolerant, but I will still eat dairy no matter the cost. Once, I was craving hallomui so badly, I practically forced/begged my friend to drive me down Nandos just so I could order the halloumi starter and that was it. 

20. I spend a lot of my free time watching theory videos on Disney, Pixar and Harry Potter. So if any of you know any good Youtube theorist, let me know! (P.S. I am also a Hufflepuff) 

Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets: Hufflepuff Edition 

I would love to get to know you, what is a strange fact about yourself?