Authors:

Neha Nair, Premalatha S

Abstract:

The significance of Human-animal bond has been acknowledged throughout history, across cultures and at multiple domains. Global research efforts have assiduously provided evidence that animals play a vital role in the overall health of humans, specifically, their mental health. There is a need to examine the healing power that animals seem to hold for people dealing with fading identity and to expatiate a peculiar sense that exists for these people to resort to a non-human living entity for communicating and feeling belonged.

This study aims to scrutinize how animal companionship can help an individual deal with identity crisis and loneliness. By placing an unorthodox interactional partner, an animal, in the middle of human-social interaction, this paper contributes to ethological approaches to human socialization and to comprehend social abilities of individuals dealing with identity issues. The prominence is on the fact that how animal companionship can help them attain a better discernment of a higher level of existence, by finding comfort and trust. The present paper provides a new insight that can facilitate extensive comprehension into the essence of humans’ relationship with animals. Manjiri Prabhu presents a contemporary framework for people who find it devitalizing to find meaning in their existence and experience aggravation in human connections. 

Keywords:

Identity crisis, human-animal bond, alterity, loneliness, animal companionship

Vol & Issue:

VOL.13, ISSUE No.4, December 2021