A longitudinal study revealed that children (4-11 years of age) who spent a lot of time with a pet dog or cat they were highly attached to had lower risk of anxiety or other mental health disorders as adolescents (11-19 years of age). The study was published in BMC Pediatrics. Anxiety disorders are a category of mental health conditions characterized by persistent and excessive worry, fear, or apprehension that goes beyond normal stress and can significantly impact daily functioning. Individuals suffering from these disorders often experience heightened and prolonged states of physiological ar…