Rob Osman from Bristol in the United Kingdom has dealt with depression and anxiety for a really long time. But throughout the difficult times, there was always one thing that helped – walking his dog.
Osman then decided to help other men to openly talk about their depression and anxiety. “I lost my dad in my 20’s. Not that unusual, but still something that can have a massive effect on my mood. The bit that very few know about; I’ve suffered with social anxiety since the age of about 10. When I was younger it manifested in basically throwing my guts up in pretty much any social situation, especially where girls were involved.” Osman explains his own battle with depression and how walking his dog helped on the groups website.
Osman goes on to explain how getting a dog helped with his mood, writing: “Picture the scene. It’s one of those horrible wet and windy c****y cold days that we do so well in the UK. There’s no way in hell I want to go out in this, especially not the way I’m feeling.” “But there’s the dog, she doesn’t care that I feel like crap today. She doesn’t care that the weather is rubbish, she just wants to get out and play. With me. Really? Yes really. And you know what, it’s been the best therapy I’ve ever had.” Dudes & Dogs seems to be working, with plenty of men taking Osman up on his offer. To read more from ProperGaanda: 514 people arrested in Delhi’s Muslim-Hindu civil war