Real Talk: Getting a therapy dog is such a miracle for me in so many ways. The primary and obvious reasons are to cope with GAD and OCD in particular, but as I’m thinking about getting ready for bed, I realized something.
I sleep with the lights on because I’m terrified of the dark, of something hiding. My mind plays tricks on me and when my fear takes over I can even hallucinate. Dogs are sensitive, though. They are incredible sensitive and aware of everything, and are quick to tense at a threat. If I look down and see Peaches sleeping calmly, or any time she’s near me just being calm and loving, I can know there’s nothing bad around me, and nothing is going to get me because she has way better senses and me and she’s not acting worried. And when I thought about that it made me so happy because tonight I’ll finally sleep with most of the lights off. It’s almost impossible to sleep well in a well-lit room, but maybe Peaches will help me learn to be able to sleep with the lights off.
2 years later update: I sleep with just a night light now! In fact, sleeping in a well lit room has become foreign and uncomfortable to me. It’s weird to think that I ever slept with all of the lights on, and I’m proud of the progress I’ve made, even if in just this one way.