How My Bird Saved Me

[doodoopants]

Hello, I am a young person who owns a parakeet name Pongo. I don’t expect myself to use this website as a daily thing. Tbh this is my first time going on a message board/forum of some sort, it took me a good 5 minutes to figure out how to post my own post.

This is something I want to openly express about my dear pet who I consider my best friend, Pongo.

For the longest time, I have dealt with mental health issues. Depression and anxiety ( more specifically social anxiety ) it effected me and my daily life. I constantly had suicidal thoughts, had a very negative perspective on things, had bad panic attacks, I always belittled myself, and much more. It was a very miserable time when my mental health was at its worst, especially during the pandemic. But thank god for therapy and medications I eventually received.

But even though I was now being treated and slowly got better, I still struggled with my mental issues at times, just less intense nowadays. When Pongo came into my life during the summer of 2019, I think I can confidently say things have got a little bright for me.
Before I start mainly talking about him; I have owned other pet birds in my life but none of them have lasted long due to the fact I had to leave them behind. Plus I didn’t have them for too long, at most only for a year. I still miss them though.

To describe Pongo, he’s almost the embodiment of me. Loud , kinda gay (I will elaborate on that sometime soon), and extremely talkative. But the most admirable thing about him is how he’s affectionate and loyal.

He’s always wants to be by my side, always giving me kisses and cuddling me. He follows me around the house, even in the bathroom when I have to take a poop! It came to the point where im googling if this is how birds really express their love for their owners.

I have more countless things to describe what he does that makes me love him so much. I take showers with him, I take naps with him, I play hide n seek with him, I watch the TV with him, he crawls on my face even though his claws hurt, he likes it when I rattle my antidepressants bottle like a toy, always nesting on the top of my hair; at this point it just everything he does is what makes me love him so dearly.

Now you probably asking now, “Ok so what do you mean your bird saved your life according to the tittle of this post?”

When I was talking to my therapist one session, she asked me what are one of the things I appreciate in my life. One of this things was Pongo. She asked why,

“Well he’s the only thing that keeps me from killing myself”

As morbid as it sounds, i do mean it genuinely.

After saying that, I realize he really does keep me content , he keeps me going. So the thought of committing suicide one day while he’s still here hurts me a lot, and how much it would hurt for him.

The things he does I mentioned; thinking about it now makes me realize how much he loves me. Or how much he sees me as someone he feels safe with. Knowing that just makes me want to cry, even looking at him makes me cry a little bit. Not because he super duper adorable, but because how much I really adore this bird.

It a question I ask myself sometimes ; How does a little bird from petsmart that only cost 20 bucks make me this happy?


I wish to ramble more about how Pongo changed my life, but I have written too much now.

To those who read this whole post, thank you so much. And please; take care of your pets.

 

[Terry57]

I want to welcome you and Pongo to the forum. I'm so sorry you have struggled with depression and anxiety. I do as well, and it is not an easy thing to deal with. I'm so happy to hear that you are doing better, and that Pongo is there by your side, helping you through the hard times.
My birds also help me, and they do many others here as well.
I hope you will stick around, I think you will find the forum to be a place where we care about each other, as well as caring about each other birds

 

[Laurasea]

welcome to the forum!!! Glad you joined! Awwwww what a cutie Pongo is!!! Much like my Cloudy Skies.

The bond between you is special and amazing! You two were ment for each other!

I have some struggles, and my parrots bring me much joy and comfort.

 

[StormyPica]

Hello, I am a 16 year old who owns a parakeet name Pongo. I don’t expect myself to use this website as a daily thing. Tbh this is my first time going on a message board/forum of some sort, it took me a good 5 minutes to figure out how to post my own post.

This is something I want to openly express about my dear pet who I consider my best friend, Pongo.

For the longest time, I have dealt with mental health issues. Depression and anxiety ( more specifically social anxiety ) it effected me and my daily life. I constantly had suicidal thoughts, had a very negative perspective on things, had bad panic attacks, I always belittled myself, and much more. It was a very miserable time when my mental health was at its worst, especially during the pandemic. But thank god for therapy and medications I eventually received.

But even though I was now being treated and slowly got better, I still struggled with my mental issues at times, just less intense nowadays. When Pongo came into my life during the summer of 2019, I think I can confidently say things have got a little bright for me.
Before I start mainly talking about him; I have owned other pet birds in my life but none of them have lasted long due to the fact I had to leave them behind. Plus I didn’t have them for too long, at most only for a year. I still miss them though.

To describe Pongo, he’s almost the embodiment of me. Loud , kinda gay (I will elaborate on that sometime soon), and extremely talkative. But the most admirable thing about him is how he’s affectionate and loyal.

He’s always wants to be by my side, always giving me kisses and cuddling me. He follows me around the house, even in the bathroom when I have to take a poop! It came to the point where im googling if this is how birds really express their love for their owners.

I have more countless things to describe what he does that makes me love him so much. I take showers with him, I take naps with him, I play hide n seek with him, I watch the TV with him, he crawls on my face even though his claws hurt, he likes it when I rattle my antidepressants bottle like a toy, always nesting on the top of my hair; at this point it just everything he does is what makes me love him so dearly.

Now you probably asking now, “Ok so what do you mean your bird saved your life according to the tittle of this post?”

When I was talking to my therapist one session, she asked me what are one of the things I appreciate in my life. One of this things was Pongo. She asked why,

“Well he’s the only thing that keeps me from killing myself”

As morbid as it sounds, i do mean it genuinely.

After saying that, I realize he really does keep me content , he keeps me going. So the thought of committing suicide one day while he’s still here hurts me a lot, and how much it would hurt for him.

The things he does I mentioned; thinking about it now makes me realize how much he loves me. Or how much he sees me as someone he feels safe with. Knowing that just makes me want to cry, even looking at him makes me cry a little bit. Not because he super duper adorable, but because how much I really adore this bird.

It a question I ask myself sometimes ; How does a little bird from petsmart that only cost 20 bucks make me this happy?


I wish to ramble more about how Pongo changed my life, but I have written too much now.

To those who read this whole post, thank you so much. And please; take care of your pets.

Ok, ok, I swear almost all male budgies are gay .

I have a similar story. Was dealing with crippling social anxiety, a tic disorder, depression, and SPD. The only thing stopping me from really going through 'attempting' were my budgies, so I totally understand how you feel. Thankfully, I have 3 budgies, so when I'm not feeling my best mentally, they will entertain each other.

A really huge word of warning: NEVER sleep with your bird. You can roll over and crush them, so please, NEVER do it! I can only imagine how mentally painful that would be. Also, never allow them in a bathroom with an uncovered toilet seat, they can drown.

Your little buddy seems very happy, and I really hope he's with you for many years to come.

(Here's an article on household dangers to budgies, so you don't miss anything and lose your burd)

Household Hazards and Dangers to Birds | VCA Animal Hospitals

Birds are naturally mischievous and if not properly supervised, will get into many predicaments. It is crucial that you “bird proof” your home. The bird's cage is its house and the confines of your home represent the bird's environment.

vcahospitals.com

 

[Flboy]

Welcome! Pongo really is special!

 

[Theo_the _best_birb!!!]

Welcome to your and your beautiful Pongo.

 

[texsize]

Please,please, PLEASE, don’t take naps with your bird.
it so often ends in tragidy.

 

[Scott]

Welcome to you and Pongo, thanks so much for posting and entrusting us with sensitive topics. We're a diverse membership and frequently discuss mental health issues without judgement.

We never know who or what will venture into our midst and catalyze life changing events. For you Pongo, mine was random click on YouTube. Please continue sharing and engaging, I promise you it will be revelatory and therapeutic!

Want to respectfully co-sign comment by Wes (texsize) above. Please don't nap with Pongo; our bereavement forum filled with innocent but tragic outcomes.

 

[Ria.345]

Hey love.
I’ve actually dealt with depression and anxiety when I was as little as 11 years old. It’s not something I usually discuss but I was on suicide watch for 2 weeks and they eventually put me on meds and some therapy sessions. Which helped me yes but when I had my conure at 12 or 13 years old, she helped me quite a bit with my mental health issues. It felt nice having the company of an animal that is loyal and knowing that she won’t judge me was very comforting for me. I also still deal with those things and I too have social anxiety. Reading this post was very nostalgic and made me realize that you and I are very similar actually. You are basically the younger me and just felt very supported by the company and love of an animals, in this case, that bird from pet smart. I also got my bird from pet smart at the time. I’m glad you found your safe space and happiness in such a beautiful little creature. You’re welcome to open up about anything in this forum and ask for any help if you need it at any point. Pictures of Pongo are welcome any time any day.

 

[miki]

Thank you so much for your heartfelt story about Pongo! He sounds like such a wonderful bird. As an exotic bird owner myself ( a 12 year old pet Congo African Grey Parrot named Aziza), I'm sorry to hear that you've had such a rough time, and yet glad that therapy sessions, and your bird, Pongo, have been such a tremendous help for you. Pets are amazing, and important to people, which is something that non-pet owners cannot and do not want to understand.

 

[moxxiethecockatoo]

Hello, I am a young person who owns a parakeet name Pongo. I don’t expect myself to use this website as a daily thing. Tbh this is my first time going on a message board/forum of some sort, it took me a good 5 minutes to figure out how to post my own post.

This is something I want to openly express about my dear pet who I consider my best friend, Pongo.

For the longest time, I have dealt with mental health issues. Depression and anxiety ( more specifically social anxiety ) it effected me and my daily life. I constantly had suicidal thoughts, had a very negative perspective on things, had bad panic attacks, I always belittled myself, and much more. It was a very miserable time when my mental health was at its worst, especially during the pandemic. But thank god for therapy and medications I eventually received.

But even though I was now being treated and slowly got better, I still struggled with my mental issues at times, just less intense nowadays. When Pongo came into my life during the summer of 2019, I think I can confidently say things have got a little bright for me.
Before I start mainly talking about him; I have owned other pet birds in my life but none of them have lasted long due to the fact I had to leave them behind. Plus I didn’t have them for too long, at most only for a year. I still miss them though.

To describe Pongo, he’s almost the embodiment of me. Loud , kinda gay (I will elaborate on that sometime soon), and extremely talkative. But the most admirable thing about him is how he’s affectionate and loyal.

He’s always wants to be by my side, always giving me kisses and cuddling me. He follows me around the house, even in the bathroom when I have to take a poop! It came to the point where im googling if this is how birds really express their love for their owners.

I have more countless things to describe what he does that makes me love him so much. I take showers with him, I take naps with him, I play hide n seek with him, I watch the TV with him, he crawls on my face even though his claws hurt, he likes it when I rattle my antidepressants bottle like a toy, always nesting on the top of my hair; at this point it just everything he does is what makes me love him so dearly.

Now you probably asking now, “Ok so what do you mean your bird saved your life according to the tittle of this post?”

When I was talking to my therapist one session, she asked me what are one of the things I appreciate in my life. One of this things was Pongo. She asked why,

“Well he’s the only thing that keeps me from killing myself”

As morbid as it sounds, i do mean it genuinely.

After saying that, I realize he really does keep me content , he keeps me going. So the thought of committing suicide one day while he’s still here hurts me a lot, and how much it would hurt for him.

The things he does I mentioned; thinking about it now makes me realize how much he loves me. Or how much he sees me as someone he feels safe with. Knowing that just makes me want to cry, even looking at him makes me cry a little bit. Not because he super duper adorable, but because how much I really adore this bird.

It a question I ask myself sometimes ; How does a little bird from petsmart that only cost 20 bucks make me this happy?


I wish to ramble more about how Pongo changed my life, but I have written too much now.

To those who read this whole post, thank you so much. And please; take care of your pets.

You're not the only one with a therapy bird.
I was actually bullied over the idea of being your age and having a bird. Although I wanted something bigger than a budgie.
That thing I was bullied and harassed for has helped with so much.
My Moxxie keeps me encouraged to fight and get justice every day for how we were wronged. (Moxxie was rescued from a horrible situation).
Because of Moxxie, I joined animal activist groups, I fought for my rights, I befriended an animal rescue that was friends with the bully that attacked me and gave them an entirely different and better view of me than what false info they were fed. I do everything to give us both comfy happy lives.
Moxxie keeps me alive and fighting, even after times such as when I had a heart attack.
I wish people will realize one day that maybe a dog isn't always the first best choice of a therapy animal.

 

[GaleriaGila]

I'm so glad you found us. Many a life has been enhanced, or, yes, SAVED by beautiful pairings like you and Pongo. I love the name Pongo... so rich in history, zoology, Disney, even!
My bird has been my companion for almost 40 years. I wish you a wonderful, long, loving journey.
Stick with us!

 

[BirdyBee]

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