Anyone who has ever had a dog or cat sit on their lap can attest that there's something automatic about wanting to pet them. Stroking a pet's fur and feeling their warmth brings feelings of comfort. It's no wonder that 98% of American households have one or more pets in their home. According to the [...]
Emotional support animals (ESA) are helping some of the 26% of Americans who struggle with a mental health disorder. Each year, millions of people are diagnosed with a mental disorder, and ESAs help them manage and overcome their challenges. OCD, a form of anxiety, can be treated with an emotional support animal's help. What is [...]
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), about 1 in 54 children in America are diagnosed with autism. Most children are diagnosed with autism around four, though some are diagnosed as early as age 2. As these children grow up, transitioning from a school environment into adulthood can be challenging, as services for adults [...]
Any pet owner understands the feeling of warmth when a dog greets them at the end of a hard day. For some, however, that feeling is more than “pet love”—it's part of a healing process due to a mental or emotional disorder, in which case the pet could be defined as an emotional support animal [...]
Depression is often hard to spot. It can mask itself as anger or anxiety. The fatigue from depression can also disguise itself as stress or feeling sick. According to the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI), about 17.7 million people (7.2%) in the U.S. will have a major depressive episode in their lifetime. Suicide, which [...]
An emotional support animal (ESA) can bring much-needed comfort to individuals with mental health disorders. To qualify for an ESA a licensed medical health professional must attest in an ESA letter that their patient benefits from having an ESA. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) can indeed make this decision and write an ESA letter. [...]
There is a huge difference between coming home to a silent, empty house versus coming home to an enthusiastic, tail-wagging dog. Being greeted with so much adoration and love lifts the mood and makes life more bearable. So, can a dog help with loneliness? Most definitely. An Emotional Support Dog may help Loneliness may be [...]
You may use the services of a therapist or health care provider who works remotely to qualify your pet as an emotional support animal. A properly licensed therapist can help determine whether an ESA is right for you through online services.
How do Emotional Support Animals benefit people with bipolar disorder? Animals are quick at recognizing emotional changes in human beings. Emotional Support Animals (ESA) provide ease and companionship during times of distress. They can also encourage handlers with bipolar disorder to interact with the outside world, which provides further opportunities to socialize and engage in [...]
Studies show that Emotional Support Animals can provide a comforting presence to handlers that suffer from a variety of mental health issues. As knowledge regarding the benefits of using ESAs grows, therapists may become more likely to recommend an Emotional Support Animal to patients who suffer from; AnxietyDepressionPTSDAutismAgoraphobia (fear of being outside of the home)Aerophobia (fear [...]