Many people worldwide, let alone the US, struggle with silent conditions such as depression, anxiety, phobias, and PTSD. And while these conditions can take a toll on someone physically and mentally, they often go unnoticed. To this effect, the severity of these conditions intensifies, and when left untreated, could lead to the loss of life.
There are multiple medical approaches to treat these conditions, or at least alleviate the associated symptoms. But from the list of approved medication, some have side-effects that complicate things.
As such, doctors look for alternative methods to better help their patients deal with their symptoms. One of the recommended approaches is to have an Emotional Support Animal (ESA).
Get your ESA letter by clicking the button below!
What Do Emotional Support Animals Do?
Professional counselors are now looking for ways to improve their patients’ lives. And after the US Department of Housing and Urban Development started recognizing the role of Emotional Support Animals, they have become a regular prescription to mental health patients.
So, what exactly are ESAs, and what do they do?
Airlines, colleges, and housing owners let their clients have pets on their property. Even so, there has been considerable debate centering on whether these animals are necessary—with some sections of the population considering the animals a nuisance. Do you need an Emotional Support Animal to travel on a plane? What do they do exactly? Which species can you use as your ESA comfortably?
Let’s try to answer some of these questions today!
What Is an ESA?
An Emotional Support Animal is no ordinary pet. Well, they are not pets per se, but you can pet, cuddle, groom, and care for them like regular pets. The main difference lies in their role. These animals provide therapeutic benefits to people diagnosed with disabilities.
Which Roles Do ESAs Play?
But unlike service animals, Emotional Support Animals do not undergo any special training to equip them for their role.
Which Roles Do ESAs Play?
Research has shown that animals could play a crucial role in patients’ healing process with certain psychological conditions. And although we are far from concluding their full potential in benefiting patients with PTSD and overall stress, ESAs are proving their worth as a complementary treatment plan.
Emotional Support Animals provide emotional support and companionship to patients with psychological disorders. These therapeutic benefits offered then help patients alleviate their symptoms. By their actions and natural habits, ESAs can help patients to:
- Relieve depression
- Reduce stress-induced pain
- Reduce anxiety
How Do ESAs Help Patients Recover?
You might think that since animals do not speak, they might not empathize with your emotions. However, that is not always the case. Animals like attention, and they respond in-kind to their handlers.
Combining an animal that likes being taken care of with someone who needs extra physical companionship and unconditional affection is a helpful move.
According to research, mental health patients who take care of animals show better improvement, such as:
- Normalized heart rate
- Reduced depression
- Less anxiety and loneliness
- More relaxation
- Normal blood pressure
All these results happen when they pet or hold the pets. Now, imagine if you can carry your pet everywhere and have them as your permanent companion.
Can’t wait to get an ESA. Hurry, click on the button below!
Emotional Support Skills Offered By ESAs
Have you ever interacted with a patient struggling with anxiety concerns, and the person attending to them asks them to focus on their breathing? The concept is to help them concentrate on something other than what is triggering their reactions.
And that is what Emotional Support Animals do for you, full time. Now, how do Emotional Support Animals help you recover?
- They offer beneficial long-term affection and companionship that kicks out the loneliness.
- Also, taking care of ESAs provides a sense of responsibility to patients, making them feel needed and important.
- As mentioned, focusing on the care and upbringing of an ESA helps mental health patients draw attention from the triggers causing their anxiety or stress.
What Kind of Emotional Support Can ESAs Offer?
Caring for an ESA involves many activities, like taking walks and playing at the park or on the lawn. These physical activities play a crucial role in the healing process of mental health patients.
Generally, having to take care of an ESA boosts positivity and creates a sense of purpose.
The existence of ESAs goes beyond collars, red vests, and travel bans. They play a significant role in helping patients, and in a country where
Proven Health Benefits of ESAs?
As part of their emotional support skills, they can be helpful in the following ways:
- Holding and petting your ESA has proven to increase dopamine and other neurochemicals that increase your capacity to love and lower your chances of depression.
- If you are anxious on a plane, focusing on your ESA helps you shift your focus on something other than the plane taking off or landing.
- ESAs are being integrated into other treatment plans, such as behavioral therapy, and the techniques seem to be working.
- If you want to receive unconditional love and feel connected, then ESAs are perfect for that.
- Dealing with each day as it comes is one of the mantras people live by, and an ESA helps you achieve that. They help you regulate your emotions and handle each day better.
- ESAs also offer social support- if you think of your ESA as a family member, you are in good hands. The animal serves the role of social well-being as good as any other person.
- Finally, if you are under intense emotional distress, having an ESA could help you relieve these feelings without going into a frenzy.
Bottom-line
While they may be tiny animals covered in fur, Emotional Support Animals play a huge role in treating medical conditions. By being there, offering unconditional attention and companionship, day and night, you might find yourself benefitting a lot from having an ESA.
Get your ESA’s to cope up with anxiety by clicking the button below!
The benefits of having an ESA as a mental health patient are clear from above. However, not everyone promising to help you get one is legit. At EZCare Clinic, we help you get a legitimate Emotional Support Animal letter from a licensed mental health professional in your state.
Contact us today and start enjoying the health benefits of an ESA.
Emotional Support Animal Letter
