A growing number of people are seeking emotional support animals to help cope with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health struggles. Today there are hundreds of thousands more registered emotional support animals than there were just 8 years ago, and this number is continuing to increase rapidly.
This increase is likely due to the benefits that emotional support animals offer their companions, especially after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic exacerbated many mental health issues.
The benefits of emotional support animals
Here are a few of the many benefits emotional support animals have to offer:
Increased dopamine levels. Spending time with animals has been shown to increase the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which have been linked to an increase in feelings of happiness.
Greater self-esteem. Taking care of a living being can help give people a sense of responsibility and accomplishment that can boost their self-esteem.
Anxiety relief. Petting animals can help individuals feel grounded and provide a sense of calmness and safety that can reduce anxiety levels. When your teen is feeling overwhelmed with anxiety, simply petting, holding, or hugging their animal can help them start to feel calmer.
Unconditional love. Pets love their owners unconditionally. This can provide the support and love an individual needs after going through a tough time or a situation in which they felt shame. Animals don’t judge, and they often show affection liberally.
Comfort and support. Emotional support animals can be trained to provide comfort and support to people who struggle with mental health concerns. For instance, some dogs can be taught to cuddle with their owners or wake them up if they are experiencing a PTSD-related nightmare.
When individuals are coping with big emotions, emotional support animals can make a world of difference. If you have a teenager who is wrestling with anxiety, depression, or any other mental health struggle, you might consider helping them find an emotional support animal.
Gaining approval for emotional support animal
Emotional support animals are not the same as service animals, but they are also more than just pets.
WIth the proper documentation, your teen will be able to take emotional support animals on flights, on public transportation, and in many public places.
Here are the steps you need to take to gain approval for an emotional support animal:
Get a prescription from a medical professional. Your teen’s medical doctor, therapist, or psychiatrist can write a letter stating that your teen has a mental health condition and that they benefit from having an emotional support animal. Without a letter serving as a “prescription” for an emotional support animal, your teen will not be able to officially register their emotional support animal or receive the benefits that come from receiving this registration.
Choose an emotional support animal. Emotional support animals can be a variety of species. Whether your teen is interested in a dog, a cat, or a gecko, there are very few limitations as to what animals can be considered emotional support animals. Unlike service animals, emotional support animals do not need to undergo any specific training, meaning there are many more options available for teens to choose from for an emotional support animal. The most common emotional support animals are dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, and lizards.
Register an animal as an emotional support animal (ESA). Visit the ESA Registration of America website to register your teen’s animal as an official emotional support animal. You will need to fill out information about your teen, provide the letter from your teen’s mental health professional, and pay an ESA registration fee.
(Optional) Train the emotional support animal. While training is not required (and sometimes not possible depending on the animal species) for emotional support animals, it is highly recommended. If your teen is going to bring a large dog on a flight or in public spaces, for instance, it will be best if the dog has some training so that your teen doesn’t have to worry about them misbehaving or causing problems that exacerbate their anxiety.
Whether your teen wants a rabbit, a rat, a dog, or a kitten, an emotional support animal can go a long way toward helping them cope with big emotions and manage the symptoms of any mental health conditions they are facing.