An ESA is an emotional support animal. They are essentially a therapy animal that is used to help people with mental disorders cope with their struggles. They can be used for all kinds of disorders and help their owners in a variety of ways, such as soothing anxiety and giving them a sense of purpose. Here is a look at some of the disorders that ESAs are able to help with.
Anxiety
ESAs are wonderful for helping with generalized and social anxiety disorders. They provide a soothing presence that helps to calm the physical side effects of anxiety. They can even be trained to sense when you are having a panic attack and initiate soothing behavior without having to be told. They also help to give a sense of grounding and familiarity in anxiety-inducing situations.
Depression
You can also utilize emotional support animals for treating depression. They provide their owner with a sense of purpose as well as an extra release of serotonin, which contributes to feelings of well being and happiness. People who struggle with depression often struggle with feeling worthless and don’t even want to get out of bed, but having a friend in their ESA can remind them that their life has worth and give them a reason to get up every morning.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a hard thing to deal with on your own and it usually encompasses multiple other disorders at the same time. People who suffer from PTSD often deal with anxiety, depression, and even personality disorders. Support animals for PTSD sufferers can help to treat all of these side effects and calm the person when they are having flashbacks or panic attacks. They offer a soothing and grounding sensation to pull the person back to reality and relax their body and mind.
OCD
ESAs can also help soothe the symptoms of OCD. Severe anxiety and racing, intrusive thoughts are often what causes obsessive compulsive behavior. Having an emotional support animal around can help to calm those and make it easier to cope with compulsive habits. Your pet will be able to pick up on your distress and help to change your train of thought and reduce your anxiety.