Emotional Support Animal : Your Friend in Need

Emotional support animals are not just pets but the support that you might need in your life. Emotional support animals provide comfort and relief to people suffering from mental disorders such as anxiety, depression etc. They are no less than your companion. Not to mention that they are way too cute which automatically helps you to lighten up your mood.

Now how to know if an animal is an emotional support animal or not? What are the criteria? They just need to be certified. Majorly, a physician, psychiatrist or any other mental health professional can give certification for an animal to be an emotional support animal. And the criteria of the certification is that the professional should make sure that the animal helps the patient in relieving any of his/her symptoms related to any disability.

Well, emotional support animals can be for any type of animal which actually helps the patient. Dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, etc are eligible for the certification. In majority of the cases, dogs are the emotional support animal.

Perks of Having an Emotional Support Animal?

Now once a doctor certifies your emotional support animal (ESA), you get an emotional support letter. With this letter, you can rent an apartment and easily live with your dog even if it’s under the no-pet policy. You also get exempted from the monthly pet fees and your ESA even gets free domestic airline travel.

How Does Emotional Support Animal Support?

In this modern busy & hectic life, everybody needs some emotional comfort. And because not everyone has good personal relationships, they may look for that emotional support in an animal. Emotional support animals may work wonders as healthcare for the people going through some mental health problems who need plenty of love and affection. Along with the medication, sometimes medical professionals can prescribe an ESA which can literally help the patient to heal faster and better.

Research suggests that having an ESA helped people feel more relaxed, calm, and less lonely as they spent the majority of their time with their pets. People also reported relief in their anxiety and depression, stable blood pressure and heart rate. Though animals can’t converse with humans, they do understand our emotions. Just act as if you are crying, and they will be all over you trying to show their love and affection. Many people enjoy talking to their pets knowing they won’t respond but with the satisfaction that they at least have someone to talk to.

Not only this, but emotional support animals also help you to change your perspective in a positive direction. They motivate you to be more alert, interactive and encourage you to get outside like for walks. And the best part is both humans and animals need love. They crave it. And pairing them together makes the best combination as they help each other to grow and stay happy. Living with a pet also makes an individual more responsible as pets need a lot of care and attention.

How To Know Your Pet Loves You?

There are numerous ways of showing love to your pets, but have you ever thought about how an emotional support animal loves back? Do they even do that? Well, ESAs have their own ways of showing affection to people they like. For instance, dogs, use their body language and vocals to show their love for us. Here are some signs that show they love you back –

• Eye Contact: If your pet looks right in your eyes, then it’s a sign that they actually like you. So next time your pet comes to you and stares at you for a while, always look back and build a connection.
• They Love To Lean: If you have a dog, you must have noticed how many times they just come and lean on you for some time. And if they do this to you, then be happy because this gesture clearly shows they trust you immensely. It’s like a hug to show their love for you. Another way how dogs show their love is by drooling their tongue all over you. This means that they love you so much.
• Stay Near You: If your pet really enjoys your company, then they would always be moving around you in order to get your attention. Do not scold them for doing this because they have nobody but you. If you have a cat or a dog, shower your care by rubbing their body gently. They enjoy this gesture a lot which eventually makes the connection stronger.

Even during the quarantine period following the coronavirus pandemic, people needed more emotional support as the cases of mental health issues were rising. And people who had their ESAs with them in the quarantine period were more relaxed and calm.

During the quarantine period, many animals were adopted by people who were feeling isolated and were looking for a companion. So, it’s no harm in saying that emotional support animals help a lot to the people who need love in their life.

The Bottomline

With the growing cases of mental health issues across the globe, people need more & more emotional support. This will automatically increase the demand for emotional support animals in the coming times. Though ESAs can be the best therapy for you, always play safe by consulting a doctor on getting the right support animal for you.