Rates of anxiety and depression are soaring, with 29% of Americans experiencing these mental health disorders. As the rates climb, more and more people are seeking unique ways to address their mental health issues. Emotional support animals in particular have started to become more popular for the positive impact their steady, reliable presence has on their owners.
Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are animals that provide important companionship and comfort to people with disabilities or mental health conditions. Unlike service animals, which are trained to do specific tasks, ESAs offer emotional support just by being with their owners. They can help reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues, making everyday life easier. ESAs don’t need special training and can be any type or species of animal, giving people many options for companionship.
ESAs are essential for individuals dealing with anxiety and depression. They can help ease physical symptoms related to anxiety, provide comfort, and help prevent feelings of loneliness or sadness. By offering love and support, emotional support animals play a significant role in helping people face the challenges of these common mental health issues, leading to a better overall quality of life.
Understanding Emotional Support Animals
Emotional support animals help their owners by alleviating some of the common symptoms of anxiety and depression. They do this through just their presence, requiring no special training to offer emotional support. This makes them different from service animals. Service animals must go through rigorous training and certification requirements. Often, this type of support animal is trained to perform specific tasks, whereas the support an ESA offers comes from their presence alone.
How ESAs Help with Anxiety and Depression
Emotional support animals offer incredible support for people with anxiety and depression. Here are three direct benefits of emotional support animals (ESAs) for anxiety or depression.
Emotional Comfort and Companionship
Loneliness, fear, and isolation are common symptoms of both anxiety and depression. Emotional support animals offer a unique way to assuage these feelings. One study revealed people’s overwhelming positive attitude toward animals—85% of pet owners and non-pet-owners alike feel that animals offer companionship and emotional support. Another report showed that 69% of pet owners get unwavering emotional support and companionship from having an animal. These two cases alone demonstrate how ESAs can help address feelings of anxiety and depression, especially if your mental illness has you feeling isolated or alone.
Reducing Anxiety Symptoms
Anxiety comes with varying emotional and physical symptoms. People living with anxiety may experience panic attacks, spiraling thoughts, and persistent worrying, in addition to physical sensations like shakiness, rapid heart rate, headaches, and chills, to name a few.
Emotional support animals can help reduce these symptoms by providing a reliable companion that requires regular care on your part. Though this may sound like a lot, the simple act of feeding your ESA, taking it for walks, or snuggling with it before bed can help create structure and routine throughout your day and help reduce anxiety symptoms.
Support for Depression
Depression is often accompanied by feelings of emptiness, loneliness, and a lack of purpose, making it an isolating mental illness. However, animals have been shown to provide support and healing for people navigating depression.
From providing consistent, non-judgemental love to giving their owners a sense of purpose, an emotional support animal can become a lifeline for many living with this mental health condition.
A 2022 study conducted on people with and without pet owners found that pet owners were 41% less depressed than non-pet owners. Though other factors were at play, the research suggested that animals can help alleviate the often overwhelming feelings of depression.
The Process of Getting an ESA
Fortunately, getting an emotional support animal is an easy process that can be completed in as little as 24 hours. Here’s a quick look at how to get your emotional support animal letter.
Step 1: Consult with a Licensed Mental Health Professional
If you think you may benefit from an ESA, your first step is to schedule an appointment with a licensed mental health professional (LMHP). Legally valid ESA letters can only be given by an LMHP. They will meet with you to discuss your mental health and symptoms. Based on this consultation, they’ll determine whether you’re qualified for an ESA letter.
Your appointment with a licensed mental health professional can be in person or virtual. In-person appointments allow you to connect with your LMHP face-to-face, and virtual appointments are great for anyone living in areas far from LMHPs or struggling to find the time to attend an in-person appointment. Know that both are great options with their own unique benefits.
Finally, note that your work with the LMHP may extend beyond a single consultation if you live in a state with additional ESA codes. That’s why it’s important to review your state’s ESA laws before jumping into the process so you know what to expect!
Step 2: Obtain an ESA Letter
If a licensed mental health professional thinks that an ESA will help alleviate your symptoms, then they’ll provide you with an ESA letter. The turnaround time for them to get you this letter may vary depending on the format of your session and provider. Using online providers like Pettable, you can obtain your ESA letter within 24–48 hours.
A valid ESA letter will contain the following:
- Letterhead and contact info of your LMHP
- Signature of your LMHP
- LMHP’s license number
- A statement saying that you have a mental disability and qualify for an ESA
Legal Rights of ESA Owners
ESA letters equip you with the right to claim accessibility under the Fair Housing Act. This act protects your ESAs so that you aren’t denied housing or discriminated against based on your mental health disability. What this means is that you can’t be denied a pet-free apartment because of your ESA. Similarly, financial institutions or other housing authorities cannot levy additional charges against you because you require accommodation for an ESA.
It’s important to know that air travel does not have the same legal protection due to changes made to the Air Carrier Access Act. If you want to take your ESA on a plane, it’s important to travel with an airline that accommodates ESAs like Southwest or United Airlines. You should note that airlines that permit ESAs may require additional fees to bring your animal on board.
How to Know if You Qualify for an ESA
If you have a mental health disability of any type, odds are you qualify for an emotional support animal. At the end of the day, anyone who gets emotional and physical relief from the symptoms of their mental disorders qualifies for one of these supportive companions. Common conditions that qualify for an ESA include, but are not limited to:
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Bipolar disorder
- Chronic stress
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Conclusion
Emotional support animals offer support and relief for people dealing with the symptoms of anxiety and depression. These companions can be incredibly useful simply by providing nonjudgemental friendship, love, and loyalty. By being by your side, they’ll also help you build a deeper sense of routine and belonging through your responsibility of caring for them. These benefits make ESAs a useful tool for managing anxiety or depression.
Connecting with a licensed mental health professional is the best way to determine if you may qualify for an ESA. Even if you’re not sure you want an animal for emotional support, having the letter gives you an option you didn’t have access to before.
FAQs
Can any pet be an emotional support animal?
Yes, any pet can be considered an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) as long as it provides you with emotional and physical relief from symptoms associated with anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. This flexibility means that dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, and even some exotic pets can serve as ESAs, depending on the individual’s needs. The key factor is the bond between the person and the animal, as well as the comfort and support the animal provides. It’s essential to remember that while any animal can be an ESA, they must be well-behaved and manageable in different environments.
How do I get an ESA letter?
To obtain an ESA letter, you’ll need to connect with a licensed mental health professional, such as a therapist or psychiatrist. This typically involves scheduling a one-on-one consultation, either in person or virtually. During this meeting, the mental health professional will assess your situation and determine whether you meet the criteria for having an emotional support animal. If they find that you would benefit from having an ESA, they will issue you a formal letter stating your need for the animal, which is essential for housing and other accommodations.
What’s the difference between an ESA and a service animal?
The primary difference between an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) and a service animal lies in their training and roles. Emotional support animals do not require any special training; their main purpose is to provide companionship and emotional comfort to their owners, alleviating feelings of anxiety and depression. In contrast, service animals undergo extensive training to perform specific tasks that assist individuals with disabilities, such as guiding those with visual impairments or alerting individuals with hearing impairments. Because of this training, service animals are granted more legal access in public spaces compared to ESAs.
Can my ESA accompany me everywhere?
No, while an ESA letter provides some legal protections, it does not grant you the same rights as a service animal when it comes to public access. Emotional Support Animals are primarily protected under the Fair Housing Act, which allows them to live with you in housing that may have restrictions against pets. However, ESAs typically cannot enter most public places, such as restaurants, stores, or hospitals. It’s important to check the specific animal policies of any business you plan to visit with your ESA to avoid any issues.
Are there any laws protecting ESA owners?
Yes, there are laws in place that protect the rights of Emotional Support Animal (ESA) owners, most notably under the Fair Housing Act (FHA). This federal law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, which includes those who require an ESA. As a result, landlords, housing agencies, and other housing-related entities cannot refuse to rent to you or impose additional fees simply because you have an ESA. However, it’s important to note that these protections primarily apply to housing situations and do not extend to public spaces like service animals.
