Suffering from a mental illness is far more common than one might believe. It’s no surprise that people are dealing with severe issues in their lives, now more than ever, and people feel as if they have no outlet for dealing with their issues. The stigma around mental health is better than previous years, as more support systems are beginning to come along, but there’s still a heavy prevalence occurring in many individuals that face an internal struggle to deal with their mental illness every day. There have been multiple studies that have shown the overwhelming majority of people who are struggling with mental illness in the U.S alone. Nearly one out of seven children in the U.S from age 2 to 8 has been properly diagnosed with a mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder; an estimated 26%, or one in four, adults suffer from a diagnosed mental illnesses within a year. The methods to dealing with mental health in the United States is considered extremely underwhelming; most countries have some form of health care that allows an outlet for those struggling with mental illnesses, such as exercise in alleviating depression and overcoming social anxiety disorder.
What Are Some Methods For Helping Mental Illness?
<.p>Although we know mental illness is a lifelong battle that many struggles with, there are ways to assist people suffering from a debilitating mental illness. One of the most popular methods is emotional support animals for treating depression, which allows patients to work at their own pace to gradually progress through working with service animals for depression. The effects of having a pet to help overcome an issue in one’s life have shown immense promise for many people suffering from a mental illness; it’s considered one of the most effective methods of treatment for nearly all types of mental illness. The saying behind pets truly being a human’s best friend is supported through science, there has been formal research conducted that shows emotional support animals for treating depression significantly benefits those suffering from social anxiety disorder and depression, and even improves overall health. Studies show nearly 74% reported a significant improvement in their mental health from certified emotional support animals.
How Do Service Animals Help Those Suffering With Mental Illness?
Having a mental illness often means not being able always to predict how you’ll feel on a daily, weekly, or even hourly basis. Sometimes episodes can be short-lived, other times long-lasting from months or even years on end, which significantly impedes our opportunities and overall quality of life. Owning a therapy animal helps many people through difficult periods in their life, improving their quality of life and offering a sense of purpose for those who are unsure of their place in life. For many, an ESA animal is a savior because they assist in breaking a perpetual cycle of self-destructive nature by providing a comforting companionship for their owners. However, the companionship offered by service animals is even closer than one might think, according to research the average dog can understand approximately 165 words, but some dogs are able to recognize as many as 200 words. The communication level between owner and service pet is highly attributed to this fact, providing owners that require pet therapy for depression or PTSD animals, a true sense of partnership through their toughest times without relying on potentially harmful coping mechanisms that would impede their progress.
What Are The Benefits Of An ESA Animal?
1. Because there are so many pets that are certified emotional support animals for treating depression, there are certain responsibilities they must fulfill for their owner, which includes companionship and loyalty. Similar, the owner must also be attentive to the animal’s needs, which creates the pattern of a healthy partnership that helps the owner identify health tactics and promote them in their daily lives.
2. Emotional support animals for treating depression must give and receive unconditional love without a sense of judgment, including caring for their owner’s well-being (i.e., wearing the same clothes, not showering, sleeping all day) any signs that show unhealthy coping mechanisms.
3. Communication is essential for people suffering a mental illness. Owners and service pets are required to maintain an open line of communication and partnership to build the person’s trust.
