Dogs – My ESA Doctor

What’s Animal-Assisted Therapy & What’re Its Major Benefits

October 10, 2019 by My ESA Doctor, posted in Dogs, Emotional Support Animal

woman hugging dalmatian — Photo by Daria Shevtsova on Pexels.com

Animals play an important role in impacting the human life. They provide unconditional love, security and comfort to help individuals with mental disabilities to deal with their symptoms. Although there’s a wide range of treatment options available for treating mental health conditions, pet therapy is highly effective and safe.

What’s Animal-Assisted Therapy?

Animal-assisted therapy is an alternative treatment that involves animals as a part of treatment. It includes emotional support animals, which can help patients improve self-esteem and develop social skills, thus managing mental health conditions such as anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder. Therapy animals also work in different clinical settings including nursing homes and hospitals.

Under the federal regulations, individuals with mental disabilities can fly and live with their emotional support animals without paying extra pet fees or deposits. To avail such benefits, they need to get emotional support animal letters signed by licensed mental health professionals.

Major Benefits of Animal-Assisted Therapy

Reduces Blood Pressure
Those who own pets are less likely to develop heart diseases. The reason for that is—pet owners walk more and are healthier than non-pet owners. Also, spending time with animals make you feel good, thus reducing the levels of stress hormones in the body.

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Increases Self-Esteem
How you feel has a direct impact on how you perform. If you’re not happy, you can’t give your 100% to a given task. Animal-assisted therapy helps individuals to regulate their behavior while increasing their self-esteem. As a result, they feel more confident when doing their work, and perform better.

Reduces Anxiety
Animals provide company to anxiety sufferers, helping them deal with their symptoms. Studies have proved that patients perform better when with their pets. The animal-assisted therapy is beneficial for individuals to fight loneliness, negative thoughts, feel good, and boost focus.

Increases Trustworthiness
Researchers investigated social interaction and behavior of people in presence and absence of a dog. The participants asked strangers in the street for money and observed whether people help them in picking up money. The presence of dog showed a higher rate of helping behavior than the absence. People were attracted to help an unfamiliar man accompanied by a dog.

Improves Social Relation
Those who have trouble talking to others can benefit from animal-assisted therapy. Imagine you’re walking in a street alone. You’re less likely to talk to others in the street. And, if you’re with your pet, people will interact with you. However, people like opening up when it comes to discussing about animals. Thus, being with your dog can help you strengthen your social relations, thus improving your overall health.

Reduces Aggression
Spending time with animals can help you relax and calm your mind, thus reducing aggression. Many studies have found that aggressive behaviors in people are decreased in the presence of animals in comparison with the absence. Also, for Alzheimer’s patients, touching pets gently and playful interactions with them can help in decreasing aggressive behavior.

three people with dog — Photo by Derick Santos on Pexels.com

It’s not necessary that you can improve health by spending time with dogs or cats. However, watching fish in an aquarium can also be beneficial in lowering pulse rate and reducing muscle tension.

Covering it up—animal-assisted therapy involves managing symptoms of patients with mental disabilities with the help of dogs, cats, and other support animals. Those who own pets are less likely to experience heart attacks and lead a healthy lifestyle than non-pet owners. Additionally, spending time with animals can help people boost self-esteem and focus, thus improving productivity. Additionally, petting a cat or dog can make you feel good, lower blood pressure, releasing more relaxation hormones while reducing the levels of the stress hormone.

Register your dog as an emotional support animal to avoid any pet restrictions related to housing and air travel.

Also Read: 7 Top Breeds of Dogs to Consider When Choosing Your ESA

Get an Emotional Support Animal Certification with Ease

September 23, 2019 by My ESA Doctor, posted in Dogs, Emotional Support Animal

An emotional support animal certification is important. There are plenty of reasons for the same. If you have a pet, it reduces your hassle and gives you more freedom. Well, you don’t need to worry, the process to get it is pretty easy.

Ever since the telemedicine was introduced in the medical industry, the entire process has become easier. It saves your time and makes the entire thing easy for you.

So, Why Does One Need an Emotional Support Animal?

Mental health is a serious concern these days. Work pressure and emotional issues have taken a serious toll on health. Conditions like depression, anxiety, PTSD, and stress are getting pretty common. So, one needs treatment which works. Mainstream medications are effective but they have harmful side-effects.

So, we need something which is natural yet effective. The ESAs fit the bill perfectly. Well, you don’t need an explanation for that. Pets, in general, are pretty calming. They have that comforting vibe which makes you feel good in their presence. So, when you’re suffering from mental health issues, an emotional support animal is the therapy you need.

It works by diverting your mind from the issues to something positive. For instance, if you have social anxiety, you might be afraid to meet new people. When you have a dog, you might step out for a walk. Also, it has been observed that people with dogs are more likely to strike a conversation with a stranger. So, that’s how it works. Now, if you’re a depressed person, you are always inclined to stay alone. Well, with a pet, the mechanics change. An ESA keeps you in good spirits through its adorable presence and allows you to escape your mental cages.

Well, if you’re planning to get an emotional support animal, the thought is definitely good but it’s necessary that you do it the right way. This means that you should get a certification to get the legal right to live with your pet freely.

How to Get an Emotional Support Animal Certification?

First, you need to find a certified mental health specialist. If you already have a pet, you can get it registered as an emotional support animal and the doctor gives a letter too. If you don’t have one, the letter serves as proof of your health status.

The process to get a recommendation is as follows:

1) Find a certified mental health patient. You can take help from the online data and go through some reviews. These can help you in making the right choice. Most clinics are available online. So, you just need to fill an online application to proceed with the process.

2) Once you submit your application, the clinic goes through the details. Then, it links you to a certified mental health expert who evaluates your health status. The doctor studies your symptoms and ensures if you need the presence of an animal in your life.

3) If you have a qualifying medical condition, it means you’re eligible to own an emotional support pet. The doctor gives you an official ESA letter. Make sure it’s furnished on the doctor’s official letterhead and contains the doctor’s license number along with name and date.

So, get an emotional support animal Letter with ease and earn the right to live your pet freely. Also, it gives you the right to fly with your pet. So, your rights are all covered. Great, isn’t it?

Also Read: Key Tips For Flying With Your Pet in American Airlines

The Healing Marvels: The Reason You Need Emotional Support Dog Certification

February 22, 2019 by My ESA Doctor, posted in Dogs, Emotional Support Animal

“A domesticated carnivorous mammal that typically has a long snout, an acute sense of smell, non-retractable claws, and a barking, howling, or whining voice.”

That is the google’s definition of a dog. Go check on google, that is it.

But that is not what a dog is. A dog is actually an animal that knows more about humanity than a human. It is the only living being that will love you more than you love yourself. True?

Dogs are special beings. They love and love and love, that is probably all they know. They won’t judge you, neither will they ever leave your side. They will lick you, roll over, try and catch their tail, will do anything to get your attention. The little furry devils will teach you more about happiness than any other being in your life.

Emotional Support Animal concept picked up because people realized the wide benefits of compassion and love they have to offer. Therefore if anyone looking for an emotional support dog certification, don’t be hesitant to do so.

Benefits of an Emotional Support Dog

Let’s put some light on the benefits the four legged fur devils have in our lives:

Social:

Dogs are social beings. People who suffer from social anxiety can opt to get an emotional support animal for their treatment.In a study it was revealed that dog owners while taking their dog on walk tend to speak with other dog owners more comfortably.

Dogs are great conversation openers. Start any conversation with your dog, and the other person is hooked to it. Dog owners love to share stories about their dogs, it’s a fact! Also, having a dog as your emotional support animals helps you gain confidence.

Heart Health:

Dogs are a great medicine for your heart. They complete the emptiness inside you that you never knew even existed. They just bring that calm in you. With fur all over your house, I don’t know how but they even help in reducing your blood pressure.

What keeps a heart more healthy than happiness. And what gives more happiness than a dog rolled over for a belly rub. They also reduce triglyceride levels and cholesterol in the person. A study also showed that people that have dogs have less chances to suffer from a heart attack. It is one because of their love and support but also because dog owners are more active than non-dog owners.

Psychological:

Your fingers will seem less when you count the psychological benefits of having an emotional support dog. It is a medicine like none other. Spend some time with a dog and you just lowered your depression and anxiety. It’s true. Yes it is.

They have this aura and positiveness around them that whenever you enter their space the world seems lot greener and happier. Scientifically they help increasing serotonin and dopamine. They are the best companions one could wish for.

Illness:

They are very helpful in treatment of various conditions in people. They have this inhibit quality in them that they light up the mood of the person and helps in improving the health of the person. People with mental health conditions enjoy such great benefits from the wet nosed love walkers.

Overall Fitness and Health:

Dogs are your best fitness trainers. If you are anything like me then you have a gym subscription but haven’t seen the face of the gym for the past two months. Am I right? Don’t worry, get yourself a dog and witness the power of the cute devils.

He will wake you up better than your alarm clock. The one thing is that you are obligated to take him out on walks everyday and that definitely keeps your health in check.

They fit with every age group. With children they are their favorite toy and protectors, with middle age people they are their best wingman and friends, with married people they act cupid and very are helpful in keeping the marriage stress-free, and with aged people they are their aid and compatriots. Jack of all trades you say.

So, get your emotional support animal documentation ready to get your ESA letter.