Depression is a serious mood disorder that can cause people to feel sad, hopeless, empty, lethargic, and anxious, among other symptoms. Alongside traditional therapies, like medication and counseling, emotional support animals (ESAs) can help ease symptoms in individuals dealing with depression.
If you’re considering getting emotional support animals for depression and anxiety, you might wonder how exactly they can help you. Below, we discuss the seven ways ESAs can ease depression symptoms and get you on the path to feeling better.
7 Ways ESAs Ease Depression Symptoms
There are many benefits of ESAs for mental health, including easing depression symptoms. Learn more about how ESAs help with depression symptoms.
- Providing Unconditional Love and Companionship
It’s no secret that animals can develop strong bonds with their human companions. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, this bond is mutually beneficial for both humans and animals. It can positively affect mental, physical, and social health, which can be especially helpful for those dealing with depression symptoms.
People with depression often feel deep sadness, emptiness, hopelessness, and worthlessness, according to Mayo Clinic. An emotional support animal with a strong bond to their human can provide unconditional love and companionship, which may help ease some of these common depression symptoms.
- Reducing Feelings of Loneliness and Isolation
Depression can make individuals feel lonely and isolated, even when surrounded by people who love them. An emotional support animal can provide constant companionship, easing an individual’s loneliness when they don’t feel like they can be around humans. Once they’ve bonded, animals provide a source of connection to their humans, easing feelings of social isolation.
ESAs can be especially helpful for those who live alone. One study surveyed 830 adults aged 60 or older and found that pet owners were 36% less likely to report feelings of loneliness than non-pet owners—especially among respondents who lived alone. If you’re dealing with depression, a pet can help you feel less lonely and isolated from the world.
- Promoting a Sense of Purpose
Pet ownership is a great responsibility—and it can add structure to an individual’s daily routine and give them a sense of purpose when they’re struggling to find one. Owning an emotional support animal can motivate individuals to complete daily activities when they feel hopeless and don’t want to get out of bed.
Hopelessness is a common depression symptom, and finding a sense of purpose can help. One study found that having a sense of purpose in life was associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression. And what better way to foster a sense of purpose than to have a four-legged friend to care for?
- Encouraging Physical Activity and Routine
Even those who love working out can struggle with motivation when they’re depressed. A pet can help encourage physical activity and routine, which can, in turn, improve mental health. Any pet can encourage physical activity, but dogs are especially helpful in this way. Dogs require exercise, including daily walks and playtime, that can positively affect your mental state.
If you’re not a dog person, you can still benefit from the routine that pet ownership creates. Some animals require frequent grooming, which can be therapeutic for you and the animal. And all animals need to eat, so you’ll also need to create a feeding routine. Structured routines can help you feel more in control of your life, decrease your stress level, help you sleep better, and decrease your depression symptoms.
- Offering Comfort During Emotional Distress
Experiencing an upsetting event can cause emotional distress for anyone, regardless of their mental health. However, those with depression can struggle with how to control their emotional reaction during distressing times. An emotional support animal can help by grounding and calming the person when they’re experiencing emotional episodes.
A survey by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) found that 66% of respondents said their pets had a calming presence in their lives, which can be especially helpful for someone experiencing distress. An emotional support animal might nudge its owner to draw attention away from the distressing event or cuddle to provide comfort and be a calming presence.
- Reducing Stress and Boosting Mood
Studies have found that petting and interacting with animals can help decrease cortisol levels (a hormone that spikes during stressful times) and lower blood pressure in human companions. In fact, 69% of respondents in the APA survey said that their pets helped reduce stress and anxiety. That can be especially helpful for individuals with depression.
Petting or interacting with an animal can also increase oxytocin levels—the same “love hormone” that helps mothers bond with their babies. One study found that dogs and their owners had higher oxytocin levels after sharing a “long mutual gaze” than before—so when your dog stares at you, it’s not being creepy; it just loves you! Increased oxytocin levels can reduce stress responses and decrease anxiety.
- Fostering Social Connections
Individuals with depression often find it hard to be social, yet socialization may help decrease depression symptoms. One study found that face-to-face social interactions can reduce the risk of depression, highlighting the importance of social connection for those experiencing depression symptoms.
An emotional support animal can help foster social connections for their owners with depression in several ways. Dogs need frequent walks, which can help their owners engage in conversations with neighbors or other dog walkers. Pets can also serve as conversation starters for those who aren’t sure how to approach a new person.
FAQs About ESAs for Depression
Can any pet be an emotional support animal?
Yes, any pet can be an emotional support animal, though dogs and cats are the most common species. However, some people have small mammals (like rabbits or guinea pigs), birds, or even reptiles as their ESA.
How do I qualify for an ESA for depression?
To get an ESA for depression, you must have been diagnosed with depression by a licensed mental health provider and have an ESA letter that is essentially a prescription from your healthcare provider.
Do ESAs require special training to help with depression?
No, ESAs are not required to have special training. Service animals are trained to perform specific tasks to help an individual with a disability, but animals are not required to undergo any sort of training to be considered ESAs.
Finding Comfort With an ESA
An emotional support animal can ease depression symptoms by providing love and companionship, reducing feelings of isolation, promoting a sense of purpose, encouraging physical activity, offering comfort, reducing stress, and fostering social connections. A mental health professional may prescribe emotional support animals for ADHD, anxiety, depression, and PTSD alongside medication and therapy.
If you think an ESA could help your depression symptoms, speak to your primary care provider or mental health professional to take the next steps, such as getting an ESA letter from a provider like Pettable.