Emotional Support Animals Research Paper

Words: 603
Pages: 3

Emotional support animals (ESAs) are crucial to people’s mental health, regardless of other people’s skepticism. Numerous studies have shown them to be effective, beneficial to people's mental and physical well-being. I believe emotional support animals are instrumental to a person’s mental health due to the fact they can alleviate PTSD symptoms, boost a person’s self esteem, reduce stress and provide companionship, despite the fact that some people will misuse them. Emotional support animals aren’t trained to work with a specific person and can offer support to a group of people, unlike service animals. Emotional support animals aren’t considered service animals and therefore aren’t protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). …show more content…
According to a study, people with an emotional support animal were three times more likely to see their mental health improve. This is most likely due to the stress and isolation of the almost two year-long quarantine. Those without an emotional support animal were twice as likely to see a decline in their mental health, due to the pandemic.

Along with that, emotional support animals are known to alleviate some of the symptoms of PTSD. They make good companions that won’t judge their owners symptoms and struggles.They help their owner engage in a love-like emotion, causing the person to feel less detached. They can also help get their person out and about, helping them get fresh air and leave the house. An animal's ability to read their owners emotions, provide stress relief, and provide companionship can be a key part in recovery. Consequently, emotional support animals can help boost a person's self-esteem. Most animals require daily exercise, causing their owners to play or walk their animal. By doing this, the body releases endorphins, a natural mood booster. This can also give them a sense of purpose and a regular routine. They can also help regulate their human’s emotions, by providing unconditional positive attention and companionship. Along with that, emotional support animals