A heart pounds as if a 5k had been participated in on the way to class. A tight chest feels as though it is caving in on itself upon arrival to a seat in the small room. Immediate sweat dribbles down flesh onto the desk.
This is how anxiety can often present itself. The classroom is one of the most common places to experience anxiety. Some people cope by fidgeting, skin picking, nail biting, being distracted and taking deep breaths.
Others are lucky enough to have an emotional support animal (ESA). According to The Tacoma Ledger, anxiety, social anxiety, depression, panic attacks and extreme sadness are often eased when there is an emotional support animal by one’s side.
A Service Animal Defined by Title II and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act ADA, “A service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.”
A study that was conducted by The Assistance Dog Center (TARSQ) and CertaPet, 99.29 percent of the participants felt that their emotional support animal had provided them with a higher level of emotional security. Ninety-six point eighty percent of the participants improved their sleep and lowered stress levels due to their ESA. Ninety-seven point eighty-six percent experienced a notable energy and independence increase.
According to nsarco.com, ESA has assisted with college students dealing with social anxiety, homesickness, loneliness and academic expectations to cope with their emotional barriers.
The American College Health Association gathered information from 2018-2019 that identified 60 percent of students within their study had experienced overwhelming anxiety. In order to officially qualify for an ESA, a psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist or other licensed mental health professional has to provide a special note that establishes the benefits of obtaining an ESA.
“Some emotional conditions that may qualify you could include depression, anxiety, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or learning disabilities,” according to nsarco.com.
Cortisol, which is the main stress hormone, drops drastically when there is an animal nearby, according to Daily Trojan.
College students’ mental health affects their success in school and life in general.
According to Daily Trojan. “Animals ‘can help people manage their long-term mental health conditions’ and provide people with an element of
emotional security.”
