In most cases, even when we are not aware, emotions become the main reason for the decisions we make. The best example for this is a ‘Substance Use Disorder (SUD)’, which is a connection between emotions and behavior. The data obtained from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) makes it clear that 98% of the people who have a mental disorder are dealing with SUD. This means almost all the people suffering from SUD have mental health issues like depression, anxiety, or stress. In such types of situations, an Emotional Support Animal is known to be helpful.
If you are dealing with a substance use disorder that is a result of emotional or mental health problems, you can check whether you qualify for an emotional support animal by clicking on the link provided below. We can assist you to get connected with a therapist with a valid license in your state.
The right way of getting an ESA letter
Emotional Support Animal for Sobriety
As people with SUD are continuously dealing with issues related to mental and emotional health, emotional support animals can help improve their health condition. Keeping an animal as a source of support and comfort assists in maintaining emotional health, which lets a person concentrate on being sober. Healthcare providers can determine the necessity for an ESA and suggest an ESA as a part of the treatment for recovery by providing a legit ESA letter.
How do Emotional Support Animals assist in dealing with Sobriety?
Because an ESA is an essential and preferred part of an individual’s treatment, it is more than a normal pet. The advantages of an ESA for dealing with Sobriety, by providing comfort and warmth that are immediately necessary.
1. Creation of routine
Just like any other pet, an emotional support animal requires regular feeding and grooming. Emotional support animals develop a bond with their owners, and therefore, owners provide the best possible care to their ESAs. For instance, if we consider an ESA dog, an owner will have to wake up early every day so that he/she can take it out for a morning walk. They should also provide regular feedings every day and take their dog out during the weekends so it can have a bit of fresh air. In this way, an ESA can create punctuality, routine, and stability that is highly important for an individual during recovery.
2. Increasing accountability as well as responsibility
The above-mentioned routine created because of ESAs leads to the creation of accountability and responsibility. While an individual bonds with an animal, it is common for the person to have a considerable amount of care towards the animal, which becomes a priority. The welfare of an ESA is entirely dependent on the person in recovery, which means the person becomes motivated to remain sober to take care of the ESA. In this way, a person develops responsibility, which might be hard to acquire with the help of other treatment plans.
3. Building Trust
People dealing with SUD may find it hard to build trust. As an ESA needs care and relies on its owner, building trust won’t become much of an issue. Based on this, an ESA trusting its owner makes him/her see the proof that they still can gain the trust of other people and trust others in return.
An ESA assists during sobriety by requiring a routine that distracts them from their bad habits, and along with that, they help to build trust.
4. Diversion from Cravings and Triggers
If the person recovering from SUD is alone in their place, it may be a bit hard to recover. The loneliness and quietness lead to an increase in their cravings, which in turn makes them vulnerable to triggers. By having an ESA, individuals suffering from SUD can get distracted from their cravings as the person concentrates on taking care of the animal. To put it simply, the cravings and triggers can be prevented through the routine and responsibility that are created by having an ESA.
5. Offering Protection
It is common for people with a SUD to be shameful of their reputation for substance abuse. This shame would result in loss of self-confidence and self-esteem, making them think low of themselves. Emotional support animals bring confidence into the lives of people who have self-doubt while providing the person with the necessary positivity to overcome issues during their recovery period. Therefore, ESAs act as a positive influence while assisting to counter the negative effects of SUD.
The Process of Obtaining An Emotional Support Animal
1. Determine whether you could benefit from an ESA
2. Get connected with a Licensed Mental Healthcare Professional
3. Unless you already have one? Select the animal you want to adopt
4. Train your ESA so that it can behave well among others
5. Make use of your ESA letter in a proper way
Rights of an Emotional Support Animal
One of the major benefits of acquiring an ESA is that they can stay along with their owner, even in places of accommodation that restrict pets. As an ESA would come under the treatment and recovery and treatment plan of an individual, they are subject to federal laws. Living along with an ESA necessitates a professional letter that has been acquired from a licensed mental healthcare professional. This healthcare provider should describe that the animal is essential for the individual to recover and is prescribed as a part of the person’s treatment plan.
Emotional Support Animal for Sobriety
It has been proven from research that a bond between animals and humans often serves as a robust tool to recover from SUD and other types of mental, emotional, or physical disorders. Animals offer support and comfort along with teaching the concepts of trust, responsibility, and loyalty. If an ESA becomes part of a treatment plan, these aspects can prove to be crucial for recovery from disorders and improve the overall positivity in an individual’s life.
Drug abuse and alcohol addiction can prove to have drastic circumstances on a person’s life while damaging it. It might seem a bit hard to provide all the things necessary for such people to recover. The process of recovery is highly complicated and takes a lot of time and effort. With the assistance of a trusting and affectionate emotional support animal, this process might become a bit easier.
If you want to overcome SUD, check whether you qualify for an ESA letter by getting connected with a licensed therapist online (linked).
If you intend to get connected with a licensed therapist to check whether you are eligible for an Emotional Support Animal, ESA Certificate is the best option for you.