WHAT MAKES YOU ELIGIBLE FOR AN EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AINMAL?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for mental disorders version has a list of all the mental disabilities by the American Psychiatric Association. Any person who has any one of these disorders is eligible to qualify for an emotional support animal. These disorders include schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress disorder, Attention deficit /Hyper activity disorder(ADHD), Autism spectrum disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, eating disorder, gender dysphoria and many more.

Once you qualify for an ESA recommendation, then it is your legal right to live with your ESA anywhere, anytime with no fee or deposits. Bringing up the discussion about an ESA can be difficult because the mental health professional – therapist, psychologist, and psychiatrist- gives recommendations to only a few legitimate patients. There are people who use an ESA letter just to travel with their pets and take them places with no pet policy.

Out of all the possible treatments, an emotional support animal program is the one not mentioned more often. This is an option that people opt for the least. However, an affectionate animal boosts your dopamine (a neurotransmitter) level. Though your ESA is there for companionship, but its rights and privileges are not the same as a service animal under the law. Service animals are there to aide people with physical disabilities like visual impairment.

There are certain factors that determine your eligibility to have an ESA:

1. First and foremost, think how an emotional support animal can reduce the symptoms of your disorder. If you are depressed, then you might not take care of yourself, but you will still have a pet to look after. This will push you to get dressed, step out of the house and take you support dog for a walk.
2. If you attend your therapy sessions more often after you ESA adoption, then it is a good sign. This indicates that having an ESA in conjunction with your therapy is beneficial.
3. The most important thing is to have a mental health diagnoses. The diagnoses shall be done by an ethical process. There are companies with licensed mental health professionals that take large amounts of money and offer an ESA letter with only a one-time interview, which is highly unprofessional
4. A formal emotional support animal letter by a licensed and qualified mental health professional like a psychologist, therapist, or psychiatrist makes you eligible for an ESA.
5. An ESA letter usually expires after a year only. That is why you should keep visiting your doctor to get an ESA recommendation as needed

Thus, an individual with any mental disability can opt for an ESA legally. You can consult with your doctor anytime who can evaluate an ESA can be beneficial for you or not. If he finds you mentally disabled, then he will give the ESA recommendation to you on his letter head. An acceptable ESA letter has all the necessary details about the patient and doctor who is taking care of the patient. It includes details about the patient’s disorder and the legitimacy of the mental health professionals’ license