{"id":24409,"date":"2020-08-03T11:16:15","date_gmt":"2020-08-03T15:16:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/?p=24409"},"modified":"2021-12-12T21:09:36","modified_gmt":"2021-12-13T02:09:36","slug":"benefits-of-an-emotional-support-dog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/benefits-of-an-emotional-support-dog\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Reasons Why You Should Adopt An Emotional Support Dog Today"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/benefits-of-an-emotional-support-dog\/#Why_I_Held_Off_Getting_An_Emotional_Support_Dog_at_First\" title=\"Why I Held Off Getting An Emotional Support Dog (at First)\">Why I Held Off Getting An Emotional Support Dog (at First)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/benefits-of-an-emotional-support-dog\/#Why_I_Decided_To_Get_My_Emotional_Support_Dog\" title=\"Why I Decided To Get My Emotional Support Dog\">Why I Decided To Get My Emotional Support Dog<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/benefits-of-an-emotional-support-dog\/#What_It_Was_Like_To_Get_My_Emotional_Support_Dog\" title=\"What It Was Like To Get My Emotional Support Dog\">What It Was Like To Get My Emotional Support Dog<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/benefits-of-an-emotional-support-dog\/#1_My_back_stopped_hurting_almost_immediately\" title=\"1. My back stopped hurting almost immediately.\">1. My back stopped hurting almost immediately.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/benefits-of-an-emotional-support-dog\/#2_I_sleep_better_Like_a_lot_better\" title=\"2. I sleep better. Like, a lot&nbsp;better.\">2. I sleep better. Like, a lot&nbsp;better.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/benefits-of-an-emotional-support-dog\/#3_My_depression_is_effectively_gone\" title=\"3. My depression is effectively gone.\">3. My depression is effectively gone.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/benefits-of-an-emotional-support-dog\/#4_My_girlfriend_and_I_are_doing_a_lot_better_too\" title=\"4. My girlfriend and I are doing a lot better,&nbsp;too.\">4. My girlfriend and I are doing a lot better,&nbsp;too.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/benefits-of-an-emotional-support-dog\/#5_Im_losing_weight_and_eating_healthier\" title=\"5. I\u2019m losing weight and eating healthier.\">5. I\u2019m losing weight and eating healthier.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/benefits-of-an-emotional-support-dog\/#Final_Thoughts\" title=\"Final Thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/benefits-of-an-emotional-support-dog\/#Related_Reading\" title=\"Related Reading\">Related Reading<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>When I moved into my townhome a year ago, my landlord mentioned that I could have a pet without paying a deposit or extra fees if it was an emotional support dog. She knew I was a therapist, which I guess is why she told me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A few months later I <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/questions-you-want-to-ask-your-therapist\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">asked my own therapist<\/a> what she thought about me having a therapy dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think it\u2019ll change your life,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She had a sealed letter waiting for me at her office the following week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-Great-Reasons-To-Adopt-An-emotional-Support-Dog.jpg\" alt=\"5 Great Reasons To Adopt An emotional Support Dog\" class=\"wp-image-36167 lazyload\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-Great-Reasons-To-Adopt-An-emotional-Support-Dog.jpg\" alt=\"5 Great Reasons To Adopt An emotional Support Dog\" class=\"wp-image-36167 lazyload\" width=\"400\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-Great-Reasons-To-Adopt-An-emotional-Support-Dog.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-Great-Reasons-To-Adopt-An-emotional-Support-Dog-83x125.jpg 83w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-Great-Reasons-To-Adopt-An-emotional-Support-Dog-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-Great-Reasons-To-Adopt-An-emotional-Support-Dog-150x225.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/5-Great-Reasons-To-Adopt-An-emotional-Support-Dog-768x1152.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>5 Reasons Why You Should Adopt An Emotional Support Dog Today<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_I_Held_Off_Getting_An_Emotional_Support_Dog_at_First\"><\/span>Why I Held Off Getting An Emotional Support Dog (at First)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the next six months, I bandied about the idea of getting a new dog. It\u2019s a big decision, so I wanted to think about it before I made a commitment. I have a habit of acting impulsively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I kept putting it off. I work a lot\u200a\u2014\u200athat was the excuse I gave people. I\u2019m on staff full-time at a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/working-at-a-psychiatric-hospital\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">psychiatric hospital<\/a> and I also see clients in private practice one day a week. I didn\u2019t like the idea of having a dog holed up in a crate for 10 hours a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I had a few other nonsense reservations as well. I\u2019m mildly allergic to doggy dander. Picking up dog poop is a hassle. Dog hair gets everywhere. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, I battled loneliness and fought off depression, as if those were the lesser of two evils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But it eventually occurred to me that the actual reason I hadn\u2019t leaped at the opportunity to get an emotional support dog was that my last dog had died about three years before, and I still wasn\u2019t entirely over it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Death is hard. Even if it\u2019s a dog. <em>Especially <\/em>if it\u2019s a dog.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Heidi\u200a\u2014\u200amy previous companion\u200a\u2014\u200awas The World\u2019s Best Dog. She was amazing. I could have left a fully-cooked turkey on the floor for an entire day and she wouldn\u2019t go near it. Man, that dog was awesome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/people-who-are-broken\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">I\u2019ve dealt with more than my fair share of loss <\/a>over the years, but Heidi\u2019s death was the last straw. I vowed that I would never have another dog again. She had been my fourth. I figured that was enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I figured wrong.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cMy dog is better than me. He knows me and does not judge me.\u201d\u200a<\/p><cite>&#8212; Author Unknown<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"lazyload\" title=\"WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE GETTING AN ESA \/\/ Emotional Support Dog Training + More \ud83d\udc36\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Dej_QjYoJkY?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>What To Know Before Getting An emotional Support Dog. Courtesy, YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_I_Decided_To_Get_My_Emotional_Support_Dog\"><\/span>Why I Decided To Get My Emotional Support Dog<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I mentioned that I\u2019m a therapist, and if you caught that you might be thinking\u200a\u2014\u200ahow could you not know about the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/mental-health-benefits-of-dogs\/\">benefits of having an emotional support dog<\/a>? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And the answer is that I did. Of course I did. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s just far easier to help other people than it is to help yourself, so I continued to tread water and put off what I knew for sure would actually be helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I don\u2019t say that with pride. And don\u2019t think for a second that all therapists have their stuff together. Many of them do, sure. But plenty of accountants go bankrupt. Plenty of doctors smoke. And plenty of therapists fail to take their own advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, my friends and co-workers are all therapists, and they kept hassling me to just get the damn dog already, and finally I caved in to peer pressure and off to the local humane society I went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Turns out, it was one of the best decisions I\u2019ve ever made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">There\u2019s a few things you should know about the process involved with procuring an emotional support&nbsp;dog.&nbsp;<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>I will list the complicated array of steps in order as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li><strong>There is no process. Emotional support dogs are not regulated in the United States.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>It\u2019s literally no different than getting a regular old pet.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>It doesn\u2019t have to be a dog. I know this one girl who has a pig. I know another one who has a ferret named Sylvia.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Just go get one, for Christ\u2019s sake. Don\u2019t be me.<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_It_Was_Like_To_Get_My_Emotional_Support_Dog\"><\/span>What It Was Like To Get My Emotional Support Dog<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>So I\u2019m at the humane society, and they take me into this corridor with dog cages on either side, and all the dogs are going bananas except for this one little black and white rat-terrier-mix-thing with a waggy tail who looked on me with soulful, quizzical eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When it comes to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/how-to-ruin-a-great-relationship-in-8-easy-steps\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">romantic relationships<\/a>, the concept of \u201clove at first sight\u201d is hotly debated. But when it comes to dogs, I think we can all agree that it\u2019s a real thing. And so it was when Daisy and I locked eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They let me take her out to this fenced off area where we walked around a bit so she could do her business and get some play-time in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At first, I wasn\u2019t quite sure that she was into me the way I was into her, <em>but oh-my-god that face<\/em>. I cast my insecurity aside and committed to her right then and there.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/diasy-face.jpeg\" alt=\"the face of an emotional support dog\" class=\"wp-image-24412 lazyload\" width=\"400\" height=\"472\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/diasy-face.jpeg\" alt=\"the face of an emotional support dog\" class=\"wp-image-24412 lazyload\" width=\"400\" height=\"472\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/diasy-face.jpeg 800w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/diasy-face-170x200.jpeg 170w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/diasy-face-255x300.jpeg 255w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/diasy-face-127x150.jpeg 127w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/diasy-face-768x905.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>Ya&#8217;ll, just look at that face.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Her name is Daisy, and she is 8 years old. I came to find out she has an interesting backstory. Apparently, she was part of a program at a local prison where the inmates trained her to do basic commands like sit and stay.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The humane society assured me that Daisy herself does not have a criminal record, but as a result of her service she had just been kinda languishing away at various placements over the past several years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, she had been a guest of my local humane society for almost 11 months. That, to me, was unacceptable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And as I, too, had been languishing away for years, I saw her as a kindred spirit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I asked her if she\u2019d like to live with me and she agreed. I wrote a check for 250 dollars (you know, to bond her out of dog-jail) and in return, I got a few bags of Science Diet and a copy of her vet records. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Driving back to my townhome, Daisy sat up straight in the back seat of my car like she was Douglass MacArthur triumphantly returning to The Philippines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our first leash-walk was to the property manager\u2019s office, where I handed them a copy of her license, vaccination records, and the \u201cprescription\u201d my therapist had written me. No deposit needed, no extra fees incurred.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that was that. Daisy was now a street-legal, <em>bona fide<\/em> emotional support animal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cDogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made.\u201d\u200a<\/p><cite><em>\u2014\u200aRoger A. Caras<\/em><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"lazyload\" title=\"What&#039;s The Difference Between a Service Dog, Therapy Dog, and an Emotional Support Dog?\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4C459sQwrAo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>What&#8217;s The Difference Between a Service Dog, <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" data-wpil=\"url\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/category\/therapy\/\" title=\"Therapy\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">Therapy<\/a> Dog, and an Emotional Support Dog? Courtesy, YouTube.<br><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Daisy has been my bro since about the first week of April, which is important to note in that it was the early days of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/mental-illness-and-covid-19\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">COVID<\/a>. If you\u2019ll recall, toilet paper was scarce, half the country had just been furloughed, and everyone was on edge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If ever there was a time to enlist the services of an Emotional Support Dog, this was that time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yet despite all the craziness and the unease, and throughout all the civil unrest and economic turmoil and the divisive Trump tweets, my <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/resources\/mental-health-websites\/\">mental and physical health<\/a> actually started improving.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I figured I would eventually see some benefit to having Daisy in my life, but the speed at which those benefits came was shocking. And we\u2019re not talking small things. We\u2019re talking <em>life-changing<\/em> things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are five of them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_My_back_stopped_hurting_almost_immediately\"><\/span>1. My back stopped hurting almost immediately.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I have dealt with chronic back pain for the bulk of 25 years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As is the case with many men, I carry my stress in my lower back, the intensity of which waxes or wanes depending on the highs and lows of my career, financial status, and\/or relationship pursuits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the past few years, muscle spasms in my back have routinely roused me from bed in the middle of the night, which is a real treat. My muscles stay twisted and angry, so going back to sleep is a pipe dream, and as a result I am constantly sleep-deprived.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Daisy sleeps on the bed now, and about two weeks after she moved in I woke up one morning and realized that my back pain was gone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I don\u2019t mean that my pain had been reduced. I don\u2019t mean that it eased off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I mean that it <em>vanished<\/em>. Totally gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_I_sleep_better_Like_a_lot_better\"><\/span>2. I sleep better. Like, a lot&nbsp;better.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before Daisy, I was averaging 5 hours a night. That is god-awful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With that level of sleep deprivation, it\u2019s usually not a good idea to drive a car. As a result, most days felt like I was walking underwater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But Daisy sleeps on the bed now, and I don\u2019t feel so alone, and so now I average about 7 hours. That\u2019s heaven for me. It\u2019s quality sleep, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Daisy likes to spoon, and she sleeps so heavily that sometimes I check her pulse just to make sure she\u2019s okay. So I sleep more now because it would be rude to wake her up, right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Her little paws twitch when she dreams and it\u2019s like oh my god where has this dog been all my life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps sleep comes easier of you have someone else in the bed whose sleep-hygiene is above reproach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Randy-and-Daisy-the-emotional-support-dog.jpg\" alt=\"Randy and Daisy the emotional support dog\" class=\"wp-image-36168 lazyload\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Randy-and-Daisy-the-emotional-support-dog.jpg\" alt=\"Randy and Daisy the emotional support dog\" class=\"wp-image-36168 lazyload\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Randy-and-Daisy-the-emotional-support-dog.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Randy-and-Daisy-the-emotional-support-dog-167x125.jpg 167w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Randy-and-Daisy-the-emotional-support-dog-400x300.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Randy-and-Daisy-the-emotional-support-dog-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/Randy-and-Daisy-the-emotional-support-dog-768x576.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>The author with Daisy, his emotional support dog<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_My_depression_is_effectively_gone\"><\/span>3. My depression is effectively gone.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I had <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/lethality-of-major-depression\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">my depression<\/a> pretty well-managed before Daisy came along (I\u2019ve dealt with that monster for almost three decades), so I don\u2019t want to sound like I\u2019m minimizing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/what-is-major-depression\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">clinical depression<\/a>. I also participate in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/category\/therapy\/\">therapy<\/a>, get exercise, and take medication. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you deal with depression, you should probably be doing those things, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But depression has a way of lingering, like a house-guest who has overstayed his welcome. No matter what you do, it\u2019s always there in some way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And yet Daisy seems to have shown it the door. My anxiety took a hike as well.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-background\" style=\"background-color:#f0f8ff\"><strong><a class=\"thirstylink\" rel=\"nofollow rel=&quot;sponsored&quot;\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"TalkSpace\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/recommends\/talkspace\/\" data-shortcode=\"true\">Note: I don&#8217;t recommend you rely on your doggo if you suffer from <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/hard-lessons-about-fighting-depression\/\" title=\"clinical depression\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">clinical depression<\/a>. I got a ton of help from my time with <a class=\"wpil_keyword_link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/talkspace-review\/\" title=\"TalkSpace\" data-wpil-keyword-link=\"linked\">TalkSpace<\/a>. Use this link and enter FALL80 to get a huge discount off your membership!<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_My_girlfriend_and_I_are_doing_a_lot_better_too\"><\/span>4. My girlfriend and I are doing a lot better,&nbsp;too.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>I have an odd relationship with my girlfriend. We\u2019ve been on-again, off-again for two years, and because she\u2019s a single mom who works a lot and lives an hour away, we only see each other about once a month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This dynamic is a constant source of frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I miss her. All the time. And it\u2019s irksome that we don\u2019t get to see each other much, which in the past translated into fighting about stupid stuff.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But now that Daisy is around, it takes the edge off. Daisy has a way of keeping me balanced, though I can\u2019t really explain how. As a result, my girlfriend and I haven\u2019t argued in months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I suppose it\u2019s that I have someone else to focus on, someone to ladle on affection. Daisy likes to lay on the couch with me an binge-watch Netflix. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And sometimes that\u2019s all you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Im_losing_weight_and_eating_healthier\"><\/span>5. I\u2019m losing weight and eating healthier.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Exercise has always been a critical part of my self-care, but Daisy has helped me up the ante in terms of duration and frequency. After relaxing in my home all day, she\u2019s quite insistent that I throw on my sneakers and take her for a walk after I get home from work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As she gives me the stink-eye if I say no, I acquiesce more often that not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am fortunate to have a huge community park just a mile from where I live, so we throw on her little dog-harness and walk about 4 miles a day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I also s<a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/7-incredible-benefits-of-the-keto-diet\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">tarted learning to cook healthy stuff<\/a>, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am guilty of letting Daisy nibble on people-food from time to time (have you <em>seen <\/em>that face?), so I figured I might as well make sure she\u2019s not eating junk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s amazing how much better we take care of ourselves when we have someone in our lives to answer to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p>\u201cTo his dog, every man is Napoleon; hence the constant popularity of dogs.\u201d\u200a<\/p><cite>\u2014\u200aAldous Huxley<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe class=\"lazyload\" title=\"The 10 Best Emotional Support Dog Breeds - MyESADoctor\" width=\"1170\" height=\"658\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/0Jr9c08NlY4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><figcaption>The 10 Best Emotional Support Dog Breeds. Courtesy, YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts\"><\/span>Final Thoughts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Research is somewhat lacking about the benefits of emotional support dogs. For every article that promotes their benefits, the are two that question their efficacy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, my weight is down, my depression has waned, I\u2019m sleeping better and my back pain is gone. So I\u2019m not sure I give a damn what the research says or doesn\u2019t say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And my reservations about getting an emotional support dog were a red herring, by the way. I come home for lunch so Daisy gets to stretch her legs; she doesn\u2019t stay in dog-jail for more than a few hours. She\u2019s hypoallergenic and fairly clean and her poop isn\u2019t all that gross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But even if it was, it would be a small price to pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019ve been considering getting an Emotional Support Dog, I suggest you have a conversation with your doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on your needs, a trained service animal might be more appropriate. It might even be a good idea to <a aria-label=\"see a licensed therapist (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/www.betterhelp.com\/blunttherapy\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"rank-math-link\">see a licensed therapist<\/a> while you&#8217;re at it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And if you already have an emotional support dog, I\u2019d love to hear about your experiences in the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As for me an Daisy, we\u2019re doing just fine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, it\u2019s time to stop writing and go for a nice long walk outside. It\u2019s a beautiful day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/daisy-leash-506x300.jpeg\" alt=\"emotional support animal on a leash\" class=\"wp-image-24411 lazyload\" width=\"506\" height=\"300\"\/><noscript><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/daisy-leash-506x300.jpeg\" alt=\"emotional support animal on a leash\" class=\"wp-image-24411 lazyload\" width=\"506\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/daisy-leash-506x300.jpeg 506w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/daisy-leash-338x200.jpeg 338w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/daisy-leash-150x89.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/daisy-leash-768x455.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/daisy-leash.jpeg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 506px) 100vw, 506px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption>Daisy sure does love her leash-walks.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Reading\"><\/span>Related Reading<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/heinonline.org\/HOL\/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals\/branlaj48&amp;div=9&amp;id=&amp;page=\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Advocating Change within the ADA: The Struggle to Recognize Emotional-Support Animals as Service Animals<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/ct.counseling.org\/2015\/04\/confirming-the-benefits-of-emotional-support-animals\/#:~:text=These%20benefits%20include%20calming%20and,reducing%20depression%20and%20increasing%20pleasure.\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Confirming the benefits of emotional support animals<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healthline.com\/health-news\/what-do-emotional-support-animals-do-for-those-in-need#1\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">What Do Emotional Support Animals Do Exactly? For Those in Need, A Lot<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/apibhs.com\/2020\/05\/18\/how-emotional-support-animals-benefit-mental-health-and-wellness\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" class=\"rank-math-link\">HOW EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS BENEFIT MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/mental-health-products-and-services\/\" class=\"rank-math-link\">Recommended Mental Health Products and Services<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Emotional Support Dogs help with depression, anxiety, trauma, and loneliness. In this post, I share with you 5 ways my own support dog has changed my life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":31086,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","ub_ctt_via":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[760,873,28,30,874],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/43-1.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Randy Withers, LCMHC","author_link":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/author\/randy-withers\/"},"modified_by":"Randy Withers, LCMHC","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/43-1.jpg",1600,900,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/43-1-150x84.jpg",150,84,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/43-1-200x113.jpg",200,113,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/43-1-768x432.jpg",768,432,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/43-1-400x225.jpg",400,225,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/43-1-1536x864.jpg",1536,864,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/43-1.jpg",1600,900,false],"tiny":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/43-1.jpg",60,34,false],"thumbnail-medium":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/43-1.jpg",480,270,false],"thumbnail-square":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/43-1.jpg",480,270,false],"thumbnail-portrait":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/43-1.jpg",480,270,false],"thumbnail-large":["https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/43-1.jpg",720,405,false]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Randy Withers, LCMHC","author_link":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/author\/randy-withers\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Emotional Support Dogs help with depression, anxiety, trauma, and loneliness. In this post, I share with you 5 ways my own support dog has changed my life.","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24409"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24409"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24409\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31086"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.blunt-therapy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}