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Managing anxiety often involves therapy and medication, but Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) provide a natural, holistic alternative. With their calming presence, ESAs can help reduce stress, encourage routine, and promote emotional stability. This article explores how ESAs compare to medication and whether they could be the right choice for anxiety management.
If you’ve ever felt your chest tighten like a judo master’s got a death grip on it, you might know what it’s like to have anxiety. Only, long-lasting anxiety also comes with constant worry, dread, and spiraling thoughts. Not to mention muscle tension and chest tightness that doesn’t go away no matter how many yoga sessions you do.
Maybe you’ve tried therapy and noticed some improvement, but you still feel you have a way to go. Then there’s medication, which is becoming more and more popular with every passing year. You might have tried it with success, or not loved its side effects, or want to avoid it altogether. Either way, you’re still looking for extra support.
If you relate to any of the above, you might be wondering just how much an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) can help. We know a structured, calm, and grounding environment for anxiety helps, making more people turn to ESAs for support. The question is, just how much of a positive impact do they have? And how do they compare to medication?
Anxiety treatment is highly personal—while medication helps regulate brain chemistry, Emotional Support Animals provide companionship, routine, and comfort. If you prefer a natural, holistic approach or want to supplement therapy, an ESA could be a great choice. Before making changes to your treatment plan, consult a mental health professional to determine the best option for you.
About 44% of the entire US adult population has anxiety symptoms. Almost 12% have mild to severe anxiety but don’t even know it — making lifestyle improvements all the more important (like physical activity, social support, and ESAs for comfort and structure).
Other methods of treatment are also growing in popularity. For example, in 2020, around 17% of all adults took prescription medication for their mental health, and 10% got counseling. Talk therapy, like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), is also well-known for its effectiveness, on its own and in combination with medication.
While talk therapy works to alter your behavior through new coping tools, anxiety meds work to alter your brain chemistry. For example, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac or Zoloft boost serotonin, the “feel good” hormone and neurotransmitter, which helps stabilize moods.
Meanwhile, benzodiazepines like Xanax or Ativan calm the nervous system by enhancing your gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is a neurotransmitter that blocks your nerve cells from receiving, creating, or sending messages to other nerve cells. It reduces cell “hyperactivity” that makes us feel anxious, stressed, or afraid.
The downside to any medication, of course, is that it can come with side effects, such as:
Another big issue with medication is that it’s possible to develop a dependency. While it’s especially the case with benzodiazepines, it can also happen with SSRIs. You can also go through withdrawal once you stop. Without new behavioral habits in place once medication stops, anxiety symptoms can come back. Plus, some people say their meds work short-term, but after time they decrease in effectiveness.
ESAs aren’t just pets. They’re companions that offer real therapeutic help to mental health conditions like anxiety. Research backs up that simply caring for them and having them by your side can shift your day and reduce symptoms. For people who want to wean off of medication or those who want to avoid it altogether, an ESA can be a great all-natural help. They can lead to an overall healthier lifestyle by:
Overall, an ESA can make managing a multitude of mental health conditions easier, like ADHD, bipolar disorder, and depression.
Anxiety treatment isn't a one-size-fits-all package. While medications and ESAs both have something to offer, understanding their differences can help you make an informed decision on which is best for you. Here’s a quick comparison of the two:
For anyone curious about adding a holistic approach to their treatment plan, here’s how an ESA could benefit your overall lifestyle and help manage anxiety symptoms:
Just having an animal’s calming presence and companionship can make a difference in your nervous system. For example, a 2022 pilot study showed that ESAs could help lower stress hormones and increase oxytocin (the “love” hormone). Their constant support can feel like a non-judgemental and unconditional love that comforts in daily life and especially, in times of stress.
An ESA can encourage more activity, especially for dog owners who want more outdoor time. They’re said to get at least 2000 more steps in daily. It’s not just dogs, though. A recent meta-analysis showed that all pet owners get more exercise than non-owners. When it comes to reducing anxiety, exercise is well known for its incredibly positive impact. It can boost our moods, calm stress hormones, and improve memory and problem-solving skills.
While medication can be effective, not everyone wants to or can take it. Especially not long-term. They might come with side effects or dependency risks, where lifestyle behavioral changes and new coping tools could help for life. Caring for an ESA, for example, can lead to daily behavioral changes that reduce the need for medication. This includes more physical activity, tactile touch and closeness, emotional support, and a structured routine.
Reducing any sort of medication should always be done under the supervision of a medical doctor. Once you get their go-ahead and a plan for next steps, you can think about what type of animal would suit you best. Contacting a mental health professional to start (or continue) talk therapy is a great way to manage the transition. They can also help you think about what animal would be best for you if you don’t already have one.
If you also want to get an official ESA letter, you’ll have to contact a licensed mental health professional to see if you qualify, which can be done online through Pettable.
First, talk with your psychiatrist about tapering medication before anything else. Once that’s sorted and you have your new ESA, you can experiment with a routine that works for you.
Try to establish consistent feeding and play times to create structure for yourself. If you have a dog, you can also use their walks for physical activity. This can even encourage you to go to nature more often so they can roam free, like weekend hikes or at least park walks.
When it comes to morning and evening routines, an ESA can also add a moment of mindfulness. You can try meditating with them nearby, even creating a calming space specifically for the two of you. The possibilities of how to incorporate a furry friend into your life really are endless, it all depends on what you’re looking for. There are even specific breeds that might work best depending on what you struggle with, like in this list of the best ESAs for depression.
An ESA might be a good fit if you:
Some questions to ask yourself if you’re ready for the next steps are:
“ESAs Are Just Pets”
ESAs get their label by offering specific therapeutic help. If they reduce mental health symptoms (and you get an official ESA letter), they’re an ESA and not just a pet.
“Medication is Always Better”
There’s no one-size-fits-all treatment approach when it comes to mental health. For some people, medication can make a significant difference. For others, the negative side effects may be too much to manage. Meanwhile, other people don’t want or can’t take medication, making holistic options like ESAs all the more important.
“It’s Hard to Get an ESA”
Thanks to online teletherapy, like what Pettable offers, getting a licensed mental health professional to write a legitimate ESA letter is easy. You only need to speak to a professional and explain how your ESA helps your mental health condition. How to Qualify for and Choose the Right ESAQualifying for an ESA takes just a few steps that can all be done online. Here’s a quick overview:
If you don’t already have a pet that could qualify as an ESA, here are a few things to think about when choosing an animal to bring into your life:
You know yourself best, so your path to managing anxiety will look very different from anyone else’s. A great way to get support and ideas on how to move forward can come from talking it out with your therapist (and psychiatrist if you’re on medication). Whether or not an ESA is a good option for you really depends on your needs and the type of animal you get. You can also try volunteering at animal shelters or visiting more often to get an idea of what type of breed or pet could be a good fit. Even if you don’t know what direction to go when it comes to the type, you can contact a mental health professional with Pettable to get advice on specific breeds. Plus, there’s a whole community of fellow ESA-lovers out there you can talk to for ideas.
Jennifer is a Nutritionist and Health Counselor specializing in emotional and mindful eating, weight loss, and stress management. She has degrees in both Psychology and Nutrition from Western University, Canada. You can learn more about Jennifer at her website.
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