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15+ Common Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder and How an Emotional Support Animal Can Help
An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) can bring comfort and stability to those managing bipolar disorder by providing a grounding presence during emotional highs and lows. Their companionship helps create routine, reduce anxiety, and offer a sense of purpose in daily life.
If you are a California resident and have a dog you must establish a relationship of no less than 30 days with the therapist writing the ESA letter.
The law that requires this is the AB 468 law which was passed on January 1, 2022.
This law doesn’t apply to any other type of ESA.
The Bottom Line
Emotional Support Animals provide stability by establishing a daily routine, offering structure through feeding, exercise, and care that grounds those with bipolar disorder. This predictable schedule can reduce anxiety and promote emotional resilience, especially during challenging times.
ESAs offer comfort during depressive episodes with a constant, non-judgmental presence that eases feelings of isolation and emotional numbness. Their companionship is there unconditionally, providing a sense of connection without the social demands that can feel overwhelming.
Grounding during manic phases is a valuable benefit, as ESAs offer tactile interactions like petting or grooming, which can calm racing thoughts and help manage impulsive urges. Their steady presence offers a safe anchor, bringing you back to the present moment when energy feels chaotic.
Ready to bring stability into your life? Learn more about getting an ESA letter to ensure your companion is there to support your mental health journey.
Living with bipolar disorder can feel like jumping from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. One week, you’re filled with energy and ideas, staying up late to plan your next business or adventure trip across the world. The next, you’re left with an overwhelming sense of sadness and such low energy that even taking a shower sounds exhausting.
These highs and lows can be draining and destabilizing, making it hard to maintain relationships or stick to a routine. That’s where Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) can make a difference. Their calming presence and need for routine can offer structure, support, and stability in an emotionally chaotic world.
In this article, we’ll share what living with bipolar disorder can look like and how exactly an ESA might help to manage symptoms.
Emotional Support Animal for Bipolar Disorder
An Emotional Support Animal (ESA) for bipolar disorder is a companion animal that provides emotional stability and comfort during both depressive and manic phases. Unlike service animals, ESAs aren’t trained to perform specific tasks but offer essential support simply through their presence. They help create a routine, ease anxiety, and provide grounding during mood swings. With an ESA, those with bipolar disorder can experience increased emotional resilience and a sense of calm amidst life’s highs and lows.
15+ Common Symptoms of Bipolar Disorder
First, let’s dive into how bipolar disorder can appear on a daily level. The symptoms don’t look the same in everyone, but there may be some common characteristics, such as:
Depressive Episodes: Going through a depressive state can feel like you’re trying to move through quicksand — every task feels monumental and pointless; from showering to cooking to responding to a text. It can last a few days to weeks or months, with changes in eating, sleeping, socializing, and more.
Manic Episodes: Racing thoughts and hyperactivity can make it feel like your brain’s speeding out of control. Jumping from one task to another, talking fast, or impulsively deciding to plan a big trip or rearrange the house at 2 am. Like a depressive episode, it can last days to weeks and affect every area of life.
Mood Swings: Sudden shifts from feeling perfectly fine to irritable and sad, or vice versa, may seem to happen for no reason. The emotions can feel incredibly intense and take over the day, triggered by different factors like sleep deprivation or routine changes.
Irritability and Outbursts: Even something small, like a barista getting your coffee order wrong, can end in extreme frustration and anger. Friends and family might feel as though they have to walk on eggshells, unsure of what could trigger an outburst.
Difficulty Sleeping: Manic episodes often bring about such energy that only a few hours of sleep a night are common — but all the while they’re feeling wired and unable to calm their thoughts and actions. Depressive episodes are often the opposite, where it’s hard to get out of bed even after 10-12 hours of sleep.
Impulsiveness and Risky Behavior: Acting without thinking about the consequences is common in manic moments. Like buying a new car on a whim, quitting your job without a backup plan, or having unsafe sex.
Difficulty Concentrating: Imagine trying to read a book while someone flips to a new TV channel with the volume on max every few seconds — that’s what it can feel like for someone with bipolar disorder trying to concentrate. Whether in a manic or depressive state, difficulty focusing can lead to unfinished projects, missed deadlines, or a struggle to keep up with daily responsibilities.
Anxiety and Restlessness: During manic phases, anxiety can heighten and feel like a buzzing, frenetic energy making it feel impossible to sit still. When depressed, it can feel more like a heavy weight making any situation uncomfortable. The restlessness can be anything from pacing, taping feet, or just an unshakeable feeling of dread.
Hopelessness and Guilt: One of the most common symptoms of depression is hopelessness; believing that things will never get better. Dwelling on past mistakes takes over thoughts, leading to spiraling where talking about anything else feels fake and forced. You can begin to feel like a burden to the people around you, adding even more guilt and shame for not “feeling better”.
Emotional Numbness: Depressive episodes can be so energy-draining that going numb becomes easier. Laughing, connecting, or maybe even crying can feel difficult. It’s like being trapped behind a thick glass wall, watching life go by without truly experiencing it.
Increased Sensitivity to Criticism or Rejection: The slightest critique can trigger intense defensiveness or hurt, where comments feel like a personal attack. This can lead to a spiral of self-doubt or anger, making social interactions feel risky and anxiety-inducing.
Social Withdrawal or Isolation: Isolating might feel like the best way to protect yourself. It’s safe because potential triggers are avoided — but the loneliness can increase and worsen symptoms.
Overconfidence and Grandiosity: During a manic phase, heightened energy can make you feel invincible. This might lead to overextending yourself and taking on impossible projects, which can lead to feeling deflated when reality kicks in.
Lack of Interest in Hobbies or Activities: When depressed, things that once brought joy, like painting or playing sports, feel pointless or even burdensome. Energy levels are so low that the mental or physical effort needed to do something feels like too much to go through with anything.
Difficulty Making Decisions: When in a manic state, decisions might just be impulsive thoughts put into action. Meanwhile, when depressed, even the smallest choices, like deciding what to eat for dinner, can feel overwhelming and exhausting.
Hallucinations or Delusions: In extreme cases, it’s possible to have hallucinations, such as seeing or hearing things that aren’t there. Delusions, believing things that aren’t real, can also happen in either a severe manic or depressive episode.
Suicidal Thoughts or Ideation: In some people, thoughts of suicide or self-harm might come up, especially during depressive episodes.
How an Emotional Support Animal Can Help Manage Bipolar Disorder
An ESA can do things another human might not be available to offer on a regular basis, such as:
1. Providing Stability and Routine
Managing intense emotional highs and lows can make it hard to have a consistent routine. With an ESA, you can get a sense of stability by being required to care for an animal. Having to feed and exercise an animal daily can create a structured day you can depend on, which helps ground you. Predictability from routine can reduce anxiety and improve resiliency by giving something reliable to focus on even when emotions feel chaotic.
Feeling depressed makes most people want to cocoon and isolate themselves. Staying at home for days at a time or avoiding calls from friends can increase loneliness, but it often feels like managing human interaction is too much. An ESA, on the other hand, is there to offer companionship no matter what. There’s nothing judgemental about them, and their calming presence and innocent love can bring great comfort when it’s hard to connect with others.
3. Reducing Anxiety During Mood Swings
With emotions so chaotic, it might be hard to feel safe in your own body. An ESA can be the sense of calm in the storm, easing the tension and anxiety. Stroking or petting a cat or dog has even been shown to reduce cortisol levels in just 10 minutes, promoting relaxation and stability.
4. Grounding During Manic Episodes
Manic episodes can feel like being swept away by a whirlwind of uncontrollable energy. As research shows, an ESA can be a grounding force by offering a tangible, calming, and non-judgmental presence. Tactile interactions like petting, brushing, or playing with them can also anchor you in the present moment and potentially, reduce impulsive behavior.
5. Promoting Responsibility and Purpose
During both manic and depressive phases, it’s easy to lose a sense of purpose or direction. Caring for an ESA by feeding, grooming, and walking them can create and restore a sense of responsibility and purpose. Knowing that they rely on you for survival forces you to care for them, even when motivation for other tasks is low. This can help keep you engaged and active, creating small victories that contribute to overall mental well-being.
Research Supporting ESAs for Bipolar Disorder
A systematic review exploring the impact of pet ownership on diagnosed mental health conditions, like anxiety and depression, found promising results. They saw that animal companions could help reduce symptoms by providing emotional and practical support. The ESAs helped with social isolation, emotional regulation, and a sense of stability.
Another study on people with long-term mental health conditions found that pets took up a central role in people’s support networks. They offered companionship and a reliable source of comfort. In particular, ESAs were valued even more when human relationships were strained or absent.
A small and more recent pilot study on adults with a serious mental illness, including bipolar disorder, showed that participants reported ESAs as helpful. They said they found a sense of companionship, emotional support, and even motivation in their animals.
First, what is an ESA letter exactly? It’s a document issued by a licensed mental health professional that confirms your need for an ESA for your mental health. It gives legal protections under the Fair Housing Act (FHA) and, in some cases, the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). That means you can take your ESA with you wherever you move to, and no landlord can deny you housing for having a pet. It might even work for certain airlines if you want to travel with your pet — but check with the airline first.
How to Get an ESA for Bipolar Disorder
If you’re thinking about getting an ESA for bipolar disorder, imagine what your day would look like with a pet. Consider different options, like a dog, cat, or bird, and how they would fit into your life. If you see the potential with the help of their companionship and purpose, go to Pettable to see how to get an ESA letter. The process is simple:
An example graphic of a legitimate ESA letter written by a licensed mental health professional
FAQs
Can an ESA help with mood swings in bipolar disorder?
Yes, an ESA may be able to offer a grounding and stable presence that anchors you to the present. During depressive episodes, they can help you feel less lonely and comfort you with cuddles or walks. When manic, they might help prevent impulsiveness, since you have a pet to think of — tying you back to reality. In general, their constant companionship and innocent nature can add emotional security, making mood swings feel more manageable.
Do I need an ESA letter for my emotional support animal?
You need an ESA letter for legal housing and travel protection (but for travel the documents required may depend on the airline and country). A legitimate ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional verified that they’re part of your treatment plan. With this letter, you’re covered under the Fair Housing Act, which means landlords can’t deny you housing or charge extra fees for your ESA.
Pettable makes getting an ESA letter easy. We connect with licensed professionals who assess your need and provide a legitimate letter quickly — with a money back guaranteed.
What types of animals can be emotional support animals for bipolar disorder?
While dogs and cats are the most common, any domesticated animal can be an emotional support animal. You only need them to be prescribed by a licensed mental health professional. This means that birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, or even lizards can qualify as ESAs, as long as they provide the emotional support and companionship beneficial for your mental health.
How do emotional support animals differ from therapy or service animals for bipolar disorder?
An emotional support animal is there to offer comfort in their companionship and care, but they aren’t trained in any way. Service animals, on the other hand, are trained to do specific tasks related to a disability, like guiding a visually impaired person. Therapy animals are also trained, but to provide comfort and support in clinical settings like therapy offices or hospitals.
Can an emotional support animal help prevent manic episodes?
An ESA might not prevent manic episodes but they can provide grounding support. Their calming presence might reduce impulsivity and anxiety, making it easier to manage early warning signs.
What is the process of qualifying for an ESA with bipolar disorder?
You can take the 3-minute quiz at Pettable to connect with a licensed mental health professional. If they believe the animal can be a part of your treatment plan, they’ll qualify you for an ESA.
How do emotional support animals help with emotional regulation in bipolar disorder?
ESAs offer more than just companionship, they give routine, structure, and emotional stability in constant companionship. All these factors can help reduce anxiety and provide comfort during depressive and manic phases.
Nadya Khoja is the Head of Content & SEO at Pettable. She has been featured on Forbes, CBC, Wall Street Journal, and many other notable publications. She has spoken around the world, educating various business leaders about building and executing scalable marketing strategies in the health tech space.
