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15+ Common Symptoms of PTSD and How an Emotional Support Animal Can Help
There are many different symptoms that you can experience if you have PTSD. Speaking with a licensed mental health professional is the best way to find what coping methods are best for your particular symptoms. Having an emotional support animal in your life can be a great option for helping you to cope with your symptoms.
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
Some common symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks, panic attacks, difficulty focusing, and emotional numbness.
If you think you have PTSD you should speak with a therapist for an official diagnosis and continued support for your mental health.
If you have PTSD an emotional support animal could help you cope with the symptoms of your mental health condition.
If you need an ESA letter for PTSD Pettable can connect you with a licensed mental health professional who can assess your condition and write you a letter in as little as 24 hours.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can affect anyone. No matter what your experience was, trauma is trauma, and it impacts each person uniquely. Whether it stems from emotional neglect, physical abuse, surviving a disaster, or something else entirely, the lasting effects on your mental and physical health can feel profound.
It might feel like anything can trigger overwhelming anxiety and fear; a sudden noise or a harsh tone in someone’s voice. A state of hypervigilance where you feel constantly on edge can take over. Symptoms don’t just disrupt moments; they can completely alter daily life, making it harder to have healthy relationships or hold down a job.
Fortunately, non-medical treatment options like Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) are becoming more researched and well-known to help manage PTSD. These animals don’t just provide much-needed comfort; they can interrupt panic attacks, offer grounding during flashbacks, and provide a stable and calming presence that reduces spiraling thoughts.
In this article, we'll dive into the science and break down 15+ of the most common PTSD symptoms, plus how exactly an ESA can help in difficult moments.
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that occurs after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event, such as violence, accidents, or natural disasters. It leads to a range of symptoms, including flashbacks, nightmares, heightened anxiety, and intrusive thoughts about the traumatic experience. These symptoms can significantly disrupt daily life, relationships, and emotional well-being if left untreated.
15+ Common Symptoms of PTSD
Here are some of the most experienced PTSD symptoms and how they can appear in daily life:
Flashbacks and Nightmares: Memories can replay like an unending loop, robbing you of rest and leaving you on edge. Let's say you close your eyes to sleep, but instead, you're reliving your darkest moments. The sounds, the sights — it feels like you’re reliving your worst nightmares over and over again in your head. Maybe you do make it to sleep, but you jolt awake with your heart pounding and breath short.
Hypervigilance: Imagine sitting in a quiet café, but instead of enjoying the calm, you’re hearing every creak of the door or loud voice and it sends your heart racing. With hypervigilance, you might feel continuously tense no matter where you go as if danger is lurking around every corner.
Avoidance of Triggers: Maybe you used to love going to the park, but now, even the thought of being in a crowd or hearing children play brings up intense loneliness or memories you'd rather forget. So, you stay home, making excuses to avoid people or places that might stir up the past, trapping yourself in isolation.
Emotional Numbness: You’re sitting with your friends, but you feel like you’re watching from the outside looking in. They laugh, they cry, they share, but you don’t feel a part of it. You know you care about them, but you can’t seem to connect. It’s as if the trauma has built a wall between you and your emotions or ability to connect.
Difficulty Sleeping or Insomnia: You lie in bed, exhausted, but sleep doesn’t seem to come. Then, the stark silence amplifies your thoughts. You relive conversations or events, searching for threats or just beating yourself up for struggling in the first place.
Intrusive Thoughts: You’re trying to work and focus on a task, but somehow, you keep ending up distracted. It might be an image from a traumatic event or just a random uncomfortable emotion popping up you want to avoid. You try to shake it off, but the more you push it away, the stronger it returns.
Irritability and Anger Outbursts: A simple question from a colleague or friend can easily feel like an attack, and before you know it, you're snapping at them. Later, you wonder why you reacted that way, but in the moment, the anger felt like a wave you couldn’t stop.
Panic Attacks: It can feel like it comes out of nowhere, where your chest tightens, your breath goes shallow, and your heart races. There may not be an immediate physical threat, but emotionally, it feels like you have to escape — but you can’t.
Social Withdrawal: It's incredibly draining to pretend you’re okay when you’re not. Meeting people feels like too much effort, and declining becomes your norm. In the end, you're left in a self-imposed bubble and loneliness takes over — but it's the only place you feel somewhat safe, even if it’s isolating and doesn’t help you in the long run.
Difficulty Concentrating: You’re staring at your computer screen, trying to finish a simple task. But your mind keeps drifting, pulled back to thoughts about the past, or worries about the future.
Feelings of Hopelessness or Guilt: A difficult past that brings about continuous painful feelings in the present might make it feel like things will never get better. You might blame yourself or get caught wishing that it never happened in the first place. The guilt or shame can suffocate any sense of hope for the future.
Physical Symptoms: The physical tension that comes from a constant state of hypervigilance and anxiety can lead to various symptoms. For example, headaches, digestion issues, a sore jaw from grinding at night, or knots and back pain, to name a few.
Relationship Struggles: Different traumas can impact how you interact and feel safe with others. It can also shape your attachment style, making you more avoiding or anxious, rather than secure in relationships. For example, you might love someone but if you believe the relationship will lead to pain, you might continuously sabotage things and push them away.
Negative Changes in Mood: When emotional suffering takes over, things that once brought joy tend to lose their excitement or meaning. You might find yourself experiencing mood swings or just feeling sad most of the time.
Hyperarousal: Anything from a particular ringtone or a motorcycle revving up can set your body on edge. In an instant, you’re in fight or flight mode and it takes minutes to hours for the adrenaline to subside.
Memory Problems. Entire periods of your past or even your day might seem to disappear from memory. It can also look as simple as walking into a room to do something and completely forgetting what that was. The constant mental strain of PTSD can make basic focus and recall more difficult.
Shame and Self Blame. Constantly replaying events might lead to scenarios where you imagine acting differently. You might even convince yourself that you could have something to avoid it all, leading to anger, guilt, and shame. You might even blame yourself for struggling to cope in the first place, giving yourself an extra burden to carry.
These are just some of the ways PTSD might appear in daily life. The exact symptoms, however, truly depend on each person and circumstance.
How an Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Can Help Ease PTSD Symptoms
Just like how even one supportive person can change your life, an ESA can be a lifeline that works to prevent panic attacks or ease daily struggles. Here are some specific examples of how an ESA can shape your daily life for the better:
1. Providing Constant Companionship and Comfort
Imagine sitting in your living room on a quiet night, feeling the familiar loneliness creep in. You haven’t spoken to anyone in days because it just feels like too much effort. But your emotional support cat or dog curls up next to you, sensing your mood, offering a silent presence that reminds you that you're not alone. The simple act of resting your hand on their fur can bring comfort and warmth and help you stay grounded in the present.
Example: Refer to a Pettable success story where a veteran with PTSD found comfort in having their emotional support dog by their side at all times.
2. Helping Ground During Panic Attacks
If you’re prone to panic attacks, you know the usual symptoms. Maybe your chest tightens, your vision blurs, and you feel like you can’t breathe. Before it overwhelms you completely, your emotional support dog can sense it and be by your side. They might lick your hand, or encourage you to pet them. The tactile sensation of touch, along with their calm presence, can sometimes be enough to interrupt the cycle and prevent you from spiraling.
3. Encouraging Routine and Responsibility
Days can easily blur together when you’re struggling with your mental health. While getting out of bed can feel like a challenge, having an animal forces you to move around and take care of someone else. The sense of purpose and routine that comes with caring for an animal can foster a greater sense of self-efficacy; the belief that you can carry out actions and achieve your goals. Those small moments of responsibility add up to building self-confidence, and they can also offer a break from staying stuck in your thoughts.
For example, Mary from Connecticut with an emotional support cat said, “My entire family LOVES Lily. She's a bit cautious around new people but she loves being "petted" and is soooooo precious. She has created a "home" environment and I keep busy and focused by buying groceries for Lily, taking her to the vet, getting all the things I need for her litter box. She is truly a part of my Family. Pettable has been a great help for me and Lily - Pettable has ensured that Lily can remain a part of my Family."
4. Reducing Social Isolation
It’s easy to get into a routine of staying at home, but with an emotional support dog, you have to leave for exercise. Going to parks and interacting with other pet owners can keep you having some friendly conversations, preventing total isolation.
5. Providing a Calming Presence During Flashbacks
Your mind can randomly transport you back to a traumatic moment, with your body responding as though it’s happening all over again. A trained animal can sense the shift and come by your side, helping to ground you. Even animals who aren’t trained can offer a calming presence and remind you of their presence just by being near and giving you something to touch — reminding you of the present.
More and more research is coming out supporting the use of ESAs for various health conditions. For people with PTSD, it can help reduce symptoms like stress, anxiety, and isolation. For example, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has recognized the therapeutic benefits of animals, especially dogs, for veterans coping with PTSD. Studies show they’re linked to a greater reduction in PTSD symptoms and better antidepressant adherence.
Psychiatry journals heavily study ESAs, showing their positive impact on mental health. They can improve emotional regulation and reduce the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Specifically, research suggests that the non-judgmental companionship of animals helps individuals with PTSD feel calmer and more grounded.
The Mayo Clinic also discusses alternative treatments for PTSD. Pets are recommended for emotional support, reducing stress, and improving mental well-being, often complementing traditional therapy.
As always, research is ongoing and more studies are needed to validate current findings and fully understand the results. For the moment, however, research shows promise for ESAs as a supportive therapeutic option for PTSD.
How do I get an ESA for PTSD?
If you think an ESA could help you manage your PTSD, taking the next step with Petable is simple. We connect you with a licensed mental health professional to get the legal documents needed to live or travel with your ESA. Start your journey toward emotional support and a better quality of life by visiting Pettable today to begin the risk-free process. Take a quick 3-minute quiz then schedule your 15-minute consultation with a professional. After that, you’ll get your ESA letter within 24-48 hours. There’s no risk; we guarantee a full refund if your letter doesn’t work. Whether you already have a pet or not, you can take the quiz now and get the process started.
Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions about ESAs and how they can help with PTSD:
How can an ESA help with PTSD flashbacks?
A flashback can make a past trauma feel vivid and real, but an ESA can help bring you back to the present through physical interaction and touch. For example, petting or holding them helps you focus on the here and now, reducing the intensity of the flashback. Their unconditional love and non-judgmental presence can also offer comfort and remind you of gentler emotions.
Do I need an ESA letter for my PTSD animal?
To live in no-pet housing or have your animal travel with you, you need an ESA letter from a licensed mental health professional. What is an ESA letter, exactly? It’s a legal document that certifies your need for an ESA as part of your treatment for a mental health condition.
Petable offers a simple and fast service that gives you a legitimate ESA letter in compliance with the Fair Housing Act — ensuring your right to live with your animal wherever you are in the U.S. We also outline a simple step-by-step process on exactly how to get an ESA letter.
Can any pet become an emotional support animal for PTSD?
Yes, any pet can be an ESA — but a licensed mental health professional has to officially prescribe the ESA for the animal to be legally recognized. They can also prescribe an ESA for ADHD or other mental health conditions, like anxiety or depression.
What are the differences between a service dog and an ESA for PTSD?
A service dog is specifically trained to carry out tasks that mitigate a person's disability, like interrupting panic attacks, retrieving medication, or guiding those who are visually impaired. ESAs, on the other hand, don’t need any specific training. Their primary role is to provide comfort through their presence alone, helping reduce mental health symptoms like PTSD. While both offer support, only service dogs have public access rights (such as entering restaurants or stores), whereas ESAs are covered under housing laws and some air travel situations.
How can I qualify for an ESA if I have PTSD?
A licensed mental health professional has to first diagnose PTSD, and then they can determine if an ESA would be helpful.
What is the difference between therapy dogs and emotional support animals for PTSD?
Therapy dogs are trained to offer specific comfort and help, such as by interrupting a panic attack. And ESA doesn’t need any training, they’re there for the emotional support that comes from comfort and a stable, grounding presence.
Can I travel with my emotional support animal if I have PTSD?
You’ll have to check with the airline as each one might have different ESA policies.
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.
