Photo via @little_plant on Unsplash.
College is supposed to be the finest years of our lives, or so we are promised. However, university students face a tremendous amount of pressure and stress. Getting an emotional support animal (ESA) – a genuine companion — is among the most influential tools for battling these challenges.
Stress levels have increased dramatically due to the global pandemic combined with the academic and financial pressures of college as well as the overwhelming pressure to succeed. These stressors explain why 47 percent of college students suffer from anxiety and depression, according to the University of Michigan’s Healthy Minds study conducted in 2020. Living with an emotional or mental illness doesn’t help. An ESA is an excellent method to cope with anxieties and overall improve your life.
Because so many students move away from home, it is natural to feel isolated. Nobody wants to be apart from their family, especially if they are experiencing difficulty forming friendships. Animals can sense when you’re sad and lonely, and give you comfort and
companionship. Getting a pet you need to take care of will give you a sense of purpose and push you to combat your depression and anxiety. Another advantage of owning an ESA is being able to speak to an animal without interruption which is a sort of therapy that can assist students in overcoming difficult life experiences. Sometimes, affection is everything we need to feel better, so the comforting presence of your ESA is a huge benefit. Advantages include reciprocal love and care, mood elevation, decreased anxiety, better physical health. It is as easy as petting an animal to trigger a state of relaxation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone had to isolate themselves to stay safe. Isolation has led to tons of people getting ‘pandemic pets’ which is what I did. Back in May of 2021, I got a kitty named Luna. Among other things, I have always struggled with insomnia, restless nights, and sleep paralysis. This is a sleep disorder where your mind is awake but your body is still asleep, leaving you unable to move or speak. One may have hallucinations in which they feel, see, or hear things that are not there and see ‘sleep demons.’ When this happens to me, Luna comes up to me and her calm presence reassures me that everything is okay. If Luna isn’t freaking out, I know that there is no demon in my room.
Celebrities such as Selena Gomez, who has been rather public about her battle with anxiety and depression, have ESAs. She depends on six dogs, the majority of which are rescues, for comfort and emotional support. She even coordinated the availability of ESA’s, in this case, dogs, on the production of the Netflix series “Thirteen Reasons Why”. She believed that the actors would benefit from playing with dogs during downtime since the drama deals with a lot of emotional matters.
All that is needed is an ESA letter and then, you may sign up for free and become the proud owner of an ESA. If you live in a dorm, worry not. This applies to both off and on-campus housing. Two federal laws protect ESAs and their owners. The Fair Housing Act states that no landlord may reject housing for a tenant who has an ESA. By law, the institution cannot refuse to house you.
Don’t let your anxiety and depression control you. Help yourself by getting an ESA. In my personal experience as a college student, having Luna has seriously changed my life. Getting an ESA can drastically help your mental health in the most genuine way possible. With an ESA by your side, you can not only survive college but thrive.
Taylor Montgomery is a third-year Media and Culture major. TM930865@wcupa.edu