You know how college stress can take a toll on your personal habits, daily activities and overall lifestyle. Undergraduates face stress from different sources simultaneously, including having to juggle classes with extra-curricular activities for a good resume, or having to struggle with demands, poor self-development, everyday hassles, and lack of resilience.  These factors tend to affect your health, wellbeing and lifestyle. A moderate amount of stress can motivate you to work harder to accomplish your goals. However, high levels of chronic stress can lead to bad habits and low academic results.

Having an emotional support animal (ESA) can drastically improve your mental health, according to research. However, before you can have an animal in your dorm room, you will need to follow some guidelines. You will need to determine whether you qualify to have an emotional support animal; you must question how you will bring it up, what the law says regarding it, and how you could get one.

ESAs help deal with anxiety

Emotional support animals can play a pivotal role in helping you recover from stress, anxiety and depression. Studies have indicated that pet s play an integral part in helping you combat stress, develop resilience, improve wellbeing and prevent cardiovascular diseases. Your ESA must have good temperament and be friendly or approachable. If you are suffering from mental health issues, you are qualified to keep an ESA.

An ESA can help you manage anxiety better. By simply being present with the owner, ESAs can help beat anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Just the presence of a pet can be relaxing for the owner. Animals can sense your mood and listen to you without judgment, which can have a strong therapeutic effect. They can help the owner build resilience to everyday challenges and emotional issues because they are constant companions. An ESA can help you feel comfortable in situations that trigger anxiety.

Some college administrators in USA have reported that despite the limited evidence, ESAs have helped students feel less stressed or anxious. Mental issues have increased and due to more hectic demands, more students report being anxious and depressed. Anxiety is the most common disorder among college students and continues to rise, more than depression. At least 1 in 6 college students is diagnosed with anxiety. This happens due to distractions, academic pressure and perceived lack of control. With high levels of anxiety, more students are now seeking therapy.

How to Get an ESA

Before you can get an ESA, you need to contact your healthcare providers to determine whether you qualify as being mentally disturbed. You would need to check the laws of your state and rules of your university campus about having an ESA. Some campuses may not allow an ESA due to damage to property. You may have to get a letter by your healthcare providers so that your university can allow you access to an ESA.

If you suffer from anxiety disorder, phobias, depression, chronic stress, and personality disorder, you could be allowed to own an ESA, provided that you take care of it, look after its needs, and keep it from disturbing the lives and activities of other students.

For more information regarding emotional support animals or to determine if you would qualify to have your pet as an emotional support animal please visit www.touchesa.com or call 414-807-8934.