Animals and humans have long lived in harmony, and many people can’t live without a furry friend at home. It’s no surprise, then, that emotional support animals (ESAs) have seen a rise in popularity in recent years. ESAs are assistance animals that provide therapeutic benefits to people with mental health conditions, including anxiety.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), more than 40 million American adults have an anxiety disorder, while around 7% of children deal with anxiety. That’s a significant chunk of the population. Anecdotal evidence suggests that emotional support animals can help individuals who experience symptoms of anxiety. But can science back up those claims? Let’s explore the scientific evidence to learn the benefits of emotional support animals for anxiety.
How Anxiety Affects the Brain
If you deal with anxiety, you already know the signs. An increased heart rate, sweaty hands, and heavy breathing are all physical symptoms of this mental health condition. But what about the effect anxiety has on your brain?
Anxiety triggers the brain’s “fight-or-flight” response, which involves an increase in cortisol and adrenaline—hormones that increase alertness, heart rate, respiration, blood flow, and reflexes. If you have an anxiety disorder, those hormones can stick around long after the perceived threat that caused your anxiety to ramp up has gone. These hormones can cause your brain to become overwhelmed and make you less capable of rational thought.
Additionally, anxiety affects the amygdala (the part of your brain that controls emotions), hippocampus (the part of the brain that allows for learning and memory), and prefrontal cortex (the brain’s “personality center”). Chronic stress and anxiety can increase activity in these areas and, over the long term, can affect your memory, learning ability, and more.
Emotional support animals could be an option as an alternative anxiety treatment. They help reduce anxiety symptoms by lowering the levels of cortisol in the brain. ESAs also offer support and companionship to their owners, which can decrease the chances of an anxiety attack happening in the first place.
The ESA Science Behind Human-Animal Bonds
Why are animals so good at reducing symptoms of anxiety? There are several reasons behind the significant mental health benefits of ESAs. Studies have shown that human-dog interactions can release oxytocin, decrease cortisol levels, and lower blood pressure. Increased oxytocin levels can also activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for relaxation. It’s not much of a stretch to conclude that increased oxytocin can help decrease symptoms of anxiety.
A 2022 study divided schoolchildren into biweekly groups who received animal-assisted interventions alongside a relaxation group and a control group to test the effects of dog interactions on stress levels. The results showed that the children in the dog-assisted intervention group had lower cortisol levels after four weeks than their peers in the relaxation and control groups.
And just petting or interacting with an animal can have a calming effect—especially for those with anxiety. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, 84% of people with post-traumatic stress disorder saw a significant decrease in symptoms when paired with a service dog, and 40% of those people were even able to decrease their medications.
How ESAs Can Help Interrupt Anxiety Cycles
One of the most common techniques for managing anxiety disorders is grounding. Grounding techniques can help you break away from thoughts and emotions that can set off a cycle of anxious thoughts. There are several grounding techniques, each aiming to redirect your attention from your anxious thoughts.
ESAs can help with grounding, bringing you back to the present moment, and breaking the cycle of anxious thoughts. When your anxiety symptoms start ramping up, you can redirect your attention to caring for your emotional support animal, which can help you feel calmer and more in control.
Studies have shown that touch has a calming effect, so it makes sense that touch is a considerable part of grounding for anxiety. Simply petting your ESA may be able to return your thoughts to the present, interrupting the anxiety cycle struggling to take over your brain.
ESAs and Cortisol Reduction: Stress Response
The hormone cortisol plays a significant role in increasing or decreasing anxiety. When you start to feel anxious, your cortisol levels rise. Decreasing cortisol levels can reduce anxiety symptoms and improve overall health. An emotional support animal could help lower your cortisol levels when you feel an anxiety attack coming on.
A 2022 study tested cortisol levels in participants before and after 10-minute interactions with emotional support animals. Results showed a slight decrease in cortisol levels and increased oxytocin after each interaction. The study suggests that simply petting an animal can offer anxiety and stress relief.
Enhancing Emotional Regulation Through ESAs
Emotional regulation is the ability to control your emotional state. This ability lets you cope better when faced with an anxiety-inducing situation. If you have an anxiety disorder, however, you may find it harder to regulate your emotions, which can lead to a spiral of anxiety. ESAs can help improve emotional regulation so owners can learn how to manage their emotions effectively when facing a stressful situation.
A 2023 study tested participants on the Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) before and after animal-assisted therapy interventions. The study found that participants were more easily able to regulate their emotions after the interventions, suggesting that being in the presence of animals can enhance people’s emotional regulation. This, in turn, can make it easier to cope with anxious thoughts and feelings.
The Role of Routine and Responsibility
Routines and structure can give your life purpose and can help individuals with anxiety feel more grounded. Studies have found that having a purpose in life can help prevent adolescents from developing depression, so it makes sense that a sense of purpose can help with anxiety as well.
An ESA can help create purpose and alleviate your anxiety symptoms. They provide companionship and require care and love that creates a routine for individuals with anxiety. ESAs need their owners to provide food, exercise, and enrichment activities to keep them healthy, and doing these things can help people with anxiety find a purpose in life.
Limitations and Considerations of ESAs
Emotional support animals can undoubtedly help reduce anxiety symptoms, but that doesn’t mean getting a pet will automatically cure your anxiety. However, having an ESA can provide additional help alongside medication and therapy in managing your anxiety symptoms.
It’s also important to note that ESAs will not work for everyone, and more studies are needed to determine the exact role of ESAs in managing anxiety.
You may face barriers regarding ESA ownership, including determining which type of animal is right for you. Animals come with responsibilities, which may increase anxiety in some individuals. ESA ownership is an excellent option for many people with anxiety, but that doesn’t mean it will work for everyone.
Conclusion
Anxiety affects the brain by increasing cortisol levels and can affect how your brain functions. Emotional support animals can help by increasing oxytocin and decreasing cortisol levels in your brain, helping you more effectively manage your symptoms alongside traditional anxiety treatments like therapy and medication. But that doesn’t mean ESAs are for everyone.
If you’re considering an emotional support animal, consult a licensed mental health professional to see if an ESA could be a beneficial part of your anxiety management plan. An emotional support animal letter helps make it easier to find a place to live with your animal without being charged fees and pet deposits, under the provisions of the Fair Housing Act. Learn about the best ESA letter services to choose the right one.