Therapy, medication, and self-care can all be valuable for people who struggle with certain mental health conditions. Certain types of animals can also be extremely helpful. In today’s post, we’re going to discuss psychiatric service dogs for anxiety and depression.
What Exactly is a Service Dog?
“Service dog” sounds like a general or informal term, but it actually has an important and distinct definition. If you are trying to determine the best type of dog to help with mental health concerns, it is important to understand the differences between service dogs for anxiety and depression and other types of dogs that fill similar (but by no means identical) roles.
Here is a quick review of what a few different types of dogs can do for people who have been living with mental health disorders:
- Service dogs: Psychiatric service dogs are trained to take specified actions (such as identifying that a person is about to have a panic attack) and or perform a certain set of tasks to help a person who has a mental health concern..
- Therapy dogs: Therapy dogs are specially trained canines that go (with their owners, of course) to hospitals, nursing homes, and other facilities to provide joy and comfort to patients.
- Emotional support dogs: Emotional support dogs provide companionship and comfort to their owners. They do not need to have any specialized training.
Service dogs have the legal right to be in places (such as restaurants and schools) where animals are typically banned. Emotional support dogs may be allowed in some places where other animals aren’t usually permitted, but neither they nor therapy dogs have the same expansive legal protections that service dogs do.
How Do Service Dogs Help With Anxiety and Depression?
Now that we’ve clarified some important differences among the various types of helpful dogs, let’s turn our attention to the specific benefits of service dogs for anxiety and depression.
Here are some duties that a service dog might perform:
- Alerting a person that they are about to experience an anxiety attack.
- Alerting others that the person may be having a mental health crisis.
- Distracting the person, lying down on them, pressing up against them, or otherwise helping them to get through severe symptoms safely and with minimal distress.
- Fetching medication or bringing the phone so the person can summon help.
- Preventing a person from engaging in some self-harming behaviors.
- Providing people with a sense of safety so that they feel comfortable leaving their house, going to work, running errands, and otherwise interacting within the community.
- Helping a person maintain appropriate personal space by providing a buffer zone or establishing a bit of distance between the individual and others.
- Waking a person up if they appear to be having a nightmare.
For people who have been prevented from living a full and satisfying life due to mental health concerns, service dogs for anxiety and depression can be invaluable sources of practical assistance, renewed hope, and rediscovered possibility.
Best Service Dog Breeds for Anxiety and Depression?
Dogs from all breeds (including mixed breeds) can be service dogs for depression and anxiety. When trying to choose the right dog for yourself or a loved one, here are a few factors to keep in mind:
- What specific duties do you want your service dog to perform?
- How much room do you have in your house or apartment?
- Do you have the time and space for a dog that needs regular exercise?
- Would you prefer a more active dog or one that’s more laid back?
- What types of dogs to you feel most and least comfortable around?
In terms of size, both large breeds (such as German shepherds and Labrador retrievers) and smaller dogs (such as spaniels, poodles, and terriers) can be effective psychiatric service dogs.
How to Get a Service Dog for Anxiety and Depression
Now that you understand the many ways that service dogs for anxiety and depression can improve your life, let’s take a look at how you (or someone that you care about) can get one of these amazing animals.
The first step in getting a psychiatric service dog is documentation. You must receive a diagnosis of a mental health disorder from a qualified healthcare provider. This person must also write a letter confirming the diagnosis and acknowledging the need for a psychiatric service dog.
People who have been struggling with anxiety or depression may be diagnosed with conditions such as:
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Panic disorder
- Agoraphobia
- Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)
- Specific phobia
- Major depressive disorder
Other diagnoses that may qualify a person for a psychiatric service dog include:
- Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
- Bipolar disorder
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Schizophrenia
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Once you have your diagnosis and your letter, your options include:
- Buying a trained dog from a reputable service dog organization
- Purchasing an untrained dog and having it trained by a professional
- Getting professional training for a dog that you already own
Please note that you or your family will be responsible for all costs related to acquiring, training, and keeping a service dog for anxiety or depression. Neither public nor private health insurance providers cover service dogs.
Contact Montare at the Valley About Our Anxiety and Depression Treatment
Service dogs for anxiety and depression can make a wonderful contribution to a person’s life. But living with a service dog isn’t a replacement for effective mental health treatment.
Montare at the Valley offers personalized outpatient care for adults whose lives have been disrupted by anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and a host of other mental health concerns. Our center is a safe space where you can receive life-affirming services from a team of skilled and compassionate professionals. With our help, you can live a happier and much more satisfying life (and you can keep your dog, too!).
For more information or to schedule a free assessment, please visit our Contact Us page or call us today.
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