[bucketsjimbo]

While people obviously abuse this and I don't need to bring my dog on the plane:

My dog gives me reason to keep living and not kill myself on my darkest days.

When I wake up sweating and shaking and panicing from anxiety, my dog gives me something soft and comforting to hold and pet. A dog reacts and loves you and distracts you by licking and being playful and in your face.

Having been alone and suffering from this for a decade prior, I can say for sure my dog helps me.

What croc of a psychiatrist can't see this.

Edit:

As for being a crutch, anxiety is not logical. Sometimes there isn't something to confront. Just a fear of impending doom from some unknown source..no matter what you tell yourself, and how much you know there is nothing, you still shake, heart pounding, sweating, physical pain from anxiety.

I could take medicine and be dependent on that, or I could hug my dog

[LargeWu]

As somebody on anxiety meds...they help, man. At least they help me.

You wouldn't begrudge somebody for being dependent on cancer medicine, would you? Or heart medicine? I would rather be dependent on meds than suffer the quality of life issues I used to have. Not sure why your opposition to treating anxiety pharmacologically, but I would encourage you to at least talk to a doctor and explore what medication could do for you.

[bucketsjimbo]

Was not bashing taking medication. Sorry that was not my intent.

SSRIs and such can be helpful, but I would like to stay away from xanax and things like that. I have known many people who became dependent and had their life ruined. I know it depends on the person and their background, but I'd like to avoid it all together personally.

I'd prefer to hug a dog than take potentially addictive medications.

[frgtpsswrdlame]

>Having been alone and suffering from this for a decade prior, I can say for sure my dog helps me.

>What croc of a psychiatrist can't see this.

Did you read the article? Your comment is basically the very first question the author asks the psychiatrist.

[mtgex]

Yeah, the article addresses this question pretty clearly.

Even things that "feel" obvious to us should be studied. We shouldn't just take it for fact that an emotional support animal is a valid method of coping with depression or anxiety.

Especially when there are alternatives which have gone through and continue to be subjected to rigorous scientific study.

If an animal helps you cope with these things, yes by all means go for it. But you can't state that it is a valid alternative to things like medication or therapy if you've never tried them. This person may well be depriving him/herself of an even healthier life which, incidentally makes their pet's life healthier and happier as a result.

[xkcd-sucks]

My girlfriend gives me reason to keep living and not kill myself on my darkest days.

When I wake up sweating and shaking and panicing from anxiety, my girlfriend gives me something soft and comforting to hold and pet. A girlfriend reacts and loves you and distracts you by licking and being playful and in your face.

Having been alone and suffering from this for a decade prior, I can say for sure my girlfriend helps me.

What croc of a psychiatrist calls me "codependent"

[bucketsjimbo]

You don't call someone on SSRIs codependent. You call it treatment.

Codependent implies enabling bad behavior. My dog doesn't enable my anxiety. My meds don't enable my anxiety, they treat it.

[godzillabrennus]

I am not a dog person but I know plenty of people who feel the same way. We should be doing more to support emotional support animals in general to help those afflicted. Mental health is something we as a society in America should be trying a lot of things to improve.

More dogs (especially French Bulldogs doing cute/funny things) is a good step forward.

[bentruyman]

> We should be doing more to support emotional support animals in general to help those afflicted.

Did either you or the parent commenter read the entire article or the interview at the end? Nobody is saying support animals don't help in any way.

The whole discussion is about the lack of any serious studies or evidence that animals objectively help those with mental health issues, and how exactly they help. How can you say "we should be doing more to support" something without knowing if that thing is actually helping? This is the point of the article.

[bucketsjimbo]

It paints it in a very negative light. Does not mention a single positive anecdote

Only says we don't know so they could be doing harm!

[cholantesh]

Why would they bother including positive anecdota? They wouldn't strengthen the scientific case in the least.

[cuckcuckspruce]

The thought of what would happen to my poor cat if I were no longer here has often kept my mind from meandering to unsafe places.