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The Science Behind Emotional Support Animals: Why ESAs Matter for Mental Health
20 Plays3 months ago
This is the deeply personal story of why my dog Mochi isn't just a pet - he's the reason I'm still here. The moment when getting an emotional support animal at the height of my depression became the best decision I've ever made in my entire life.
Here's what we're exploring about emotional support animals and mental health:
- What ESAs actually are: animals that provide therapeutic benefit through presence (not service animals), requiring documentation from a licensed mental health professional
- The University of Toledo study: statistically significant decreases in depression, anxiety, and loneliness in participants paired with shelter animals
- How they help beyond companionship: consistent comfort, intuitive response during crisis, physical touch combating touch-deprivation, and reducing isolation
- The Mochi effect: from horrible days with mood in the trash to perfect moments when he curls up next to me - his presence makes everything okay again
- The reality: ESAs are expensive (Mochi's spinal stroke cost thousands) and require serious responsibility and proper care
From literally getting Mochi at the deepest point of my depression to understanding that pets somehow sense when you need them (backed by research), this episode breaks down why ESAs are more than just cute animals - they're legitimate therapeutic support.
Because here's what matters: in a world where isolation and loneliness are epidemic, having an ESA can genuinely save your mental health. I wouldn't be where I am today without Mochi, and that's just facts.
I can be having the absolute worst day - everything feeling wrong - and Mochi will just curl up next to me. And suddenly? Life feels okay again. That's not just my story. That's documented science.
Subscribe. Share. Remember that if you're considering an ESA, make sure you can provide proper care - but if you can, it might just change your life.
Small steps, big healing. Keep growing! ✨
Join the conversation! Does your pet help your mental health? DM me your ESA stories on Instagram @YourCoachMari - I'd love to hear about your companions!
If you want to dig deeper into the science behind what I'm sharing, check out:
- Emotional Support Animals: The Basics
- Study Finds First Scientific Evidence
- The power of support from companion animals for people living with mental health problems
💬 LET'S CONNECT:
Send in questions: contact+podcast@marisolmoran.com
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Transcript
Introduction to 'Growing With Sol' podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
um hello beautiful souls and welcome back to another inst installment of the Growing With Sol podcast. This is where we explore the moments and stories that shape who we're becoming. I'm Marisol, and this is where I love to have real conversations about growth, self-discovery, and learning to put yourself first.
00:00:20
Speaker
Whether we're diving into books that change our perspective or unpacking personal experiences that teach us something new, this podcast is for women
00:00:31
Speaker
ready to embrace their own journey. If you've struggled with putting everyone else first or battled self-doubt, you're in the right place.
Meet Mochi: Marisol's Emotional Support
00:00:48
Speaker
If you've followed me for even one day on any platform, whether it be this podcast, whether it be on social media, or if you're on my email list, then you know about Mochi.
00:01:02
Speaker
i don't mean I don't mean the dessert, which I mean, I could be. i could if If you know me even a little bit, I could easily be talking about the dessert, but I'm not. Not this time. I'm talking about my dog, my Mochito.
00:01:16
Speaker
He is a little Shiba Inu baby of a five-year-old baby, and he is my everything. And if you just click on my Instagram,
00:01:28
Speaker
You will see him all over the place. And that is as it should be. That is as it should be. And i am not shy to say that he is essentially my emotional support dog.
00:01:41
Speaker
He is I mean, from day one, Mochi has been my emotional support dog. I literally bought him when I was at like the height of my depression, like like the deepest the deepest part of my depression. Okay. Like that's that's when I got Mochi and it was the best decision i have ever made in my entire life.
00:02:06
Speaker
Bar none. Like getting Mochi... was the best thing I have ever done for myself.
00:02:17
Speaker
And I'm going to go into that a little bit more in this podcast, but Mochi is the light of my life. He is the nexus of my healing, my joy, and my happiness. And you might think that sounds freaking crazy.
00:02:35
Speaker
You might think that I'm putting way too much on his little bitty head, his cute, fluffy little face. And maybe, know what? Maybe. That's fair. That's fair.
00:02:46
Speaker
At the same time, I would not be where I am today in terms of my mental and emotional health without Mochi. And that's just facts.
00:02:57
Speaker
um I know that the term ESA, emotional support animal, has grown in recognition definitely within recent years. um they They've gained a lot of popularity recently.
The Role of Emotional Support Animals
00:03:10
Speaker
ah So I really wanted to dig into that a little bit more and dig into the science behind why yeah ESAs are so pivotal in people's mental health and well-being.
00:03:24
Speaker
So first and foremost, we definitely need to define what we're talking about. um So let's go ahead and define emotional support animal. What exactly is it?
00:03:37
Speaker
And the thing is, an emotional support animal is... an animal that provides a therapeutic benefit. So this can be emotional support, comfort, companionship to a person with a mental health or psychiatric disability, such as a serious mental health condition.
00:03:53
Speaker
To be clear, an esa is not considered a service animal. that needs to be very clear. They're not considered a service animal. So what kind of makes that distinction?
00:04:05
Speaker
yeah ESAs and do not perform any kind of specific task. Instead, it's essentially their presence that relieves the symptoms associated with a person's serious mental health condition.
00:04:18
Speaker
So for a person to legally have a emotional support animal, the owner must be considered to have a qualifying mental health or psychiatric disability by a licensed mental health professional like a therapist, psychologist, psychiatrist, etc.
00:04:33
Speaker
That is then documented by a properly formatted prescription letter. The difference between a legitimate ESA and a pet is the letter from your licensed mental health a professional.
00:04:45
Speaker
That does make a very clear distinction there. so With Moch, um that is something that I chose ultimately not to get. So I know that like, I do know that for a while there, there was a lot of conversation about like airlines changing their policy around ESAs and having pets in cabin and stuff like that. I've not traveled with Mochi.
00:05:11
Speaker
But I do know that there was a time where I really was considering getting Mochi, getting that letter essentially for Mochi, and then I chose to to forego it. But in terms of like unofficially, he is my ESA. And i he that's what he acted as, like – To this day, this like literally, literally, i will be having a horrible day.
00:05:34
Speaker
Horrible day. Mood in the trash. Mental health in the gutter. i feel triggered or sad or frustrated or angry or let's be real. It's me. It's all of the above at once.
00:05:49
Speaker
And everything can feel like it's going absolutely wrong in my life.
00:05:54
Speaker
And I just go on a walk with Moch. Or I just snuggle up next to Moch or really Mochi snuggles up next to me. I'll be in bed having a crash out and Mochi will just curl up next to me. And I'm like, this is
Research and Impact of ESAs
00:06:11
Speaker
perfection.
00:06:12
Speaker
Like everything else feels like absolute utter trash, but I know that my life is going to be okay because I have Mochi right here next to me. And I keep looking over to the side because he's right there asleep. Yeah.
00:06:26
Speaker
He's literally asleep right there looking super cute. So yes, unfortunately, there isn't necessarily significant research in this area. um There have been a few studies done when it comes to emotional support animals, so I will get into them, but I do want to preface this conversation by saying that there do need to be more studies because I do think as someone who has benefited from a mochito, from a essentially unofficial emotional support animal, I do think that they are
00:07:00
Speaker
incredible sources of healing. And especially now that we are in a world where I do think a lot of people are still very isolated and a lot of people do complain about loneliness, that having a pet can really help alleviate that.
00:07:17
Speaker
And additionally, having a pet, whether you want it or not, does initiate conversation with other people when you're out and about. Especially when you have one so cute like Mochi. Because people want to know, what is he?
00:07:30
Speaker
Is he a shibito? Is he Nikita puppy? One time somebody asked me if he was a chow chow puppy. And I was like, really? Really? But whatever, you know, conversations are good, I guess.
00:07:41
Speaker
um So anyway, to go back to the research portion before I get sidetracked just talking about mochi this entire podcast, um there was a study of 11 subjects with serious mental health illnesses.
00:07:53
Speaker
Then they did report that there was a significant reduction in loneliness, depression, and anxiety symptoms 12 months after living with an ESA. So these 12 individuals reported experiencing some relief after a year, essentially, of having an ESA.
00:08:11
Speaker
Unfortunately, that study did not control for other psychiatric treatments that were received by the patients. So it was it was an imperfect study, but there was a little bit more research also done in the area, which we will talk about as well.
00:08:24
Speaker
But just to give you an idea or to preface the conversation, there definitely needs to be more research done. So again, i do want to emphasize that even in that study that included the ESAs along with other treatment, that there still was improvement in the patient's symptoms.
00:08:43
Speaker
There was also a study done by the University of Toledo where researchers from the College of Health and Human Services followed a small group of study participants who were paired with a shelter dog or cat ah through the Hope and Recovery Pet Program.
00:09:00
Speaker
So in this particular study, participants, all of whom met low income criteria and were identified as at risk of social isolation, were referred by their mental health providers.
00:09:14
Speaker
So all these people were referred by other mental health providers. And by the conclusion of the study, they did find a statistically significant decrease in the participants' depression, anxiety, and loneliness as measured by standardized scales.
00:09:31
Speaker
So, like I mentioned previously, especially in a world right now where a lot of people do complain about loneliness and isolation, this study does show that having an ESA can alleviate that feeling of loneliness and of isolation.
00:09:45
Speaker
And this is one of those things where I feel like anybody who's ever had a pet, anybody who's ever had a cat, who's had a dog, like, you just You just know, you recognize that they bring so much into your life and they bring so much life into your home that When you see these studies and you see the results, it's like, yeah, like it it can just feels so obvious. that You have to do research on this when it feels like a no-brainer.
00:10:16
Speaker
But seeing the science behind these things is always really cool. So there definitely do need to be more studies. And this one does show what a lot of us already experience on a daily basis.
00:10:29
Speaker
Additionally, a lot of researchers have also looked at research research in terms of like research when it comes to pet ownership, since there have been, there haven't been enough studies on ESA specifically.
00:10:43
Speaker
a lot of them just look at pet op pet ownership in and of itself and the studies around that. So interestingly enough, the mechanisms through which pets made the perceived contribution to emotional work,
00:10:54
Speaker
seemed to be the provision of a consistent source of comfort and affection. So essentially when it comes to like pets and ESAs, as we extrapolate that from this, is that essentially the companionship portion that pets bring seemed to be sort of that important aspect of it, like that consistent, like the pet of always being there for you, and which we can then take that towards the ESAs.
00:11:20
Speaker
So essentially in these studies, it does show that pets provided calming support and were perceived to have a sense of when it was needed. So a lot of us do have our anecdotes of like, oh, like I was crying and my dog came over and like cuddled with me or something like that.
00:11:35
Speaker
A lot of us have those types of stories. Um, Moch wasn't necessarily like that, but just having him around was definitely beneficial. Um, but essentially it's that consistent presence that they bring.
00:11:47
Speaker
And then so many animals are being like essentially empathetic in that way and sensing when you do need them around. Additionally, pets are able to provide unique and emotional support as a result of their ability to respond to their owners in an intuitive way, especially in times of crisis and periods of active symptoms.
00:12:07
Speaker
So again, some um animals are able to really recognize when you are in distress and really need their support and their presence. So a related impact on loneliness through these studies with pets um was achieved through physical contact, which reduced feelings of isolation, providing a source of physical warmth and companionship, and by providing opportunities for communication.
00:12:32
Speaker
Again, touching on the isolation and loneliness piece. If you love your pets, you're going to be talking to them. Like if you love your animals, you're going to be having conversations with them.
00:12:43
Speaker
Do they respond? Sometimes. Okay. Mochi has an attitude. Mochi has opinions. Sometimes he does respond. um But, you know, not always. But still, you're having communication with them. You're talking to them.
00:12:58
Speaker
you know, as people, we need others. As people, we need to be around others. We need physical touch. Like like i recently was talking to someone just about like being touch deprived. Like like it's so important for us to like have physical connection with other people.
00:13:17
Speaker
And when we're not in an in a situation or like in an opportunity to have that consistently, we're being able to have that with like your your ESA, your pet, like goes a long way. like Like when Mochi snuggles with me, life is perfect.
00:13:37
Speaker
Life is perfect when Mochi snuggles with me. Like there's no other way to put it. It's the like, which is why I love the winter so much because in the summer it's too hot to snuggle. Okay. Mochi has a double for a coat.
00:13:49
Speaker
That's what she was have. So he's like, I'm going to sleep on the floor. and don't want to be near you right now. It's 90 degrees at night. Understandable in the winter, Mochi snuggles up and it is the best thing ever on the planet.
00:14:03
Speaker
It makes me happy. It makes my life better when he snuggles with me. So scientists, you got to get on this to see the research. Okay. do you need to like do a sleep study, do an exam, do an exam on my brain while Mochi snuggles with me at night?
Responsibilities of ESA Ownership
00:14:22
Speaker
maybe, maybe what what's going on in my brain when that's happening, the best stuff is going on in my brain. um But ultimately with Mochi as my pet and my unofficial ESA, I definitely believe that a lot of individuals can benefit from having an ESA and that it's something that
00:14:46
Speaker
just bring so much joy into our lives. And I feel like so many of us, maybe even especially right now, when life and the world seems so crazy, we really could use a lot more joy, a lot more silliness that all pets bring into our lives.
00:15:04
Speaker
And we can use a lot more fun in our lives as well, because everything else can feel so crazy on top of maybe our own mental health struggles already. So if you have ever been considering getting an ESA, it is a big decision. i don't want to like put this out there and be like, ESAs are amazing. You should get one. And like, they're great.
00:15:25
Speaker
They are great. They are absolutely wonderful and fantastic. At the same time, it is still an animal that you are taking care of. And their quality of life is also very, very important.
00:15:37
Speaker
And their health is very, very important. Now, chances are, if you're listening to this, then you agree with me and you'd probably be an amazing pet parent. But I do need to say that having a pet is a huge responsibility.
00:15:50
Speaker
um As much as em Moji has brought all the beautiful, wonderful things into my life, he's been very expensive. As many of you know, recently he did have fibrocartilaginous embolism, essentially a spinal stroke, that cost ah thousands upon thousands of dollars to diagnose and treat.
00:16:13
Speaker
So...
00:16:16
Speaker
Having a pet and an ESA is a huge responsibility, so I don't want to just flippantly put this out there. um If you are in a place to get one and support one, ah didn't again, I don't do this by myself either all the time. like I'm very fortunate to have family that supported me through Mochi's recent injury.
00:16:36
Speaker
So I didn't have to do all of it by myself. So if you're in a situation like that as well, then maybe getting one is the right decision for you. But it's definitely something to consider.
Podcast Conclusion and Call to Action
00:16:45
Speaker
it's a it It necessitates a well-rounded approach to the decision-making process if you're thinking about getting an ESA. But if you do get one, I fully support that as well.
00:16:58
Speaker
Thank you for tuning in today. you made
00:17:02
Speaker
If this episode resonated with you, give like and review the podcast. It definitely helps get this out to the other people who need to hear it. And also don't forget to subscribe. If you are struggling with something and wanting some extra support, I am certified life coach and I am accepting new clients.
00:17:23
Speaker
And you can schedule your very own discovery call with me through the link in the show notes. Until next time, keep growing.