Service dogs for depression are one of the best tools you can leverage to minimize symptoms and reduce the impact the condition has on your life. While depression can also be managed with medications, pairing medication with exercise, sunlight, and a service dog can drastically improve symptoms and help you manage your depression.
That said, it’s important to learn more about service dogs for depression to understand what that might look like. This is because there is a level of care that goes into it, and service dogs aren’t your average pet dogs. Thankfully, we’re here to help you determine if a service dog for depression is right for you. Read on to learn more.
What Is Depression?
First and foremost, it’s important to learn more about depression and how the condition is defined. This is because clinical depression is different from a depressive episode or even feeling sad. In fact, there’s a handful of different types of depression, and understanding each one can help you determine if a service dog for depression is the right answer.
Some examples of common depressive disorders include:
- Persistent Depressive Disorder: A chronic type of depression but only for about a year or two.
- Bipolar Disorder: A depressive disorder that leads to alternating States of mania (heightened mood) and depression.
- Psychotic Depression: A Rare form of depression where people may experience visual and auditory hallucinations
- Postpartum Depression: Episodes of depression that develop after pregnancy.
- Clinical Depression: Severe and persistent symptoms that follow someone for life.
As you can see, there are many types of depression, and depending on its severity, you may or may not qualify for a service dog.
What Types of Depression Qualify for a Service Dog?
Most types of depression qualify for a service dog as long as the condition is chronic. If the condition is not chronic, however, mental health professionals may recommend different types of treatment until the condition goes away. For this reason, how chronic the depression is often plays a role in whether or not you qualify for a service dog.
What Is a Service Dog for Depression?
A service dog for depression is a unique type of service dog known as a psychiatric service dog. These dogs are trained to help people manage a mental health disability like depression. Their training usually involves keeping people away from triggers, preventing self-harm, and fetching medications for their human companions.
Service dogs for depression also provide comfort and can treat various symptoms of depression while keeping their companions as comfortable as possible.
Benefits of a Service Dog for Depression
There are several benefits of working with a service dog for depression. You’ll find that they can improve your mood, prevent you from encountering triggers, and even keep you alive by preventing self-harm. Learn more about the benefits of a service dog for depression below.
Emotional Support
The biggest benefit that most people get from a service dog for depression is emotional support. These dogs will make you feel more comfortable and can even bond with you emotionally to know when you’re sad or unhappy.
Having a dog around also increases happiness and may give their companions a sense of purpose and responsibility. For example, you’ll have to walk them and care for them, which may force you to get out of bed.
Physical Support
We know that service dogs for depression are psychiatric service dogs, but that doesn’t mean they can’t help you physically. For example, they can nudge you to take your medication at the right time.
They can also escort you out of crowded areas if you’re on the brink of a panic attack. Simply bonding with you via touch is another way that service dogs for depression can help. A great example of this is deep-pressure therapy (DPT), which is when the dog is trained to apply pressure on specific areas to relieve sadness and provide comfort.
Experience the Benefits of a Service Dog for Depression
Depression is a debilitating mental health disability, but it doesn’t have to control your life. While medication helps a lot, you’ll find that working with a service dog for depression will add another layer of treatment and make it even easier to manage your condition.
To qualify for a service dog for depression, reach out to a qualified licensed mental health professional or work with an online platform like United States Service Animals (USSA) to begin the process. Then, consider the dog breed and training goals necessary to benefit from a service dog.
