Can a psychiatric service dog help me?

I've only ever seen one therapist and it did not go well. But I have social anxiety that I would consider moderately debilitating. I've dropped out and failed out of college before because of it; I've also stopped showing up/ quit my job because of it. I have extreme difficulty going out into public, to do anything at all (even the basics like going to the store), by myself.

The only reason I graduated from my community college was that I realized that I could manage it if my best friend took ALL of the same classes that I did and we went everywhere on campus together. The support of having her there made it bearable, even though I would occasionally still have to leave the classroom. Even when I was medicated for the anxiety/ depression, I still ended up dropping out of school that year.

It's worth stating that I do have a couple physical disabilities that I wouldn't normally think about requesting a service dog for. Which includes muscular dystrophy and heart arrhythmia. An already irregular heartbeat (that I take medication to slow down) does not mix very well with anxiety/ panic attacks.

The reason I thought about a service dog is that now that I've graduated and will be moving on to a university, it is impossible for my friend to take any of the same classes as me due to us having completely different majors. So without her physical and emotional support, I have no idea how I'm going to manage.

My question is: Would a PSD help in my situation? Could a PSD possibly replace that role my friend had and then more? (Give me more freedom to be able to go out into public "on my own" and not have to depend or rely on my family? It's also worth mentioning that I will be moving out soon (that friend will be my roommate, however, I don't want to have to rely on her just to leave the house.)

I realize that a lot of people might think that having a service dog would only bring more attention to me and would make social phobias worse. But I feel like that wouldn't be a problem because they would be focused on the dog and not me (or at least I'd feel that way).

Know that there is a difference between a Service and Support dog (there is someone on this site with a wealth of information on this who I hope drops in with what they have to say). Cost is a big difference in addition to what the animals are trained to do and laws surrounding the rights the animal has regarding things like pubic spaces and housing.

If it was me, I would contact the post secondary institution and enquire about whether support dogs would be allowed. Similarly your rental situation. If you go the service animal route, these questions are a misnomer as by law service animals should be allowed.

My son has an "emotional support" dog. His therapist told me she wanted him to get one because it would get him out of the house. He has anxiety, but not total social anxiety.

He is allowed to have the dog in his apartment, even in places with "no pets allowed" policies, but he can't take her just anywhere.

A "service" dog can be taken everywhere, though.

I think it would help. Just having a pet is therapeutic!

Welcome to Psych Central!

i have a emotional support animal and he comes with me to therapy, it helps a lot. all i did was get a dr note, and go online for the national emotional support animal register and sign up. they sent me a badge etc. he can even fly with me if i wanted him too

however yes as poster above said, unlike service dogs, are only allowed in limited places. however its not as likely to get a service dog for mental health, usually just the ESA

Okay, so going to start off by saying I have had a PSD for years. I am part of a number of support groups for people with SDs and I train SDs. So I'm not just speaking out of my arse here.

A psychiatric service dog is like any other service dog and takes about two years to train. The only reason you would need a letter for the dog, from your doctor, is if you need to live in "no pets" housing or to fly or possibly the Uni might ask for it, as they are a school and you may have to request a reasonable accommodation with them.

The Americans with Disabilities Act defines a service dog as a dog that is trained to help a person with a disability by performing specific tasks. So you can't just be receiving support from the dog, it has to actually perform tasks. Here is a link to tasks that are trainable for people with psychiatric disabilities. http://www.iaadp.org/psd_tasks.html

It can't just be any dog either. And by that, I don't mean breed or rescue versus being purchased. The dog needs to be temperament tested and socialized and have impeccable obedience training. This is why training takes a couple of years. Depending on what state you are in, once your PSD in training is disciplined enough, you may be able to take it with you places. Some states give trainers (and you can owner-train, I did) the same access rights as fully trained service dogs.

Don't get pulled into one of those internet scams that call themselves a service dog registry. There is no legal certification or registration of service dogs in the United States.

My service dog was a rescue from a shelter. When I was diagnosed with my disability, I had already had him for a couple of years, and I was just truly lucky that when I asked our trainer if she felt he could handle being a working dog, she did some testing on him and determined that he would be acceptable for public access work.

It's very difficult to train a dog from puppyhood to being a fully trained service dog. There is an extremely high percentage of "wash outs."

But it's not impossible with a good trainer at your side and if you are invested in the training, to be consistent and devoted to that training.

If you have more questions, you can PM me.

Good luck, I hope this information was helpful.

Seesaw

Not true. Many people in the US have service dogs for psychiatric disabilities. It's not uncommon at all. The national emotional animal registry is a scam. There is no national registry of support animals. It's a for-profit scam to make money off of people who don't read the ADA or Fair Housing Act. It's like paying to get into a "Who's Who" book. It has absolutely no legal standing. All you needed was your doctor's note.

ESAs are only allowed in no pets housing, flying, and hotels. That's it. They have no public access rights at all.

Seesaw

Mine is allowed in Dr offices and my therapy sessions with me... and I was referred to the ESA place by my Dr.... so I assumed it was legit, ESA and service dogs are not the same.

Mine is my actual pet, not a dog I got someone to train for me. I trained him myself and got him to do it, its not a huge deal as the only 2 places he goes with me (above) I have approval for anyway....

Sucks if I wasted my money but oh well I guess, its over and done with now. I've never known anyone to get a actual service dog for a mental health issues, only ESA... but who knows? Emotional Support is basically for emotional (mental health) needs as far as I've ever been told.

What you've been told is incorrect, flat out. If you'd like to understand the law and how ESAs and service dogs truly work, please look up the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Fair Housing Act. These are the only two pieces of legislation that cover this subject.

There is no registry for service dogs or ESAs. Your therapist is misinformed, which doesn't surprise me, because they usually are. I had to educate my own doctors and they have looked up the law on my behalf to make sure that they provide letters that say the correct thing without giving more information than is necessary.

I have sued and won lawsuits about this. I know what I'm talking about in regards to US law (it's very different in other countries).

Sorry you wasted your money. Next time ask your therapist exactly how much they know about a subject. They are trained in psychology, not disability law and housing law.

Seesaw

My service dog alerts me when I dissociate; because he does that trained alert, he counts as a service dog not an ESA. We did work with a trainer for a couple of years so that he would be obedient and mannerly in public, but the trainer mostly trained me Like seesaw, I was fortunate that my dog turned out to have the temperament suitable for a service dog.

In addition to his trained tasks, just having him around eases my anxiety. I do not have the degree of anxiety that you describe, but he does help some. It will attract a lot of attention- you will be asked by all sorts of people why you have a dog and you will be asked constantly if people can pet your dog. For me, having to say no to all the people who want to pet him is harder than saying why I have him. People are generally satisfied with my explanation of dissociation. But many people think that they should be allowed to "cuddle" my dog just because they love dogs. I hear over and over how hard it is for them to resist petting my dog. This despite his vest and his patch that reads "do not pet". Some people even argue with me about it. So that might be something to consider.

Trained SDs cost a lot of money, training one yourself will take a lot of time (and money for obedience school unless you have a lot of experience training dogs). Perhaps you might do well to start with an ESA, they are generally cheaper and require less training. Your school may well be willing to let an ESa attend classes with you. It would be worth asking.

first answering the original poster's question of whether a service dog would help them or not... sorry but the only people that can tell you whether a service pet can help you or not is your own own treatment providers....

now about the statement of not needing any letters or papers..... short version each USA state has their own requirements of what is considered a service animal and what isnt and what papers/ letters and certificates are needed. I travel quite frequently for work and personal / family reasons. I have been held up in many towns and cities and states waiting for family and friends to locate the needed papers, letters and certificates. one time I went to a different state and they were not going to allow my service animal in a hotel because I did not have the needed letter from my doctor, certifications/licensing of my dog and my daughters dog.

line in the sand is many places ....states, towns, cities are no longer just taking the word of a person who has a pet with them. more and more they are requiring paperwork/ letters and certificates/ licensing.. especially in big cities like mine and those that I have traveled to that may have a huge homeless population where homeless people have their pets and trying to pass them off as service animals to ensure warm/ dry places to sleep and such things.

my point dont just assume because one city or one town or one state says no letters or no certificates needed that it goes for everyone and everywhere. the best thing to do is contact ones own county, city, states governing offices, they can tell you what your own locations rules and laws are on such matters... I'd hate to see someone held up somewhere stranded and having to make the choice of getting to ones destination or accomplishing what they set out to do vs handing over a service animal due to not the right paperwork/ letters or certificates.

Also something to keep in mind the USA has a new president that is changing how things are done, as it stands right now what may be legal today may not be legal and what/ how to do things tomorrow. so again the best thing to do is keep up on all the paperwork/ letters, certificates/ licensing... that way as the president is making his chances to health care/ laws/ and a host of other things all you will need to do is update what you already have to include what the president makes for changes.

I have gotten to the point where I have no issue saying don't touch my dog. Then they ask me what his name is, and I refuse to tell them, because all they want to do is talk to him and further distract him, which is actually illegal -to distract a working service dog. People see what they want to see. Astro wears a big red vest that says 'do not pet' and 'service dog' and people still walk right up to him and try to pet him. Then they feel really stupid when I school them on putting my life in jeapardy by distracting my dog. I used to be nice about it, but frankly, I got tired of every outing being mobbed by people with questions, I try to be polite but firm that I want to be left alone.

Unless it's an employee asking what my SD is for, I tell people it's none of their business. My private medical diagnosis is none of their business.

Places of business can only legally ask two questions, and i have no problem answering those to an employee or business owner, but not the general public. I owe them no more a reason for my service dog than I do for a wheelchair.

Not my therapist, my actual DR is the one who told me. I don't see them anymore anyway since I switched insurance. I am obviously dumb and have a lot of reading to do.

None the less.... he is still allowed at my sessions anyway, my therapist allows me to bring my other dog too if I want and he is just my pet

Yes I went and read a bit, I am well aware that ESA are not part of the ADA.... I did find several sites saying to get a DR note that you are in need of a comfort animal for your mental health so idk, maybe thats how my other dr found it? Who knows... I don't use my dog as a service dog, he only goes to the 2 places that allow him that I mentioned, otherwise he just hangs with me at home to help me stay calm

wanted to add that here in NY (my location) service dogs are held to the same standards as non service animals.... the state of NY now requires .......all....... dogs to be licensed and wearing their licensing tag. (some locations call this registering their dogs.)

for those in NY state here is where you can get information on how to license your pet or service dog https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doh/servic...-licenses.page

other pet owners your local vet can tell you how to get your dog (pet or otherwise) licensed / registered depending upon your locations laws for dog owners of any kind of dog.

That has to do with their rabies vaccination, not certification as a service animal. And typically, the fees are waived, per the law, for service dogs, because you can't tax medical equipment.

Seesaw

I'm glad he helps you. It sounds like from what you describe that you could potentially task train him and make him a service dog. But I don't know how he is in public. You aren't dumb; it's a mistake that many people make because a doctor's note is required, but doctor's are completely uneducated about the laws surrounding ESAs and SDs. And there is a lot of misinformation out there. The only reason you'd need the doctor's note is for no pets housing or to travel with your ESA on an airline. If you own your own home or don't ever fly, you literally would never need a note. In fact, even some employers will allow you the accommodation to bring your ESA to work if it's well behaved. You just have to ask. They can decline, but some have been known to say yes or at least give it a try.

Seesaw

no New york just passed a new law that states ......All.... dogs must be licensed. a license is different than a rabies tag here in NY. the license is a permit to have a dog the dog owner gets a certificate saying they are the dog owner and what the dogs license number is and a silver tag with the license number on it to put on the dogs collar. the rabies tag is a red and with a rabies number and the phone number for where to verify that the dog had their rabies shots. they are two different things here in NY state.