Do you know that nearly 80 percent of the veterans suffer from some form of depression? Working in the military is tough and while the career could be quite rewarding, it could be equally stressful also.
The condition is especially prevalent in the officers who have had extended tours of duty as they are exposed to extreme stress.
This stress leads to life long mental health problems in the veterans. An emotional support animal is a great addition to any veteran’s life as they provide mental support and comfort to the inflicted.
An emotional support animal could help the veterans in a number of ways like providing love, comfort, companionship, and friendship plus the following ways.
Veterans often suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is quite common in veterans and this is due to their military lifestyle. During their service, they had been exposed to different stressful and unpleasant experiences and environments.
Even after retirement, these memories stay with them and cause a number of issues like panic attacks, nightmares, and flashbacks. An ESA helps in alleviating these conditions and managing them in a better way.
Veterans have spent more than half of their lives with their military friends and this is why once they are retired, they find it hard to live without them. An emotional support animal provides them the needed companionship. For them, a cheery friend like a dog or a pot-bellied pig makes a great ESA.
Feeling alone and isolated is one of the common symptoms in veterans and they often lead to other mental health imbalances and issues. An ESA dog helps in overcoming this loneliness and providing the needed companionship.
Chronic anxiety comes with an extreme military lifestyle and the veterans often suffer from it. For the people suffering from chronic anxiety, doing everyday tasks like buying groceries, going on a social event or on a trip is full of anxiety and stress.
With an emotional support animal, they will always have someone to accompany them everywhere and this will help them stay calm and composed.
Animals like dogs need a regular and good amount of exercise and sp do the veterans. Military life is very active but once a person is retired, they give in to laziness, mostly because they have difficulties leading a normal life.
Because an ESA will be dependent on them for food and exercise, this will lead them to ba active and look after the animal. Walking with their ESA dog will help them in having good physical and mental health. Exercise is great for both body and mind and an animal will force them to get out and work out.
Moving to civilian life after the excitement of military life is often quite stressful for many veterans. They find normal life mundane and boring and feel unexcited and this leads to depression. Animals are exciting by nature and they inspire this excitement in their owners also.
Having an ESA letter animal means that you have a cheerful and active partner by your side. This companionship eases the symptoms of depression in the veterans.
Military life is very different from the normal and usual life. Having spent the major part of their lives living and sleeping in the dorms, veterans find it difficult to sleep in the usual ‘comfortable beds’ and often suffer from sleepless and restless nights.
People who sleep with their pets or ESAs experience fewer sleepless nights than those who do not. Sleeping with an ESA will help them in sleeping peacefully.
ESAs help veterans in adjusting to the normal and usual life easily and comfortably. Since they had spent a very different life in the military, they feel lost after their retirement. An ESA gives them a sense of belonging and help them live comfortably.
A valid emotional support animal letter is necessary for everyone who is looking to live and travel with their ESA and veterans needs it too.