It's becoming increasingly common to see animals of all varieties in public places -- cats and birds on airplanes accompanying their owners, or dogs and miniature horses in hospitals, nursing homes and other care facilities providing comfort to patients.
While some of these animals assist individuals with disabilities, others provide various forms of therapy or emotional support.
What's the difference?
The Americans with Disabilities Act stipulates that only dogs can be service animals. For people with disabilities, these dogs are trained to perform certain tasks, such as retrieving medications, providing warning if a seizure is imminent or helping someone who is blind navigate around the home or in public.
Emotional support animals (ESAs) provide comfort to individuals with debilitating mental illness, such as anxiety, depression or post-traumatic stress disorder. ESAs are not trained in specific tasks, can be any type of animal and have to be prescribed by a licensed behavioral health professional. These animals may accompany their owners on airplanes with the proper documentation, although some airlines may restrict which species of animals they permit onboard.
The mission of therapy animals is to help others. Therapy animals can be dogs, cats, miniature horses or other types of pets. They may participate in a variety of programs or interventions, such as visiting older adults in an assisted-living facility or helping patients complete physical therapy.
When panic attacks go public
Panic attacks are the defining feature of a type of anxiety disorder called panic disorder, which may affect as many as 1 in 75 people, according to the American Psychological Association. Panic attacks can occur anytime without warning, sending the heart racing, making breathing difficult and causing an outsized sense of fear.
If you have panic disorder, it's important to know how to manage a panic attack, especially if one occurs while you're at work or out with friends. To regain control, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America recommends concentrating on taking slow, deep breaths to distract from thoughts of fear or panic; and contracting and releasing each muscle group one by one to help your body relax.
If you experience panic attacks, speak with a mental health professional. He or she can help you identify what triggers the episodes and create a personalized plan to help you prevent or cope with them.
At Healthy Horizons, the behavioral health team has the expertise to care for a wide range of emotional and mental health challenges. Faith Berry, MS, LPC, and Don Wleklinski, APRN, offer comprehensive services individualized to the needs of each patient and family. To schedule an appointment, call 479-215-3190 today.
Tidbits
• If you have an emotional support animal and rent your home, your landlord cannot charge a pet deposit, according to the Fair Housing Act.
• Some children's hospitals host facility dogs that help young patients cope with the hospital environment or demonstrate certain concepts to them, such as lying still during imaging tests.
• Panic disorder affects more women than men, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
About Siloam Springs Regional Hospital
Siloam Springs Regional Hospital is a 73 licensed bed facility with 42 private patient rooms. It is accredited by the State of Arkansas Department of Health Services and The Joint Commission. Some services include inpatient and outpatient surgery, emergency medicine, medical, surgical and intensive care units, obstetrics, outpatient diagnostic services and inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation. With more than 50 physicians on the medical staff, Siloam Springs Regional Hospital provides compassionate, customer-focused care. SSRH is an affiliate of Northwest Health, one of the largest health networks in Northwest Arkansas, and through that affiliation is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, a select group of independent health systems that work closely with Mayo Clinic to improve the delivery of health care and better serve their patients and their communities. Siloam Springs Regional Hospital is located at 603 N. Progress Ave. in Siloam Springs. For more information, visit NorthwestHealth.com.
Community on 05/22/2019