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Emotional Support
- Thread starter Katie M
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- #22
I'm sorry. It's just that, sometimes, it's the only pain I have any control over, if that makes any sense.
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It does. That makes sense to me so I won't judge you for not being perfect. We all have our own challenges in life.
I'm sorry. It's just that, sometimes, it's the only pain I have any control over, if that makes any sense.
I'm just not 100% sure that Selene only wanted a warm place to sleep. Willow is starting to take over some of Franklin's "responsibilities" and it doesn't look anything at all like pure self-interest.
Assuming that pets are just exploiting us for free food and free rent sounds too much like anthropomorphization to me, but maybe that's just because I'm becoming misanthropic in my old age.
I think cats make better ESAs than dogs for some people. Willow seems to have more free will than my dogs. Somehow it feels more genuine if it isn't trained into them, although cats certainly can be trained. Willow comes running when she hears the treat bag and enjoys practicing her sit and recall right along with my pups.
An ESA is not going to have the kind of side effects that psych meds do. An ESA is going to be less expensive to society as a whole than ignoring people's serious problems or trying to medicate them away. Cats can provide emotional support and cats can adapt to accompanying their people in many of the same public places where we are accustomed to seeing canine ESAs.
I hope that feline ESAs will become more common in the future and that more doctors will prescribe them.
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It makes perfect sense. You don’t have to be sorry.
I'm sorry. It's just that, sometimes, it's the only pain I have any control over, if that makes any sense.
I used to self-harm when I was younger, for several years. I didn’t have any cats at that time, but my dog was my #1 support and comfort through that time. I know he didn’t understand rationally why I was upset or what I was doing, and he isn’t usually a very demonstrative or affectionate dog, but whenever I was struggling he would always be right there, to nudge me or whine or lay back-to-back. Somehow he understood better than any human.
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It happened again. I'm sitting here in tears because I don't deserve such a wonderful cat.
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But you do! Just ask Selene. Who cares what I think. She's the only one whose opinion matters because it's her life and she says you do.
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- #27
I just sent a message to my psychiatrist. I asked if she would consider writing a letter stating that my cats are very important to my mental health. My goal is to live in Morgantown, and I would be absolutely devastated if I couldn't have Charlie and Selene with me. They're all I have to come home to.
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Good luck. I've had people say disgustedly that you can't have more than one ESA as if people were just faking their issues, but I certainly need all three of my pets and there's another poster here who is either working on the paperwork for their second ESA or has a landlord who accepts one pet even though they already have an ESA.
This is a very unselfish thing you're doing. If Charlie and Selene are acknowledged as being every bit as necessary and valuable for your health as somebody else's canine ESA then it's going to be easier for the next person. I'm a bit of an idealist, but unless there are allergy issues, I don't see any reason why Psychiatric Service Cats shouldn't be allowed access to everywhere service dog users and wheelchair users can go.
You deserve to have a home too. You are more than your mental health challenges and you have a lot to offer the world.
This is a very unselfish thing you're doing. If Charlie and Selene are acknowledged as being every bit as necessary and valuable for your health as somebody else's canine ESA then it's going to be easier for the next person. I'm a bit of an idealist, but unless there are allergy issues, I don't see any reason why Psychiatric Service Cats shouldn't be allowed access to everywhere service dog users and wheelchair users can go.
You deserve to have a home too. You are more than your mental health challenges and you have a lot to offer the world.
I really hope the psychiatrist writes you that letter. There should be more ESA cat's I know how much my daughters cat's help her she can't have a dog walking is difficult for her. 
Apparently you CAN have more than one ESA, if your doctor writes the note to indicate that each of them serves a purpose in alleviating your symptoms. So that's good, I didn't know that. But the landlord has to agree on what they consider "reasonable", and I don't think a lot of landlords are very reasonable :/. But if your doctor is familiar with how to word their "prescription", it's worth a try anyway.
FAQs on Emotional Support Animals | Animal Legal & Historical Center
FAQs on Emotional Support Animals | Animal Legal & Historical Center
I'm reading a memoir kind of book written by a GP and just yesterday there was a part where her patient told her about self-harm and she asked him to write every time he gets the urge to self-harm. His feelings, or poems (he writes poems), or make drawings.
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- #32
My psychiatrist suggested holding an ice cube whenever I get the urge. I understand her rationale-it'll cause pain without causing damage. Unfortunately, cold is extremely unpleasant for me, and I don't get the relief I'm looking for.I'm reading a memoir kind of book written by a GP and just yesterday there was a part where her patient told her about self-harm and she asked him to write every time he gets the urge to self-harm. His feelings, or poems (he writes poems), or make drawings.
Different methods work for different people. I hope you find what works for you the best soon
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- #35
My psychiatrist wrote the letter! After a not-so-good week healthwise, I needed a victory. I'm SO relieved 
Wonderful news I'm glad you can take keep them both with you.
Absolutely makes sense but it’s not a productive way to make another pain or problem go away. Trust me; I’ve been there. When I was told this truth, I was angry about it; “the only way to the other side of your pain, is through it. You can’t get around it, you can’t get over it, you can’t hide it away, you have to go through it. Period, end of story”! Like I said; I was really angry at the therapist that said that to me, but her words are golden to me now. I’m hoping that you’ll embrace that truth in due time...
I'm sorry. It's just that, sometimes, it's the only pain I have any control over, if that makes any sense.
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I used to self harm too. I did it off and on from about 13 to 28. Im not sure what changed... just one day things were bad and i thought of doing it, and the thought was like as if someone said they were going to cut a friend of mine. If someone tried to hurt my friend i would physically stop them, even if i got hurt. My friends are beautiful and precious. And somehow, i finally saw myself that way. It was almost like i was thinking, about myself, "no, dont hurt her. Shes been through enough. She has such pretty pale skin-why do you want to mar it? Dont hurt that girl. She's precious". And i just... couldnt do it anymore.
Did i learn to love myself? Idk. I still have issues with worth and self esteem. But i know i dont deserve to be hurt. I wont do that to myself again.
I hope you feel that way too, and soon.
As for emotional support, Honeybun helps me a lot. Even just little things. You know how a lot of cats will get antsy and paw at the door to get in a different room after a while? Well i have a roomate, and i have my own bedroom, and when i go to bed at around 10 or 11 i call "Honeybun, time for bed!" And she comes running in my room. I shut the door and get in bed and after a few minutes she joins me, laying either right next to me with her front half on my pillow, or close by, and she stays with me all night. She almost never cries to leave the room and go run around the apartment. She has food water and a litterbox in here. If she wakes and is bored she'll go play with her mousie or sit in the window or have a snack, and then come back to sleep with me more.
Around 5 or 6 she wakes me for breakfast and i open the door and she has the run of the apt again.
But its just the fact that she RUNS in when its time for bed and happily spends all night with me in my small bedroom and never complains or wants out... it just makes me feel like she really loves me and loves being with me. And like i made her life better when i rescued her, and she's happy.
When im sad i can cry into her fur and she doesnt try to leave. She makes more eye contact than any other cat ive ever had. She makes my life so much better
Here she is sleeping on a pillow right next to my face
Did i learn to love myself? Idk. I still have issues with worth and self esteem. But i know i dont deserve to be hurt. I wont do that to myself again.
I hope you feel that way too, and soon.
As for emotional support, Honeybun helps me a lot. Even just little things. You know how a lot of cats will get antsy and paw at the door to get in a different room after a while? Well i have a roomate, and i have my own bedroom, and when i go to bed at around 10 or 11 i call "Honeybun, time for bed!" And she comes running in my room. I shut the door and get in bed and after a few minutes she joins me, laying either right next to me with her front half on my pillow, or close by, and she stays with me all night. She almost never cries to leave the room and go run around the apartment. She has food water and a litterbox in here. If she wakes and is bored she'll go play with her mousie or sit in the window or have a snack, and then come back to sleep with me more.
Around 5 or 6 she wakes me for breakfast and i open the door and she has the run of the apt again.
But its just the fact that she RUNS in when its time for bed and happily spends all night with me in my small bedroom and never complains or wants out... it just makes me feel like she really loves me and loves being with me. And like i made her life better when i rescued her, and she's happy.
When im sad i can cry into her fur and she doesnt try to leave. She makes more eye contact than any other cat ive ever had. She makes my life so much better
Here she is sleeping on a pillow right next to my face
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I've been roughing it a bit lately, but my cats have actually really come through for me. I know they're probably just enjoying having me around, but they've been extra clingy lately.
I think maybe Millie realizes something is amiss. She'll yowl at me when she thinks I've napped too long, and poke at my feet and purr in my face and tug on my hair to get me up. If it doesn't work though, she'll curl up with me instead.
Mischief is harder to tell since she's so derpy. But she's wanted to cuddle and lay by me a lot in the last few days, and frequently when I wake up, she's right there, purring away. She checks on me when I'm in the shower, whatever that means.
I am glad they are here with me.
I think maybe Millie realizes something is amiss. She'll yowl at me when she thinks I've napped too long, and poke at my feet and purr in my face and tug on my hair to get me up. If it doesn't work though, she'll curl up with me instead.
Mischief is harder to tell since she's so derpy. But she's wanted to cuddle and lay by me a lot in the last few days, and frequently when I wake up, she's right there, purring away. She checks on me when I'm in the shower, whatever that means.
I am glad they are here with me.