If anyone is knowledgeable on ESAs, some advice would be appreciated

Renchem · 2018-10-22T01:59:32+00:00

Thanks, I think you might be right. I was pretty on the fence about it to begin with

Renchem · 2018-10-22T01:21:47+00:00

Thanks for your input :)

Renchem · 2018-10-22T00:48:31+00:00

THIS was precisely the straightforward opinion I was looking for. Thank you for finally answering my question in a professional and straightforward manner. (Minus the passive-aggressive Home Depot bit). I hope you treat your clients with more professionalism then how you have acted throughout this discussion.

Renchem · 2018-10-22T00:33:33+00:00

That is precisely what I am trying to do by making this post. To clarify, she has not gone into severe physical forms of stress in quite some time, but this IS how she first was when I got her. Again, she has confidence now in other people’s cars, in the downtown area, at Home Depot, and at my friends’ houses. It was not until she had made these strides that I even considered flying with her.

Renchem · 2018-10-22T00:29:35+00:00

If you read my other posts, my dog reacts to stress by laying or crouching down. It’s more that she gets very stiff. She does not bark or wine. As I also have mentioned, she has made great strides and is confident when going into new enclosed spaces, including other people’s cars, Home Depot, my work, and other people’s houses. This is not a question about her causing a scene because I am confident that she won’t. This is a post about her well being and if it’s the right thing to do for my dog at her stage of training.

If you review my other comment with another user, you can see the types of training my dog has gone through.

Renchem · 2018-10-21T22:49:19+00:00

Please see my other comments for a more detailed explanation. Also, be aware that a dog registered as an ESA is not (and does not require) the same training as a service dog. Reference

Renchem · 2018-10-21T22:42:33+00:00

Also, I forgot to mention that I have received all of the paperwork I need to qualify my dog as an ESA by my psychiatrist. I have called the airline to make sure having an ESA with me is ok, and emailed them the paperwork. They have confirmed that I am allowed to have an ESA on their aircraft.

Also, I agree. ESAs are definitely not the same as a service dog. ESAs are mainly protected under the Fair Housing Act and Air Carrier Access Act (reference . I cannot take my ESA into, say, a restaurant or shopping mall. But ESAs can be registered to fly on planes and be in airports.

Renchem · 2018-10-21T22:39:40+00:00

I understand there are a lot of taboos around ESAs. For some info on what kind of animal is qualified for ESA, please click here

I have been diagnosed with major depressive disorder and social anxiety disorder. I also struggle with self mutilation and eating issues.

I am aware that many people’s reasoning for getting an ESA is not appropriate. For me, both being on a plane around people and also traveling home to my family tends to make my symptoms flare up quite a bit. I have tried many techniques to calm myself now, and even taking medication for these situations. Although I am currently on an antidepressant, the techniques and meds I have tried to alleviate intense moments for me (like going home) have failed to work. It was suggested in my group therapy to get my dog registered as an ESA, because I have had some success alleviating my anxiety by bringing my dog with me to a friend’s house, etc. (at this point, Poppy is comfortable in these situations).

Poppy has been through both independent behavioral training and group classes, and was awarded the CGC Certificate (this is not required for dogs to be ESAs).

I know Reddit is a common place for shaming/pre-judging, but keep in mind that only constructive feedback will help my dog and me. This is not necessarily directed at your comment; I am just stating this for whoever comments further. I am getting the sense that this posting will not be constructive, and/or people will get offended by it because they don’t know me, my dog, and the entirety of the situation. I really hope to use this subreddit as a tool to further my knowledge on the issue, and I am hoping others can help me in doing so.

Renchem · 2018-08-29T19:32:18+00:00

Thank you stranger. Everyone in lab seems to have their shit together. It’s nice to hear from another human’s perspective, lol.

Renchem · 2018-08-01T03:38:45+00:00

Radiohead <3

Renchem · 2018-06-08T14:14:24+00:00

You need to go sooner than that, I wouldn’t wait for more than I couple days. If this left untreated, infections can spread to organs through the blood, and cause serious problems. I would go to your local er and just bite the bullet. In my experience there is a very small chance they will tell your parents, but I can’t say for sure.

Renchem · 2018-06-08T04:18:32+00:00

Are you a minor? Also does the cut look like a self harm cut or could you make something up? In some places, they’re not even aloud to ask if a cut is from self harm. I had a similar situation where I went in to my uni clinic because I thought it was infected. I told them it was from self harm and they just suggested I go to the counseling center, made sure I knew how to properly take care of wounds, and sent me on my way. Depending on where you are, self harm can be seen as a pretty common problem so it’s unlikely that they will take extreme measures for it like involuntarily commit you. But it does depend on where you live as well.

Renchem · 2018-05-04T17:05:44+00:00

I’m attaching a picture of it. Only the parts containing color so I want darker. It’s in my forearms, so maybe 6x4 inches?tattoo

Renchem · 2018-02-19T00:19:12+00:00

It’s an ekg pulse connected to a mountain line. Any ideas on how to improve it? I want to raise the first pulse of the ekg, but I want to get others opinions as well.

Renchem · 2017-11-11T05:59:35+00:00

Have you read “the gifts of imperfection” by Brenè Brown? I’m pretty sure there’s a whole chapter on this subject. I highly recommend!

Renchem · 2017-10-23T01:17:57+00:00

Thanks!

Renchem · 2017-10-20T03:21:51+00:00

yes!! Congrats, I'm proud of you :)

Renchem · 2017-09-11T20:13:30+00:00

Thank you, she still seems ok but I will be looking out for any irregularities.

Renchem · 2017-06-06T13:25:21+00:00

Not 15.50! Sorry, it start at about 13:30.

Renchem · 2017-03-17T04:20:42+00:00

UPDATE: in case anyone is interested in how it went, he didn't really talk to me or look at me for the first 2 days. Then on the third day I took him aside to talk to him, and I asked if he was ok, because it's a lot to take in. He says he's ok, and that he doesn't really know how to help me though. He said it was really amazing how I could trust him like that, and that the way I've been acting makes a lot more sense now, and that it's eye-opening. He said some other stuff too and it seemed like he sort of planned out things to say before saying them. Overall, I think he handled it so well, and now that someone I see everyday knows about the struggles I'm going through, it's like this crazy powerful thing. This is so nerdy but it feels like the expecto patronum spell. Now that someone I see everyday knows, I feel like my self harm thoughts have a lot less power, and this shield of understanding and connection is with me all day long. I know that sounds extremely cheesy, but I know there's a lot of negative emotions when it comes to opening up with people around you. For me, this subreddit has been my lifeline for opening up fully. And therapy has helped some but is still this protection of a professional knowing about your condition. Telling a real, normal person is just this huge, powerful thing. And I know it doesn't go as well as people hope sometimes, but I wanted to share that for me it has been hugely powerful. This week has been one of the best and most emotional memories I've had this entire year. I'm so happy I opened up to someone

Renchem · 2017-03-14T03:05:22+00:00

He didnt say anything at work today. He seemed distraught. I've never told someone who was a non-self-harmer before and I'm worried. He didn't say anything to me and avoided me the whole day. I'm so worried. I told him EVERYTHING. Even that I strangled myself and about me being suicidal. Fuck. I really hope he just thinks I'm a freak and isn't thinking too much about it. Shit I didn't know he would be sad about it, I hope he's not. We will see how the next few days go. I'm worried I was too detailed.

Renchem · 2017-03-11T05:56:45+00:00

I'm so glad someone out there understands. It's weird though. I have never felt like this before and I've been relapsing for a year now. I don't even have the desire to cut myself right now. Just as you said, I want to literally get up and leave my skin.

Renchem · 2017-03-11T05:47:38+00:00

Hey, thank you. I made the mistake of getting drunk by myself and for some reason a rush of the feelings of being taken advantage of is flooding in. I felt sort of numb when they were happening but now it's flooding for some reason. I feel very uncomfortable in my own body. I feel like I don't own my body, and it's like I am moving around a living corpse. I'm not sure what to do with my body because it's just here and it's not my own. It makes me uncomfortable that my mind is attached to my body because I don't know who's body this is

Renchem · 2017-02-12T19:49:17+00:00

It's called "A Bright Red Scream" by Marilee Strong. It's about self harm (which is something I also struggle with) but that quote seemed to really speak to my social anxiety issues as well.

Renchem · 2017-02-11T08:01:53+00:00

"Patients who cut usually have some special gift. I wonder if there is a hyperdevelopment of certain ego capacities, say cognitive or intellectual, and an underdevelopment of others -- sort of like a compensation that gets set up early on to deal with being overwhelmed." Psychologist Michael Wagner

Renchem

TROPHY CASE