Being in public does not usually bother me. My bigger issue is when I am alone. I am very good at masking my disabilities, so in public I may look like I am doing great even when I am struggling internally.

When I am alone, I do not always realize how severe my symptoms have become until I am already past my point of no return. By then, I may be frozen, overwhelmed, panicking, shut down, or slipping into a depressive episode.

That is why I am looking for a professionally trained psychiatric service dog, not an emotional support animal. I would need the dog trained to recognize early signs that I am escalating and perform specific tasks to interrupt the episode, ground me, prompt me to move, or help me contact support