“Just Chillaxin’”

As I was lying on the couch today, “chillaxin’” as the kids call it (chillin’ and relaxin’), snuggled under a light cover, the windows open… allowing a slight fall breeze to flow through the house – my two furry babies fast asleep by my side (occasionally snorting and snoring), I was reminded of a conversation I had with a friend of mine earlier in the year.

This friend of mine and I both volunteer for an animal welfare organization, and we were talking about how wonderful it is how often dogs are rescued from local shelters and later trained to become service animals. She then told me something really amazing… something that I had never heard before.

She, like I, suffers from depression. However, she chose not to use traditional medications to treat her depression. Instead she is using natural remedies to manage her disease. While I knew this information, I found the following very fascinating: Her doctor has “prescribed” her dog (a small breed mutt) as her service animal.

Because she gets very anxious and agitated, and she draws comfort from the familiarity of her beloved furry baby, she is allowed to take him out with her, in public settings, anywhere any other service animal would be allowed to go. If it were not for the creativity of this doctor, my friend would very likely be a prisoner in her own home during the times she needs to be out and around other people the most.

Now, she told me she gets very skeptical looks from a lot of people and is questioned from time to time – most times being asked to show her credentials before being allowed to bring her canine into a facility. But once she shows her certification, she isn’t turned away. Heck, I can understand people being uncertain about the situation.

I’ve written many times about the taboo of mental illness. I’m sure even though proprietors accept her paperwork that some still don’t understand her situation. But, I’m glad that her doctor was open minded enough to try something different so that just one more person with this disease called depression can live her life a bit more like other folks. KUDOS!