{"id":90,"date":"2018-12-18T19:08:23","date_gmt":"2018-12-18T19:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usserviceanimals.org\/new-blog\/service-dog-for-panic-attacks"},"modified":"2026-06-08T09:15:21","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T14:15:21","slug":"service-dog-for-panic-attacks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usserviceanimals.org\/blog\/service-dog-for-panic-attacks\/","title":{"rendered":"Service Dog for Panic Attacks"},"content":{"rendered":"

Obtaining a service dog is an involved process, but a well-trained dog can be incredibly helpful to owners with a variety of challenges. Often, people with anxiety or panic disorder believe that, just because they don\u2019t face an outwardly apparent challenge like blindness or a mobility issue, they\u2019re ineligible for a service dog. This is not the case.<\/span><\/p>\n

Service animals are permitted and prescribed on a case-by-case basis. Because these animals tend to have a high price tag that is only feasible when paid for by insurance, many people don\u2019t even bother to consider the possibility.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, if you believe that a service animal could help improve the quality of your life, then it is more than worth your consideration.<\/span><\/p>\n

Those who suffer from panic attacks could greatly benefit from a<\/span>\u00a0psychiatric service dog<\/span><\/a>. These animals are trained to pick up on cues and intervene to help alleviate high-stress situations with their owner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Oftentimes, those who have panic attacks have generalized anxiety disorder and can be greatly helped by a trained service animal or emotional support animal in multiple ways.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is the Difference Between a Service Animal and an Emotional Support Animal?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Service animals are highly trained to perform specific tasks that are tailored to the needs of their handler. The tasks they can perform vary drastically depending on the disability from which the handler suffers and how they might need help with challenges.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Service animals are incredibly intelligent and professionally trained to perform their duties even in times of extreme duress. Service animals are almost always dogs.<\/span><\/p>\n

In contrast to a highly trained service animal, an emotional support animal (ESA) is generally used purely for the comfort its presence provides. ESAs are closer in demeanor to pets than service animals, but this does not mean ESAs are any less valid or effective at performing their roles.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ESAs can help those with anxiety and panic disorders by providing a constant sense of comfort and security through their mere presence. They\u2019re<\/span> scientifically documented<\/span><\/a> to mitigate feelings of isolation and loneliness as well as alleviate anxiety and depression. ESAs aren\u2019t necessarily always dogs, <\/span>and they’re not service animals<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Service animals trained specifically for those with extreme panic or anxiety disorders have very specific tasks they will perform if given a command or when they sense their handler is in need of help. This signal (or automatic response) can vary from one person to the next due to the varying nature of mental disorders.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Both ESAs and service animals play vital roles in helping their handlers cope with their daily lives. The only real difference is the<\/span> specialized training<\/span><\/a> that service animals undergo.<\/span><\/p>\n

How a Service Dog Can Help With Panic Attacks<\/span><\/h2>\n

Service dogs can provide an enormous variety of services and support to help people deal with their panic and anxiety issues.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here is a brief look at some of the more common tasks that service dogs for patients with anxiety and panic disorders are trained to perform:<\/span><\/p>\n