|
|
Post by Admin on Oct 6, 2015 17:15:15 GMT -4
|
|
|
|
Post by Norah Essali on Oct 7, 2015 9:32:24 GMT -4
This article addresses an ongoing debate among universities concerning allowing students with mental illness to have their pets or "comfort animals" live with them in their dorms. This sort of arrangement has sparked controversy due to the array of issues that need to be addressed if an animal were to live in student housing, such as roommates with animal allergies, phobias or cultural beliefs that makes living with an animal quite hard. Universities need to look into solutions for this problem because there is initial evidence that having comfort animals helps their owners with mental illness address their disability in a more positive sense and allows them to carry on with their lives and education. Such evidence is shown in a systematic review of literature on animal-assisted intervention for trauma patients. The review was of 10 studies and it showed reduced depression, PTSD symptoms, and anxiety. Although this review is of small power but it is an indication of benefit for mental illness patients and also for the need to conduct more research on the topic inorder to help universities make informed, evidence-based decisions, on this debate.
|
|
|
|
Post by Stephen W Beckett on Oct 7, 2015 20:51:23 GMT -4
While there appears to be some evidence as to the legitimacy of using comfort animals to help students suffering from some types of mental disorders, a common sense approach on the part of the learning institutions seems best. The story of the 95-pound pig allowed to stay in a dorm room is almost beyond belief: it would seem difficult to accept that an animal of that type and size could actually be a source of "comfort" to a person with anxiety, depression, or panic disorders. Nor does it appear that, according to the meta-analyses cited in the article, animal therapy involving anything other than "dog-assisted activities" has any merit.
|
|
|
|
Post by Princess Aleke on Oct 8, 2015 7:25:20 GMT -4
Well Animals that are individually trained to respond to Patients needs and perform tasks like emotional support for the benefit of an individual with a medical issue including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Examples includes guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder during an anxiety attack, patients with panic attacks and even older people who are always at home lonely.
The fact that this animals bring comfort to this patient it is ethical for them to be used in campuses to calm them down. However these questions comes to mind, can they take care of this animals without hurting or intruding in people’s privacy? Are the animals safe around? Will they cause Nuisance around? And many more. But the idea that they are being used to provide emotional supports to these patients who really need it and the results gotten after spending some time with these patients is amazing, then why not allow them in the campuses, But at the same time safety of others is more important. Therefore if there animal’s meets their therapeutic needs but not safe around then they can be withdrawn from the premises but if they do provide benefit to the patient and doesn’t border other student then in my own opinion they can stay.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ralph Reedy on Oct 8, 2015 9:00:52 GMT -4
This article is a great starting point for discussing the role that pets can have in managing some mood disorders. The use of emotional support animals such as dogs and cats in making a meaningful difference for the management of depression and anxiety has been recently researched and found to have a positive impact. However, when actually bringing pets along during daily activities it is very possible that they will end up in a environment that was not designed to accommodate them. The example given in the article is the college dorm setting. One thing that the article did not really discuss with much detail was the importance and responsibility of pet owners to provide adequate living conditions for their pets. As the pet is providing emotional support for its person it is also critical to make sure that the basic needs of the animal are met. Considering pets like a dog or cat the issue of available living space is crucial for the animal and makes a big difference on its well being and ability to provide emotional support.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gily Raz on Oct 8, 2015 10:33:44 GMT -4
The article presents in somewhat of a new light the compelling argument for emotional support animals being allowed on school campuses. On the one hand, there is the argument that patients suffering from mental health issues such as anxiety and depression can benefit from such animals. Yet the unresolved issue remains how to prevent others from certain phobias and/or allergies to non-human companions. That said, I am of the opinion that emotional support animals - ones that have been professionally trained - can be of great benefit to mental health patients. However, it seems that there may be some abuse of the system, whereby people who suffer from no mental ailments, simply want to bring their pet with them to college. Whereas there is arguably nothing wrong with that, I think it may impede students from the full college experience. They may turn inwardly and become more introverted, opting to go home and take care of their pet, instead of be active on their college campus and partake in college life.
As for the specific issues discussed by the article, it seems a solution to the animals-on-campus problem that Universities across the US are facing, is for animals to not be allowed on college campus. Instead, colleges can grant special permission for students wishing to bring an emotional support animal, to reside in off-campus housing.
|
|
|
|
Post by Candace Chumley on Oct 8, 2015 10:44:59 GMT -4
Real service animals go through years of obedience training. These animals are very well trained and are chosen based on their temperament. Some of the animals described in the article may literally serve their owners by helping them deal with daily problems, but they were not appropriately trained. It is understandable that some uiversities would not allow untrained "service" animals into the dorms because these animals may be destructive or loud due to their lack of training. Certain animals may really help the students at home but it is not unreasonable to first have that specific animal trained or purchase a trained service animal. It may even be more beneficial to the student if their animal is specifically trained to help them.
|
|
|
|
Post by Gonzalo de Villa on Oct 8, 2015 11:07:02 GMT -4
The topic of allowing animals to live in a college dormitory is very controversial and delicate because some will oppose it and others will support this idea. It will be very difficult in allowing a nation wide acceptance where animals are allowed to stay in a University campus. Just like the article said, many students have phobia and allergies; hence, colleges are not willing to lose applications and enrollments in their schools to allow animals live in their campus. In addition, schools could be putting themselves at risk for lawsuits in cases such as an allergic reaction, animal aggression towards a student, and more. Having said this, there are many advantages to permitting animal in college dorms, but there only problem right now is finding the right balance between the student that need pets and the students that oppose pets.
|
|
|
|
Post by Paul Lavoie on Oct 8, 2015 12:05:00 GMT -4
This article will surely be the topic of many debates and conversations. It should be stated the difference between a Service Animal and an emotional support animal. An animal that is untrained (the pig) and that will inevitably cause damage to campus property and the property of others should be denied access to live in dorm rooms. Service Animals go through extensive training costing thousands of dollars in order to teach animals to do specific tasks that reduce the ill effect of a disease. There are countless companies that sell fake service animal Identification that thrive off of people who take advantage of the Service Animal policy. Service animals are not provided to every patient that experiences anxiety for good reason, there are other, more successful ways, to deal with common issues that majority of the population face (stress, anxiety, depression). I feel as though using an emotional support animal as a crutch will only do more harm to the patient, rather than learning how to process and deal with these emotions they will instead rely on something that may very well not be there 100% of the time - knowledge and experience on the other hand will follow you through life and through any circumstance you may face. With that said, I am a FIRM supporter of Service Animals for the correct reasons, they are taught to do and sense the onset of so many disease processes that they are an invaluable tool.
|
|
|
|
Post by Manali Saraiya on Oct 8, 2015 13:32:10 GMT -4
Comfort animals seem to have become a very popular thing in the past few years. Many universities have started to hold events with therapy animals before exam week to help their students cope with their stress. Although that seems to be a wonderful idea, it starts to become a little bit of an issue when students request to bring their own animals to the school. The problem here is, where do we draw the line between what is good for the student and what is good for the animal? For example, the student that wants to bring the 95-lb pig to their dorm seems unfair for the animal. An animal of that size needs a far spacious and clean environment to live in. Universities should start making regulations on size, weight, and living environment for what is accepted. This allows all people to bring their comfort animals and keeps the well being of these animals in mind as well.
|
|
|
|
Post by Steven Choi on Oct 8, 2015 14:43:29 GMT -4
I am quite encouraged by the article, as I have MDD myself, and know plenty of others who have dealt with anxiety, depression, or succumbed to suicide. These common mental health disorders aren't just a diagnosis for me--they are personal and real, and I am very glad to see colleges making reasonable accommodations for these comfort animals. I'm also very glad that schools are actually making this a thing, and are making reasonable policies to accommodate both the people who have a 'medical indication' for comfort animals, and for people who either don't like them / are allergic to them. I hope that schools will continue to move in this direction.
As an aspiring primary care physician, I know that I'll have patients who are seeking to get medical approval for comfort animals, so thanks to whomever suggested for us to read this article!
|
|
|
|
Post by Minh Tran on Oct 8, 2015 15:13:17 GMT -4
This article sheds light on an interesting topic of "comfort" animals for students with psychiatric disabilities and how teaching institutions will address their needs. It should be the educational organization's responsibility to provide necessary guidance and support to students whom are in need. Although the research is limited, I believe "comfort" animals can help students who suffer from anxiety and depression. Schools will need to restructure their on-campus housing system to create more animal-friendly buildings and rooms in addition to separating them from students who are less tolerable to animals. In conclusion, students with medically diagnosed psychiatric disabilities need to be accommodated within logical reason.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ibtesam Haider on Oct 8, 2015 15:45:03 GMT -4
The article emphasizes whether students with psychological conditions should be allowed to have pets in dorms or in on-campus housing. I believe that if having pets and/or support animals help to improve a student’s mental health, then that individual should be allowed to have them in their dorms as long as they are able to maintain and take care of the animals. They should also be respectful of university property, especially if they are living on campus. Last but not least, they have to be mindful of those who are allergic and phobic to pets. Universities should consider allowing students to have support animals if it improves their mental health to where they are able to perform optimally in school.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ramin Ahmad on Oct 8, 2015 17:32:27 GMT -4
An increasing number of college students are experiencing the joy that comes from having a pet at school. About a dozen colleges and universities across the nation currently allow students to live with a pet. This brings up many issues as well. Having a pet in a fairly small space shared with many others brings about the issues of cleanliness, noise and safety, and students have to make accommodations when they choose to live in this type of environment. Some students defy the rule and keep pets illegally in university housing. I believe pets shouldn't be free in dorm rooms while the owners are out. So, pets are confined while the students are in class, at the library, hanging out with friends, at group meetings, rehearsals, practices, study groups or at the bar. Which in my college days was about 19hrs a day. This idea seems less than ideal for the animal. I don't see why colleges would encourage this because the "ideal" college experience is serendipitous, unscheduled, and takes place outside of one's room for long stretches of time. All quite inimical to the health and well being of a pet. If you needed further proof that colleges are no longer serving as a sure means for transforming children into adults, this might be it.
|
|
|
|
Post by Simran Bains on Oct 9, 2015 9:43:05 GMT -4
The concept of comfort animals has gained increasing popularity in recent years. Allowing to bring comfort animals to school dorms is a very controversial topic. It becomes difficult to differentiate between those who have been given the diagnosis of Anxiety or other mental health problems and those who just simply want to bring their pet to school. In my opinion, in order to accommodate students needing comfort animals, each student requesting to bring a comfort animal should be given a thorough psychiatric evaluation that is to be approved by the school in order to bring their pet. This is a good way to differentiate those who really need comfort animals vs those who do not. Also, I think special dorms should be built for students and their pets, so that students with drug allergies will not be in close contact with them.
|
|
