Many high school students struggle with anxiety, and only some methods of coping are effective. Therapy dogs can help reduce some of that anxiety, so they should be allowed in school for those who have been medically diagnosed with anxiety.
School is an environment that causes a lot of anxiety for students. Some students become so anxious that it forces them to skip school, causing their grades to drop and attendance to weaken. Being able to bring their dog who they feel comfortable with would help those struggling to go to school. Dogs give people unconditional love and companionship. Those that are trained can also help stop an anxiety attack from happening.
Senior Katie Gropel has been struggling with anxiety for a long time. “I used to skip school all the time when my anxiety was really bad and I could not even get out of bed. If I could bring a therapy dog to my classes with me, or even my own dog, it would make me want to go to school more because being with my dog makes me feel better,” she explained.
Even though dogs can’t communicate verbally, they talk in other ways. For example, many dogs can sense when their person is sad, so they comfort them. For therapy dogs, it works the same way. A dog can help a person feel more secure as they share personal stories, and can even serve as a calming distraction, such as in the case of an anxiety attack.
French teacher Melissa Lechtenberg explained why she would like to have dogs allowed for those who have been medically diagnosed with anxiety. “The only concern I would have is for those who are allergic to dogs,” she stated.
For those with allergies, not much would change. The schools’ own therapy dog Mojo roams around the school and occasionally goes into classrooms. This is not a problem as of right now for those who are allergic.
Being around dogs has many health benefits, including reducing feelings of loneliness and decreasing stress. They have also been proven to lower cortisol levels, the stress hormone of the body, and encourage positive interactions with others. This could be very helpful at school, especially for those plagued by anxiety, since they may feel uneasy in the building due to their condition.
Being able to bring dogs to school would have the same effects as seeing their dog at home. People who struggle from anxiety would benefit greatly from being able to spend time with their dogs throughout the day, while at school and learning new things.
