juice || corsola♀jolly; good perseverance

sci-fi || elgyem O timid; highly curious

jingle || klefki♀quirky; likes to thrash about

cardigan✧ || wooloo♂docile; often dozes off

lala || chimecho♀gentle; scatters things often

sorbet || espeon♂careful; alert to sounds

Let’s say I have anxiety and depression.

An emotional support pokemon would help me by being there to snuggle when I need comfort, because petting them grounds me. I’m motivated to keep to a daily schedule because my pokemon needs to be fed and walked and groomed. This helps me get out of bed every morning and take care of myself, too. I look forward to coming home to my friend after work and school.

- @not-pretentious-i-swear

Yes, ESP’s can battle! People often mix up service pokemon vs emotional support pokemon, so let me try and explain the differences (keeping in mind i’m talking about Unova regulations)

Service pokemon are pokemon trained to do a specific task or tasks to aid someone with a disability. They are allowed access to all public spaces, even if said public space does not normally allow pokemon. This is a right that all disabled people with a service pokemon have. Service pokemon do not battle (unless absolutely necessary) & thus do not count toward any league-regulated six pokemon team. They are doing an essential job and are considered medical equipment, if that makes sense.

Emotional support pokemon are pets that provide general comfort & increased quality of life to their owners and are registered as such by a licensed therapist or doctor. Anyone can have an ESP if they need it, but people with mental illnesses, neurodivergencies, or who otherwise benefit from an extra support system are most likely to have one. They do not provide specific tasks to aid someone with a disability, and do not get special access privileges. They can, however, participate in official battling!

ESP registration allows for owners to more easily take their ESPs on flights, to other regions, and to housing that might not otherwise allow pokemon or that specific species (or just, requires a lot of paperwork / extra hoops that is mostly bypassed by registration). Any ‘mon that provides comfort to your friend’s anxiety can be an emotional support pokemon.

So I usually recommend specific species, but this time I’m not going to do that because texture needs vary so much among people with sensory processing disorder (which I’m assuming you also have!)

But! The tasks we train for what you’re describing (sensory overload, especially in loud/crowded spaces) generally involve a pokemon recognizing when you’re overstimulated, and then either leading you somewhere safe and quiet, or doing something that helps you cope with being overwhelmed. (again, this is highly variable on what your needs are and what you’re comfortable with)

I see Sylveon and Reuniclus often used for these type of tasks, though, to give you a starting place for further research! Good luck!

Yes! We train swinub for detecting blood sugar levels (as well as for other conditions, such as cortisol for adrenal insufficiency!)

First of all: LMAO

Second: Don’t react when he does it; he’s likely looking for attention (positive or negative). When he flips someone off (lmao), calmly put him back inside of his pokeball.