The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became federal law in 1990. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. The ADA gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion.
Many mental health diagnoses qualify as a disability under federal law. Since people with mental health diagnoses often need emotional support animals, people with prescriptions for emotional support animals are entitled to special accommodation in certain areas - like housing and on airplanes - where others are not.
The ADA protects you from having reveal the nature of your disability or a specific diagnosis. Your ESA letter, which gives you rights protected by The American with Disabilities Act, will not include a specific diagnosis.