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      • Munchausen Syndrome
      • How Does Social Media Affect Teenagers’ Mental Health?
      • Oppositional Defiant Disorder
      • Spotting Types of Depression in Children
      • Teen Suicide
      • Top Tips For Parents
      • Video Game Therapy for ADHD
      • What is a Residential Mental Health Facility for Teenagers Like
      • Why Is Mental Health on the Rise Amongst Teenagers?
    • Is Social Media Ruining Our Self-Esteem? 
    • Mental Health Guide
      • COVID Counseling to Battle Mental Health Issues
      • Guide to Anxiety Medication
      • Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
      • High Functioning Depression | Signs | Symptoms
      • How Can We Prevent Mental Illness in Youth?
      • How Do You Help Someone with Avoidant Personality?
      • How Does Online Counseling Work for Mental Health?
      • How Can a Mental Health Counselor Help
      • Mental Breakdown
      • Schizoid Personality Disorder
      • Postpartum Depression
      • Types of Mood Disorders
      • The Toll of Grief and How to Cope with It
      • What are The Major Affective Disorders?
      • What Cognitive Psychology Teaches Us About How We Think
      • What Is Clinical Mental Health Counseling
      • What are mental health symptoms you should never ignore?
      • What is Bipolar II Disorder? Symptoms and Treatment
      • What is the Difference Between Manic and Hypomanic?
      • What is schizoaffective disorder?
      • Is seasonal affective disorder (SAD) a mental illness?
      • What is substance induced mood disorder?
      • Is Depression a Permanent Mental Disorder?
      • What is the prognosis for Major Depressive Disorder?
    • Marriage Counseling | Benefits
    • Pandemic Related Issues
      • COVID Counseling to Battle Mental Health Issues
      • Work Stress Post-Pandemic
      • Shocking Growth of Anxiety During the Pandemic
    • Relationship Issues
      • How to deal with toxic relationship?
      • How does a toxic relationship affect your mental health?
      • What is gaslighting in a relationship?
      • What is the best way to help a partner who has trust issues?
      • What’s the best way to work out relationship problems?
      • 10 ways to improve communication in relationships
    • Spirituality in Addiction Treatment  
    • Therapy
      • Can I See a Psychiatrist Without a Referral?
      • DBT Therapy for Adolescents
      • DCBT- Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
      • Deep Brain Stimulation to Treat OCD
      • Do I Need a Referral to See a Therapist?
      • Family Therapy: Definition, Types, Techniques, and Efficacy
      • How Can Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) Help Mental Disorders?
      • EMDR Therapy for Mental Health Conditions
      • Psychiatrist vs. Psychologist
      • Is Therapy Covered by Health Insurance?
      • Psychodynamic Therapy vs CBT
      • Psychotherapy
      • SMART Recovery
      • What Can Psychologists Treat
      • What is Group Therapy
      • What is Internal Family Systems Therapy
      • What Is the Role of the Counselor in Family Therapy
      • What Is Psychoanalysis
    • Trauma Bonding With Intimate Partner Violence
    • Teen Mental Health
      • Can a Minor Go to Therapy Without Parents Permission?
      • Teen Co-Occurring Disorders
      • What are the signs of depression in adolescents?
      • warning signs of suicide in adolescents
      • Mental Health Benefits of Exercise in Teens
      • How is the pandemic affecting mental health in teenagers?
    • Types of Disorder
      • Anti-Social Personality Disorder
      • Autism Spectrum Disorder
      • Avoidant Personality Disorder
      • Bipolar Disorder Symptoms | Causes | Diagnosis
      • Diagnosing and Treating an Adjustment Disorder
      • Histrionic Personality Disorder
      • Intermittent Explosive Disorder
      • Paranoid Personality Disorder
    • Veterans Guide
      • Functional Medicine for Military
      • Service Dogs Help Veterans with PTSD
    • Process Addiction
      • Gambling addiction
      • How do you know if you have an addictive personality?
      • What is Impulse-Control Disorder?
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SERVICE DOGS HELP Veterans with PTSD

Service dogs are a great way to help someone struggling with PTSD. There are many benefits, and dogs can negate some of the worst side effects of PTSD.

What is PTSD?

According to the American Psychiatric Association, Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) “is a psychiatric disorder that may occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, or rape or who have been threatened with death, sexual violence, or serious injury.1

Define Trauma

Trauma is our emotional response to a significant, negative event.2 Normally, trauma will cause someone to go through stages of shock, denial, flashbacks, unpredictable emotions, migraines, nausea, or even damaged or strained relationships.2 Trauma is especially common among combat veterans.

Why is PTSD Common in Veterans?

Soldiers in combat often witness traumatic and graphic things. Sometimes, they can be given missions or tasks that are life-threatening or horrifying. Because war is a stressful situation, it causes significant emotional responses to traumatic experiences.

Veterans can develop post-traumatic stress disorder over time due to factors such as their position in the war, politics that are surrounding the way, the location of the battles, and the types of enemies they face.3

Sadly, the next leading cause of PTSD in veterans is military sexual trauma. The VA found that among people that use their health care, 23% of women reported being sexually assaulted while in the military, 55% of women experienced sexual harassment, and 38% of men experienced sexual harassment. This trauma can also lead to lifelong PTSD.3

PTSD Symptoms

There are several PTSD symptoms, but they vary depending on the person. Sometimes, they can be intense, while other times they seem less severe. Some of the symptoms are as follows:

  • Unwanted, recurring memories
  • Flashbacks
  • Dreams or nightmares that cause distress about the event
  • Severe physical reactions or emotional distress when reminded of what happened
  • Attempting to avoid thinking or talking about what happened
  • Avoiding people, activities, or locations that remind a person of the traumatic experience
  • Negative beliefs about the world or yourself
  • Hopelessness
  • Struggles keeping up close relationships
  • Issues with memory
  • A feeling of detachment from loved ones
  • Struggles with experiencing more positive emotions
  • Feeling numb
  • Loss of interest in things a person enjoyed before the event
  • Issues with sleep
  • Struggling to concentrate on a task
  • Easily frightened or startled
  • Having their guard up at all times
  • Self-destructive behavior
  • Outbursts and aggressive behavior
  • A sense of being overcome with guilt and shame
  • A person might re-enact different parts of the traumatic event

What are Service Dogs?

According to the American Kennel Club, “A service dog helps a person with a disability lead a more independent life.”4 The dog is trained to help someone specifically with their disability, whether it is a physical impairment or mental illness. The dogs are trained to do specific actions in response to their owners to help them with their disability.

Types of Service Dogs

There are eight main classifications of service dogs. They are:5

  • Autism Service Dogs
  • Diabetic Alert Dogs
  • Seizure Response Dogs
  • Hearing Dogs
  • Guide Dogs
  • Mobility Assistance Dogs
  • Allergy Detection Dogs
  • PTSD Service Dogs

Service Dog Training

Although the ADA does not require that service dogs be professionally trained, it would be best to use professional training programs. A service dog should be calm and alert as well as have a heart to please and a strong ability to learn/retain commands. Service dogs should also be quick to adapt to different environments and reliable to perform tasks repetitively.

The first steps are basic house training and foundational skills. The next goal is to make sure a dog is socialized enough where they will maintain their task or objective even when in unfamiliar environments. Service dogs have to be on duty at all times. On top of this, these dogs must be trained to perform their specific task to assist with the disability.

How Service Dogs Help with PTSD

Service Dogs Help Veterans with PTSD | PacificBeachHealth

PTSD service dogs aid in balancing out the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Bring Out Feelings of Love

Dogs bring about great companionship that can be a reliable source of love for the veteran. This calming presence can be a great source of happiness that brings out a feeling of love that may otherwise be too difficult for someone struggling with PTSD.6

Serve as Good Companions

Dogs provide emotional support to veterans with PTSD. The PTSD service dog will provide non-judgmental support and strong companionship, which will result in a therapeutic experience for the veteran.6

Take Orders Well When Trained

One side effect of PTSD is a sense of being unsafe or being startled easily. A support dog can relieve this stress through positional commands. Due to the reliability of service dogs, veterans can grow to trust them knowing they will always be there. Being able to do things on command is extremely important, and it is one of the biggest benefits of having a service dog.6

In addition, a dog that takes orders well and listens can be very comfortable for a service member or veteran because they are used to giving or taking orders in the military. Knowing they can rely on their PTSD service dog will help lower anxiety in unfamiliar situations.

Reduce Stress Level

Studies show that having a PTSD service dog leads to a more regulated production of cortisol, the stress hormone.6 That means that the service dog will help reduce stress in a veteran’s life and limit their anxiety. A PTSD service dog is also trained to sense when the veteran is distressed. When the dog notices this feeling, they will do their task obediently every time to reduce stress.

Reduce Anxiety

One of the most difficult symptoms of PTSD to deal with is anxiety. When a person goes through a traumatic experience, flashbacks and recurring memories can make someone always feel on edge, especially in unfamiliar situations. While medication is sometimes used to treat anxiety, a service dog could also be helpful. A service dog is trained to sense when their owner is anxious and they will do their task, such as licking or pawing at the owner, to reduce anxiety.6

PTSD service dogs tend to travel behind their owners to protect them from anything that might happen behind them. This training can give the service member a sense of comfort and safety, which will also reduce their anxiety.

Allows the Veteran to Get Out of the House

Post-traumatic stress disorder can make someone feel isolated and unsafe. A service dog allows a veteran to leave their house without concern. Not only does a dog have to go outside, but it encourages its owner to walk around and spend time outdoors. A service dog might make it possible for a service member or veteran to meet new people with lowered anxiety, helping with their sense of isolation and detachment.

Studies on Service Dogs for Veterans with PTSD

Studies have shown that “positive interactions between humans and dogs…have been proven to increase levels of oxytocin in both humans and dogs.”7 Interactions with dogs can decrease one’s negative emotions, increase their positive emotions, and create perceived welfare inside the individual.

According to a study published in 2018, over 120 articles were written about the benefits of service dogs for veterans with PTSD. There have been 6 case studies, 6 empirical studies, 2 narrative literature reviews, and a systematic literature review.7 There is not a lot of empirical evidence that supports the use of PTSD service dogs for treating PTSD, but there is a strong correlation between having a PTSD service dog and improvements in quality of life for people who have post-traumatic stress disorder.7

However, it is difficult to tell how much is due to normal human-to-animal interactions or how much is due to the training of the service dog. Overall, veterans tend to say that having a PTSD support dog has improved their life significantly and helped them manage their symptoms. There is a significant amount of anecdotal and indirect evidence that shows that PTSD service dogs can benefit veterans or service members struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder.7

How to Find a Service Dog as a Veteran

If a veteran is struggling with PTSD, they can request a service dog through the VA. They will do a review, and the veteran will most likely have to be evaluated by a therapist or clinician. The criteria to receive a service dog include the ability to care for the service dog, goals meant to be accomplished by using the service dog, and goals to accomplish through other forms of technology or therapy.8

Once the request goes through, the VA will refer the veteran to an ADI accredited agency. The VA will cover all costs to train and take care of the service dog.

Other Treatment Methods for PTSD

PTSD service dogs are not the only treatment for PTSD. In fact, a service dog is normally used alongside other treatments.

Therapies

Many times, veterans struggling with PTSD will go to a form of psychotherapy. Some different kinds include cognitive therapy, exposure therapy, and EMDR.9 These therapies help people develop stress management techniques to cope with difficult situations. The goal is to gain control of the fear that comes about after a traumatic event.

Support Groups

Veterans might also seek out support groups and group therapy. These groups are run by veterans to help one another cope with life after going through traumatic experiences. An example of an organization is the Wounded Warrior Project. In these groups, veterans will share their lives with one another and rely on the group to help them cope with what they are going through.

Support Groups

Veterans might also seek out support groups and group therapy. These groups are run by veterans to help one another cope with life after going through traumatic experiences. An example of an organization is the Wounded Warrior Project. In these groups, veterans will share their lives with one another and rely on the group to help them cope with what they are going through.

Conclusion

PTSD service dogs are a great way to help with post-traumatic stress disorder. It can be difficult returning from war with traumatic experiences, whether it is from the battlefield or people that are supposed to be your colleagues. If you believe you are struggling with PTSD, please reach out to the VA for medical help. They’ll be able to guide you through this.

Resources

  1. https://www.psychiatry.org/ patients-families/ptsd/what-is-ptsd
  2. https://www.apa.org/ topics/trauma
  3. https://www.ptsd.va.gov/ understand/common/ common_veterans.asp
  4. https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/service-dog-training-101/
  5. https://sitstay.com/blogs/good-dog-blog/what-are-the-different-types-of- service-dogs-and-their-jobs
  6. https://www.frontiersin.org/ articles/10.3389/ fpsyg.2020.01638/full
  7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC6866726/
  8. https://militarybenefits.info/ service-dogs/
  9. https://www.mayoclinic.org /diseases-conditions/ post-traumatic-stress-disorder/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355973

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