Posted on Dec 29, 2020
Veterans with PTSD and service dogs
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EXTRA-FOR THE VETERAN OF THE VETERAN SHARE OF THE DAY
Living with PTSD is often an invisible reality for many Veterans. With a staggering 20-22 estimated Veteran suicides a day, there truly is a need for alternative treatments for Veterans with physical and mental health challenges.
This blog will focus on the mental health side of the conversation. A new and groundbreaking therapy being used for Veterans are service dogs. The first question many might have is what a service dog is? Other questions might include, how can service dogs help Veterans with mental health conditions? Who qualifies for one? How do you get one?
https://i1.wp.com/mk9servicedogs.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Beck-riding-to-teminal.jpg?fit=525%2C350&ssl=1
What are service dogs?
Service dogs are specially trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a chronic disability who cannot perform the work or task independently for him or herself. Service dogs can, for example, pick things up, guide people who are blind, alert people who are deaf or pull a wheelchair. They can also remind a person to take prescribed medications and calm a person with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack. It is important to note that service animals are working animals, not pets.
veterans with service dogs
How can service dogs help Veterans with mental health conditions?
Service dogs are trained to a standard, and additional training is usually customized to the individual needs of the Veteran. Most groups that train and place service dogs with qualified Veterans, work with the Veteran and service dog as they learn to work as a team. Goals range from increased physical, emotional and social self-sufficiency. A few examples of some of the tasks service dogs are trained to do include, but are not limited to:
Alleviate anxiety/distress and provide psycho-emotional grounding by nudging, pawing, and leaning.
Assist a person in waking from night terrors and nightmares.
Distract a person from an event or specific maladaptive behavior by nudging, pawing, and licking.
Bring medication to a person on command or when alerted to do so by a timer/alarm.
Stand in front of or circle an individual in crowded areas in order to create personal space in a non-aggressive manner.
Lead an individual safely to a building exit when experiencing an anxiety or panic attack.
Get help by alerting another person or activate an emergency button or alert system.
A trained PTSD service dog is a tool and is not intended to substitute or replace current therapeutic or medication treatment plan.
https://i0.wp.com/mk9servicedogs.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/3LZWXOeU.jpeg.jpg?fit=525%2C350&ssl=1
I have PTSD. I denied this for a long time, but eventually, I had to seek out treatment. I then went on to explore other options which led me to find a group that works with Veterans with PTSD. Above is Legend, my SDiT (service dog in training), whose namesake is for Navy Seal Chris Kyle. The images above are of another SDiT, Beck, training in an airport and public transportation venues. He will be graduating and then placed with his Veteran in a few weeks.
This blog covered what a service dog is and how they can help Veterans with PTSD. In the next blog, I will cover who qualifies for one? How do you get one?
David Pineda is the VA Claims Insider Brand Ambassador and a retired Army Disabled Veteran. Ready to work with him? You can sign up at joinvaci.com or you can contact him at [login to see]
Living with PTSD is often an invisible reality for many Veterans. With a staggering 20-22 estimated Veteran suicides a day, there truly is a need for alternative treatments for Veterans with physical and mental health challenges.
This blog will focus on the mental health side of the conversation. A new and groundbreaking therapy being used for Veterans are service dogs. The first question many might have is what a service dog is? Other questions might include, how can service dogs help Veterans with mental health conditions? Who qualifies for one? How do you get one?
https://i1.wp.com/mk9servicedogs.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Beck-riding-to-teminal.jpg?fit=525%2C350&ssl=1
What are service dogs?
Service dogs are specially trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a chronic disability who cannot perform the work or task independently for him or herself. Service dogs can, for example, pick things up, guide people who are blind, alert people who are deaf or pull a wheelchair. They can also remind a person to take prescribed medications and calm a person with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack. It is important to note that service animals are working animals, not pets.
veterans with service dogs
How can service dogs help Veterans with mental health conditions?
Service dogs are trained to a standard, and additional training is usually customized to the individual needs of the Veteran. Most groups that train and place service dogs with qualified Veterans, work with the Veteran and service dog as they learn to work as a team. Goals range from increased physical, emotional and social self-sufficiency. A few examples of some of the tasks service dogs are trained to do include, but are not limited to:
Alleviate anxiety/distress and provide psycho-emotional grounding by nudging, pawing, and leaning.
Assist a person in waking from night terrors and nightmares.
Distract a person from an event or specific maladaptive behavior by nudging, pawing, and licking.
Bring medication to a person on command or when alerted to do so by a timer/alarm.
Stand in front of or circle an individual in crowded areas in order to create personal space in a non-aggressive manner.
Lead an individual safely to a building exit when experiencing an anxiety or panic attack.
Get help by alerting another person or activate an emergency button or alert system.
A trained PTSD service dog is a tool and is not intended to substitute or replace current therapeutic or medication treatment plan.
https://i0.wp.com/mk9servicedogs.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/3LZWXOeU.jpeg.jpg?fit=525%2C350&ssl=1
I have PTSD. I denied this for a long time, but eventually, I had to seek out treatment. I then went on to explore other options which led me to find a group that works with Veterans with PTSD. Above is Legend, my SDiT (service dog in training), whose namesake is for Navy Seal Chris Kyle. The images above are of another SDiT, Beck, training in an airport and public transportation venues. He will be graduating and then placed with his Veteran in a few weeks.
This blog covered what a service dog is and how they can help Veterans with PTSD. In the next blog, I will cover who qualifies for one? How do you get one?
David Pineda is the VA Claims Insider Brand Ambassador and a retired Army Disabled Veteran. Ready to work with him? You can sign up at joinvaci.com or you can contact him at [login to see]
Veterans with PTSD and service dogs
Posted from vaclaimsinsider.com
PTSD
Dogs
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 2
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This is a great share. I myself have PTSD and rely on my service dog Luna to help me with my panic attacks. She nudges me and kisses me and I calm down. I don't know what I would do without her.
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I myself suffer from PTSD I believe there is no "magic pill" to take or a one time therapy session that will "fix you" we are all a work in progress. Everyday stress is going to happen, it just happens different to some who suffer invisibly with PTSD. From looking at me you may not know or realize that there are days that I am frozen from the past memories and cannot leave my bedroom. You might not be able to tell that a crowded store is extra traumatizing for me, who in here could be a bad guy? Who in here might try to assault me? Who in here might try to follow me home? I may not be friendly to you because I may think you have a hidden agenda. I may blow you off because I myself am just trying to keep it together in public. Sometimes I have to run and get out of a building because my sixth sense tells me there is danger. Even if I have a cart full of stuff I was going to purchase. It's my survival skills kicking in. And I'm most likely about to have a panic attack. I sometimes have to cancel my medical appointments because I just can't face the world or what is lurking out there. And yes I have been through 100's of hours of therapy if not 1000's of hours of therapy. I still see a therapist once every two weeks. I see someone from the Vet Center too. I sign up for the group classes. It takes a tremendous amount of effort to work on myself. You have to be willing to put in the work yourself also! I am proud of how far I have come but I still am a work in progress! Just know that person beside you who appears to have it all together may be suffering big time inside from past or present traumas. Be gentle! Be helpful. Be thoughtful.
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