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A recent study from the Department of Defense (DoD) showed that one out of every six combat troops returning from Iraq showed symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For many of those, that means having constant fear, panic attacks, mood swings, nightmares, discomfort in public places, or even suicidal thoughts.
While these symptoms are life changing, there are ways to combat this. One of the more popular ways recently has been the use of service dogs that are trained to react to mood swings and calm them down in case of panic attacks or nightmares.
Dogs have the ability to build relationships with their owners and give veterans the feeling of confidence and ability to take care of another living being, a feeling many receive by being a soldier in the US Military.
These dogs are trained to recognize anxiety and are even able to apply pressure to points on the body that help relieve anxiety, such as the feet, lap, and legs.
Not only are these dogs trained to recognize anxiety, but are trained to receive commands that may help the service member feel more comfortable in their situation. Commands include:
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), twenty percent of those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are diagnosed with PTSD. An even scarier statistic shows that over half of those diagnosed do not seek help for it.
Service dogs can be an answer to help bring a feeling of stability back to a veteran’s life. If you are a veteran and experiencing PTSD symptoms, know you aren’t alone and there is no shame in receiving help. Take a proactive approach, contact your nearest VA hospital, and tell them the symptoms you are experiencing and get on the road to recovery!
Photo thanks to The U.S. Army under a creative commons license from Flickr.
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