Service Dogs (PTSD, VAC activity, etc.)
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Pieman
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Really neat to read about.
The fact that an animal can have such physiological impact on people with a really serious problem is very amazing. I wish I had more knowledge of psychology as this stuff is kind of perplexing when I think about it. Could it stem from some kind of evolutionary connection with dogs? Humans have interacted with them since the cave man era from what I understand. Perhaps there is a fight/flight survival trait in our brains that was favored with having dogs and interacting with them closely....perhaps our connection to the dog goes a lot deeper than we realize. Wouldn't surprise me. Don't mean to drag thread off topic. Great to see things like this.
The fact that an animal can have such physiological impact on people with a really serious problem is very amazing. I wish I had more knowledge of psychology as this stuff is kind of perplexing when I think about it. Could it stem from some kind of evolutionary connection with dogs? Humans have interacted with them since the cave man era from what I understand. Perhaps there is a fight/flight survival trait in our brains that was favored with having dogs and interacting with them closely....perhaps our connection to the dog goes a lot deeper than we realize. Wouldn't surprise me. Don't mean to drag thread off topic. Great to see things like this.
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Pieman said:
There is evidence that physical contact with a dog causes a release of certain chemicals in the brain which help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and lead to other beneficial physical and psychological effects. If this is an evolutionary development is not clear. What is clear is that there is a definite evolutionary connection between humans and dogs, and dogs have an innate ability to read visual clues from human interactions that is not seen in other species.
But the ability of a dog to assist with persons who are suffering from stress disorders isn't limited to a chemical release in the brain. The more significant effect is the ability of the dog to redirect the thoughts and actions of the person away from the stressor or what have you.
From personal experience, my wife suffers from panic / anxiety disorder, and was becoming house bound. We adopted two rescue dogs with the thought that it would force her to get out of the house, if only to walk the dogs through out the day. And both dogs know when her anxiety levels are climbing based on their reactions and interactions.
So to answer your question in a round about way, it's a lot of different things that can be attributed to the beneficial effects of dogs trained or sed in helping manage stress disorders. Some of it is psycho/physiological, some of it is training to provide assistance, some of it is just the effect of giving the person something other than the stressors to focus on.
The research on dog psychology is really only in its infancy, as there was not a lot of work done in that area until recently, including human / dog interaction. But there are a few good books out there if you want more info.
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I still have the occasional "long dark days", and my 3 year old pit bull knows when they're coming. He's never very far away from me, but when the clouds descend, he's stuck like glue; if I'm sitting up, he's laying on my feet, if I'm prone, he's laying on top of me, because nobody ever told him he weighs 90 lbs apparently. If nothing else, it makes me get up off my arse and out of the "me bubble" occasionally to do something for another creature like take him out or bring him in, and to keep him fed at least. He's a pretty good listener, too.
These three videos by PBS are very informative. I watched them sometime ago.
http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/topic/ptsd?ct=video
http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/topic/ptsd?ct=video
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If you run across any, feel free to PM me the links and we can bring them in.cupper said:
Pieman
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Nice video from FOX news I ran across on this topic. Interesting part is where they show the veteran slip into what looks something like a 'thousand yard stare' and the dog jumping up and getting his attention back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6WfDX8KPFU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R6WfDX8KPFU
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BZ to Sgt Hill and Franky. 
A lot of it is distraction from the trigger and associated behaviors.
I go through the same process with my wife when she starts to go into a panic / anxiety attack.
We got our two rescue dogs because of her anxiety disorder. Not so much as a working dog such as Franky, but as a means to get her back outside the house on a daily basis when I am not home.
A lot of it is distraction from the trigger and associated behaviors.
I go through the same process with my wife when she starts to go into a panic / anxiety attack.
We got our two rescue dogs because of her anxiety disorder. Not so much as a working dog such as Franky, but as a means to get her back outside the house on a daily basis when I am not home.
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In the news, Nov 25, 2013.
"A former Canadian soldier coping with PTSD says she can't find a job because potential employers balk when they meet Lobo, a service dog she needs to be with her at all times."
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/job-hunting-ex-soldier-says-hirers-balk-at-ptsd-service-dog-1.2439050
"A former Canadian soldier coping with PTSD says she can't find a job because potential employers balk when they meet Lobo, a service dog she needs to be with her at all times."
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/job-hunting-ex-soldier-says-hirers-balk-at-ptsd-service-dog-1.2439050
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mariomike said:
These dogs, depending on exactly what they do for the person, fall somewhere on the support animal - service animal spectrum but to which end isn't always clear. From the article's description Lobo seems more support animal, though he might well do things that would make him a service animal, and these just weren't mentioned in the article. While both are important, a support animal is generally not protected by law (not provincial, although I have no idea if there are any local regs that protect them), a service animal is.
Getting more clarity from legislation would be good, because right now the dividing line esp for animals used for MH conditions can be fuzzy. The provincial laws skew the wording towards either visible physical disabilities, or specific tasks. Being calmed by the animal's presence/petting the animal etc doesn't qualify under any of the legal def'ns of service animal I've looked at, but PTSD dogs can be trained to do certain tasks that would qualify them IMO.
Oldgateboatdriver
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Too bad it doesn't qualify though.
Anyone who has witnessed a PTSD sufferer going through an "attack" (I don't know what the exact medical term is) or bad flashback episode knows that anything, and I mean anything, that can help calm the affected person or anchor him/her back in the here and now is a major positive thing.
I've had to help a few friends in the late 80's (when there was not as much support as today) when they came back from East-Asia deployments and it is no fun.
Anyone who has witnessed a PTSD sufferer going through an "attack" (I don't know what the exact medical term is) or bad flashback episode knows that anything, and I mean anything, that can help calm the affected person or anchor him/her back in the here and now is a major positive thing.
I've had to help a few friends in the late 80's (when there was not as much support as today) when they came back from East-Asia deployments and it is no fun.
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What the determination comes down to is what type of training (if any) the animal was put through, and what specifically the animal does in response to certain situations or cues received from the owner.
Support animals have no formal training, but are typically "prescribed" by medical professionals if they feel that the patient could receive some help by the presence of the animal.
Service animals receive formal training and are typically certified by some organization. They are trained to act in a specific way in response to certain situations or from voluntary or involuntary cues from the handler / owner / person in distress.
There is a third classification, Therapy Animal. They typically undergo some training and certification to assess their suitability in situations where their presence provides some sort of calming effect, stress relief, or other desired effect. They aren't trained to act in a specific manner, but to simply provide comfort and improve the overall mood.
As I have stated previously, we obtained two rescue dogs as emotional support animals for my wife to help with panic and anxiety, which was leading her to become shut in during periods when I was at work or away on trips. It basically forced her to get out of the house periodically through out the day to take them for a walk.
Support animals have no formal training, but are typically "prescribed" by medical professionals if they feel that the patient could receive some help by the presence of the animal.
Service animals receive formal training and are typically certified by some organization. They are trained to act in a specific way in response to certain situations or from voluntary or involuntary cues from the handler / owner / person in distress.
There is a third classification, Therapy Animal. They typically undergo some training and certification to assess their suitability in situations where their presence provides some sort of calming effect, stress relief, or other desired effect. They aren't trained to act in a specific manner, but to simply provide comfort and improve the overall mood.
As I have stated previously, we obtained two rescue dogs as emotional support animals for my wife to help with panic and anxiety, which was leading her to become shut in during periods when I was at work or away on trips. It basically forced her to get out of the house periodically through out the day to take them for a walk.
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