Angel dogs treat PTSD
By Braeden Jones
Trident Intern (page 2)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can turn normal days into anxious, horrifying experiences. PTSD is an anxiety disorder brought on by a traumatic event. For example, when an individual returns from a war torn country, he or she can return with mental injuries that can limit the abilities to enjoy the life her or she knew before deployment. The symptoms range from reliving the event, to complete emotional numbing, to inexplicable horror. Intense, prolonged feelings of anxiety and realistic flashbacks can cause great challenges both to the individual and his or her loved ones, as the person seeks therapy to overcome these obstacles. One innovative new therapy method is emerging recently, with some promising results.
The use of service dogs is proving to enhance the functional capabilities of persons living with mental illnesses, including PTSD, Rhonda Langille is the founder of Therapeutic Medical Alert Service Dogs Ltd. (TMA Service Dogs). Langille, a certified Master Trainer and Canine Behaviour Specialist, is a leading a research proposal to use TMA Service Dogs as a part of service for veterans with PTSD.
Langille says, “These dogs can do so much. Some people have even called them miracle workers. They are like angel dogs.”
The way that service dogs are able to help people with PTSD is extensive. Langille offers many examples.
“Let’s say if you forgot your medication, a dog can actually watch you, and is trained to remind you at some point to take your medication. It will watch you until you do take it,” she says. "It gives the individual some feeling of independence having a dog helping them to remember, they don’t feel like it is someone taking their time to help remind them all of the time and they feel like they are more able to take care of themselves. The dogs help give them that independence.
“Another symptom of PTSD is compulsions that develop and people become disassociated with them. They might not realize they are spending so much time doing one thing over and over. So their dog can alert them and help to change their behavior in a very easy to accept way. They will notice the dog watching, and give the dog their attention.”
Langille says that being paired with a service dog can give an individual suffering from PTSD the feeling of looking after something, instead of someone looking after them. “But with that said, they aren’t pets. They are certified service workers.”
Another way the dogs are able to help is by helping individuals out of uncomfortable situations that might cause anxiety attacks. If the person is at a store, or an airport, or a busy place with their dog and feels an anxiety attack coming on, they can ask the dog, “take me to the door,” and the dog will oblige, helping to get the person to the door or an area where they can feel calmer.
The individual with the service dog effectively becomes the dog’s handler. There is a learning curve for handling, understanding and living with a service dog. For this, people such as Langille offer training in the form of a six week intensive course.
One person who has benefited from a relationship with a service dog is veteran Jim Steele. Cpl (ret’d) Steele was diagnosed with PTSD in 2008. In comments to CBC Radio, Steele’s spouse Krisdeann Nelson said it got to the point where Jim seldom left the house and barely made it to therapy. That was before they were in contact with TMA Service Dogs.
“I got in touch with Rhonda and we talked for a bit about what her services were and she said she had a couple puppies, Ben, which is our dog now, and another... When Ben got out of the car he instantly ran to Jim and sat down beside him and did not leave his side. It was an amazing connection between this animal and my husband,” said Mrs. Nelson.
“Now we’ve had Ben for over seven months, Jim can go to therapy on his own he can drive on his own, he can go into a store on his own.”
Steele said, “I don’t have to tell [Ben] things, he knows ahead of time. If I go to sleep he’s like my security blanket... there is nothing I can do to repay this dog.
“[Ben] does more for me than any medication I’ve ever taken. I feel like I can do without the medication, with just Ben.”
Trident Intern (page 2)
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can turn normal days into anxious, horrifying experiences. PTSD is an anxiety disorder brought on by a traumatic event. For example, when an individual returns from a war torn country, he or she can return with mental injuries that can limit the abilities to enjoy the life her or she knew before deployment. The symptoms range from reliving the event, to complete emotional numbing, to inexplicable horror. Intense, prolonged feelings of anxiety and realistic flashbacks can cause great challenges both to the individual and his or her loved ones, as the person seeks therapy to overcome these obstacles. One innovative new therapy method is emerging recently, with some promising results.
The use of service dogs is proving to enhance the functional capabilities of persons living with mental illnesses, including PTSD, Rhonda Langille is the founder of Therapeutic Medical Alert Service Dogs Ltd. (TMA Service Dogs). Langille, a certified Master Trainer and Canine Behaviour Specialist, is a leading a research proposal to use TMA Service Dogs as a part of service for veterans with PTSD.
Langille says, “These dogs can do so much. Some people have even called them miracle workers. They are like angel dogs.”
The way that service dogs are able to help people with PTSD is extensive. Langille offers many examples.
“Let’s say if you forgot your medication, a dog can actually watch you, and is trained to remind you at some point to take your medication. It will watch you until you do take it,” she says. "It gives the individual some feeling of independence having a dog helping them to remember, they don’t feel like it is someone taking their time to help remind them all of the time and they feel like they are more able to take care of themselves. The dogs help give them that independence.
“Another symptom of PTSD is compulsions that develop and people become disassociated with them. They might not realize they are spending so much time doing one thing over and over. So their dog can alert them and help to change their behavior in a very easy to accept way. They will notice the dog watching, and give the dog their attention.”
Langille says that being paired with a service dog can give an individual suffering from PTSD the feeling of looking after something, instead of someone looking after them. “But with that said, they aren’t pets. They are certified service workers.”
Another way the dogs are able to help is by helping individuals out of uncomfortable situations that might cause anxiety attacks. If the person is at a store, or an airport, or a busy place with their dog and feels an anxiety attack coming on, they can ask the dog, “take me to the door,” and the dog will oblige, helping to get the person to the door or an area where they can feel calmer.
The individual with the service dog effectively becomes the dog’s handler. There is a learning curve for handling, understanding and living with a service dog. For this, people such as Langille offer training in the form of a six week intensive course.
One person who has benefited from a relationship with a service dog is veteran Jim Steele. Cpl (ret’d) Steele was diagnosed with PTSD in 2008. In comments to CBC Radio, Steele’s spouse Krisdeann Nelson said it got to the point where Jim seldom left the house and barely made it to therapy. That was before they were in contact with TMA Service Dogs.
“I got in touch with Rhonda and we talked for a bit about what her services were and she said she had a couple puppies, Ben, which is our dog now, and another... When Ben got out of the car he instantly ran to Jim and sat down beside him and did not leave his side. It was an amazing connection between this animal and my husband,” said Mrs. Nelson.
“Now we’ve had Ben for over seven months, Jim can go to therapy on his own he can drive on his own, he can go into a store on his own.”
Steele said, “I don’t have to tell [Ben] things, he knows ahead of time. If I go to sleep he’s like my security blanket... there is nothing I can do to repay this dog.
“[Ben] does more for me than any medication I’ve ever taken. I feel like I can do without the medication, with just Ben.”