Category: Veterans Health

Man’s Best Friend Helps Veterans with PTSD

Specially trained service dogs are proving that man’s best friend can help Veterans battle combat stress. Research has shown that animal therapy in the form of service dogs can help manage and lessen symptoms of:

  • anxiety
  • reclusiveness
  • night terrors
  • hyper vigilance
  • neurochemical imbalances
  • flashbacks
  • memory loss
  • cognitive dysfunction

A service dog is not a pet, according to the Americans with Disability Act. Instead, they provide a form of animal therapy in which clinical symptoms are reduced through their use. Each dog is trained with unique skills that match the needs of the Veteran such as:

— reminding the owner to take medication.
— helping the owner socialize.
— alerting the owner if they start to have flashbacks.

At Soldier’s Best Friend, a nonprofit founded by veterinarian John Burnham, dogs are rescued from shelters and paired with Veterans suffering from PTSD. From the first day Veterans enter the program, they receive their service dog. Over the next six months, the pair will complete the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen program, will undergo public access training, and will learn socialization tasks. This rigorous training helps ensure that the pair is ready to go out in public with no mishaps.

It can cost up to $2,500 dollars to train a service dog, but Soldier’s Best Friend offers its services free to Veterans. The program is available to Vets from any part of the country; however, the six-month training takes place in Phoenix, Arizona. They even allow some Veterans to train with their own dogs, as long as the dog shows no signs of aggression towards humans or other animals.

Burnham cautions Veterans to use animal therapy as an adjunctive treatment to PTSD in conjunction with traditional therapy, or to use it when other forms of therapies have failed. Through the course of the summer, he has seen incredible results in the Veterans completing the program. One decorated Vietnam Veteran, Jerry Sweet, says his dog Max wakes him up from war-related nightmares he’s been having for over 45 years. Max wasn’t specifically trained to wake Jerry up; he developed the skill naturally while bonding with Jerry through the program.

Citizens Take Action

These service dogs make a difference in the lives of their Veterans. But, according to Burnham, the demand for service dogs is greater than the supply. Find out how you can support Soldier’s Best Friends so that every Veteran who needs a service dog can get one:

Does It Matter What We Call PTSD?

Walt Whitman was haunted by the images of death and destruction long after the Civil War ended.  In his poem, “Old War-Dreams,” he wrote: “of their forms at night, I dream, I dream, I dream.”  Lingering traumatic images are one after effect of combat stress, along with a host of other symptoms.

While the physical and mental effects of combat have always been a reality for the Soldier, what we call these effects has changed over time.

Soldier’s Heart

In the Civil War,we called it Soldier’s Heart.  Civil War physicians and psychologists debated over whether Soldier’s Heart was an affliction of the heart muscle or merely a neurosis of the mind.  In Vietnam, it was called Shell Shock.  This condition was attributed to the effects of the loud, virulent noises of war. Today we call it Post Traumatic Stress.

A Name Does Matter

It might be easy to dismiss this debate as a name game.  But it turns out that what we call combat stress can help or hinder its treatment.  In a study done at DePaul University, researchers found that medical personnel were likely to perceive an illness as more severe depending on the sound of its name, even when presented with identical cases.  Researchers also found that when a name was considered to be psychosomatic—or stemming from the mind—they were less rigorous in their treatment suggestions. If medical personnel can be influenced by a name, so can society.

Stereotypes and Stigmas

A hallmark study published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed that Soldiers worried how peers and leadership would perceive a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress. In fact, it bothered them so much it was a significant barrier to seeking treatment.  The study showed there was a connection between the two.  Those who needed help the most where least likely to seek it because of how other people would see them.  It seems a name can effect perception, and perception can affect treatment—in the end, we are all susceptible to the fear of being judged.

One reason the stigma of Post Traumatic Stress is so strong in military culture is because it involves shame—shame of weakness and shame of letting others down.  In an interview with Frontline, Dr. Friedman, the Executive Director of the Veteran Affairs National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, explains that there is no shame associated with having a physical illness.  However, significant stigma exists around illnesses such as depression or anxiety.  The roots of these stigmas stem from within the larger society, not from within the military.  Yet, Dr. Friedman points out, military culture can heighten the issue because many situations require Soldiers to entrust their lives into each other’s hands.  Soldiers want to be perceived as being trustworthy and dependable, not a liability to the unit’s safety.

Education is Key

The only way to overcome this barrier to treatment is through education.  Research on combat stress has come a long way, proving its effects are not just in the Soldier’s mind.  There are physical and emotional effects of Post Traumatic Stress, and science can no longer hold that what happens to the body is separate from what happens to the mind.  Dr. Friedman also reminds us that Post Traumatic Stress is not a problem isolated to the military.  From firefighters to police to emergency medical personnel, there’s a possibility of experiencing intense stress or trauma while on the job.

No matter what we call it, and no matter how it happens, overcoming treatment barriers to Post Traumatic Stress is everyone’s problem.  Fear of being judged, the stigma of seeking help, and the shame of these invisible wounds can all be overcome when the attitude within our culture begins to change to one of understanding and acceptance.

Free Resources for Veterans with PTSD

From mobile apps to support groups on Second Life, Veterans have more technology than ever to support them while recovering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In the past, it wasn’t always easy for Veterans to get effective treatment for this often invisible war wound. Yet, many government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and Veteran advocates are rallying for America’s heroes by providing free—and often anonymous—resources.

If you know of any free resources available to American veterans, we want to hear from you! Contact us at Veteran Central.

Information

They say information is power. This couldn’t be truer when dealing with an adversary like PTSD. Some Veterans may delay getting help because they believe the symptoms will “wear off” after they transition home. While some symptoms may lessen in intensity over time, it is also true that the condition can worsen without proper treatment. This is why Veterans must arm themselves with the truth about this sometimes deadly war wound. The following resources can tell you a little bit more about PTSD and PTSD treatment:

  • National Center for PTSD Watch videos, read articles, and educate yourself about the symptoms and causes of PTSD.
  • Accessing Benefits for PTSD This article, written by RealWarriors.net, describes a major shift in VA policy that makes it even easier to get treatment at VA Centers.
  • T2 Virtual PTSD Experience This immersion experience lets Veterans interact with PTSD education material in practical ways in the virtual world, Second Life.

Self-Assessment

It can be hard to know if your symptoms are from the effects of transitioning home, or if they are a part of a larger physiological process. Free, anonymous online assessment tools can help you determine if you are at risk for PTSD:

  • AfterDeployment.org PTSD Assessment This online PTSD assessment lets Veterans self-screen for PTSD. It also provides helpful online workshops and learning resources.
  • Military Mental Health Screening Program This assessment program is anonymous and will help Veterans self-screen for PTSD and other invisible war wounds like anxiety and depression.
  • PTSD Coach This mobile app provides educational materials, tools to screen and track symptoms, and resources to help Veterans manage stress.
  • T2 Mood Tracker This mobile app helps Veterans track their emotional set-point over several days. Veterans can use this to keep track of their PTSD symptoms during recovery.

Counseling

Counseling is an important step in dealing with combat wounds such as PTSD. Veteran advocates have banded together to provide the following free counseling resources:

  • Give an Hour This website connects Veterans with therapists that have donated their time to counseling Warriors and their Families for free.
  • The Soldier’s Project This organization provides free, confidential counseling for Veterans and their Families.

Crisis Lines

It’s important to reach out for help when you or someone you love is in crisis. There are several hotlines and centers that offer 24/7 crisis assistance with no cost to the caller:

  • Veterans Crisis Line (1.800.273.8255) This crisis line is sponsored by the Department of Veteran Affairs and provides confidential crisis help over the phone and also through online chat.
  • PTSD Rapid Response Line (1.800.444.6006) This national crisis line provides confidential help to Veterans who need immediate intervention or support.

Support Groups

Getting support from your peers and community is a critical step in PTSD recovery. There are numerous online support groups that Veterans can join for community and support. Below is just a sample of some active support groups: