Coping With PTSD In The Military

Photo: Stanislav Komogorov

We've all had our bouts with stress. Some days it can be so bad you just want to curl up in bed and shut the world out. Soldiers who serve abroad have things much worse. They see horrible things up close that most civilians can barely watch on tv.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Animal assisted therapy began as early as 1945 when we supported therapy dogs programs to provide comfort and motivation to injured World War II soldiers. 1 of 8 soldiers will get post-traumatic stress disorder syndrome. In some areas of the military, it can be as high as 20%.

What is PTSD?

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating psychological condition triggered by a major traumatic event, or a catastrophic accident. It is marked by upsetting memories or thoughts of the ordeal, "blunting" of emotions, increased arousal, and sometimes severe personality changes.

Source: www.freedictionary.com

It affects soldiers in different ways. Some have to cope with physical injuries in addition to their anxiety and/or depression. Now, it seems that the VA is cutting back on aid to help the soldiers receive these dogs. Part of the reason is the fact that they want to keep higher standards between what types of dogs are being trained. Also, if the program is not properly monitored, many soldiers can go in and adopt a dog and say they have this dog for PTSD, when they really don't need it. However, the likelihood of that is rare.

The cost of fighting overseas is not cheap. Each soldier costs the United States roughly $815,000 USD to go overseas. A small fraction of that (around $30,000 for a sargent) goes to a soldier's paycheck.

The top reason for soldiers being hospitalized after their tour of duty in the post-9/11 era is mental illness. Post-traumatic stress disorder does not just affect the soldier but their loved ones as well.

When a soldier has PTSD, the cost to the military is $10,000 USD per year at minimum. When you factor in the number of soldiers together, that amounts to over $5 billion USD per year. Many drugs have been prescribed such as benzodiazepine. Drugs like these have a tendency to be addictive after a certain period of time. Roughly $2 million was included in the 2010 Omnibus Appropriations Act for programs related to veterans’ service dogs. The amount allocated to this type of natural therapy pales by comparison to the amount used for prescription drugs.

It roughly takes anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 USD to train a service dog. These dogs will be about 1 to 2 years when they enter a soldier's life. They stay with that soldier for roughly 10 years. So, in about 2 to 3 years, the cost of a service dog will pay for itself.

Benefits of Service Dogs For PTSD

Many soldiers suffering from PTSD that have received therapeutic service dogs have noticed an immediate difference. Also, soldiers who have service dogs reported lower stress levels, decreased depression, better impulse control and improved sleep. Even more significant is that many of these soldiers have indicated that they finally feel like themselves again. Also, programs like Puppies Behind Bars helps prisoners achieve a lower recidivism rate because the inmates have interaction and emotional bonding with these animals that they are training.

After seeing and experiencing the horrors of combat abroad, the effects of war are huge. The best result of having these these dogs is the ability to make a soldier an active participant and not a passive observer. They give the soldiers the safe haven that drugs and current work situation can't. For the ones, who aren't lucky enough to receive PTSD service dogs, they struggle and are lucky to get by on $600 per month. All in all, the benefits of PTSD greatly outweigh the disadvantages.

If we as a country are to spend billions of dollars to send soldiers to protect us by risking their lives, then we should be willing to spend an equal amount of money to help them come back so they can feel protected, safe and live their lives they way they did before they left. With the upcoming elections coming up, this is something we all should keep in mind, so it doesn't get swept aside as being insignificant.

Organizations For Therapeutical Service Dogs

• American Humane Association
• Warrior Canine Connection, Brookfield, MD
• Patriot Paws Service Dogs, Rockwall, TX
• This Able Veteran, Carbondale, IL

Let's Discuss!

What are your thoughts on this PTSD?

interview with Pam Gaber of Gabriel's Angels

Gabriel and Pam

There are so many times I've read the news and hear horrible stories of child abuse. One organization is working to help children overcome this nightmare. It's called Gabriel's Angels. Pam Gaber is the president and founder of this extraordinary organization, so please join your hands together and welcome her to Too Kool Doggies.

Q: How did Gabriel's Angels first begin?

A: After working several years in corporate America and relocating to Arizona, I wanted to get into volunteering as a way to give back to society. I started volunteering at the Safe Haven Crisis Center in Phoenix. During that time, I adopted Gabriel as a puppy. In working with these children, I would always tell them about Gabriel and what happened in our adventures every day. They were really interested in what I had to say and always asked about Gabriel every time I came to see them.

I asked the program advisors if I could bring Gabriel to the Christmas party and they allowed it. What I found is that these children transformed in his presence. Usually, children of abuse are angry but Gabriel brought out the kinder, gentler and happier side hidden inside.

I looked into seeing if there were any therapy dogs used to help abused children and there was no model for this type of therapy out there. On May 12, 2000, Gabriel's Angels came to be by being incorporated as a non-profit organization.

Q: When you first got Gabriel did you plan on making him a therapy dog or was it a natural progression for him?

A: He had always had a calm nature so I knew he would be a good match for this type of work. When he was a year old, he took classes to become a therapy dog. After he completed basic obedience training, part of what he had to learn to be a therapy dog was to be desensitized to certain sounds. An example of this would be going to the local PetSmart and stand by the electric door and watch what happened. This would be at least 30 times till he got used to it and didn't react. After being certified as a therapy dog, he started coming to the crisis center.

Q: When Gabriel first started doing this did his personality change?

A: Oh yes. When he's at home, he's just like a regular dog. Yet, when I put that vest on him, he becomes more calm and has the demeanor of a dog who has a job to do. Gabriel has such a keen sense for this, whenever he enters a room, he will go to the child who is most upset and sit with that child to comfort them for as long as they need it. It's amazing, but he just seems to know.

Q: How long does it take a dog to become a therapy dog? How does a person go about doing it?

A: It really depends on the dog. For one thing, they must be a year old. If they are very mature and have completed their basic obedience, they can be certified as a therapy dog in as little as two months. The training they do is intensive so for other dogs who have completed basic, it may take as long as four months. We have the same dog and owner team visit the children 1-2 times a week. Dogs can be trained through the Delta Society or Therapy Dog Inc.

Q: What effects have you seen in children who have interacted with these therapy dogs?

A: We have our program monitored by behavior specialists using a pre-evaluation and post-evaluation process. There have been different types of outcomes. The short-term outcome is the child will have a great day. The mid-term outcome which usually affects children from infants to age 5 or 6 is they have the ability to form empathy, compassion and trust. These characteristics are learned behavior and they are not developed, most children who are abused will never experience it. The long-term outcome of therapy dogs with abused children is that as teenagers, they know that abusing a dog is wrong and will never do it to a dog again. Many had done it in the past because they were around fighting dogs or had parents who abused the dog as well as the kid. Because of being in this program, they know the difference and respond to a dog with empathy and compassion.

Q: What do you find most rewarding about working with at-risk children?

A: I get to see the special connection with children and animals firsthand. These dogs bring hope, light and love to their lives.

Q: What does your organization hope to achieve for the future? Do you plan to expand?

A: We are currently working in the cities of Phoenix and Tuscon. There are many steps an organization must take to expand. We are 100% philanthropic and are extremely dependent on our volunteers. We hope to branch out into other cities in Arizona at this time.

Q: What are ways that people can help?

A: Volunteering is one way. Gabriel has inspired people to do volunteering in a difficult environment because it is an activity they can do with their dogs. We are lucky to get our volunteers through the media, networking events and word of mouth. Our volunteers are the backbone of our organization and we have two full-time volunteer coordinators in Phoenix and one part-time one working out of Tuscon.

Donations are also a great way to help our organization. We have a special donation page on or website.

Q: What is the most valuable lesson working with therapy dogs has taught you?

A: Never underestimate the power of a therapy dog! They know what they are doing. Four years ago, when Gabriel was fighting cancer, the children were always asking when would he be coming? There is such a strong bond that develops with these dogs and the children they nurture.

Q: What lies ahead for Gabriel?

A: Although Gabriel is being treated for cancer, he comes in to work just as he did in the past. Now that he's almost eleven-years-old, it amazes me that he's become more intuitive with age. Someday, he will retire but as long as he loves it, he's going to keep doing it.

Thank you Pam for taking the time to share your story with me and my readers.

If you would like to connect with Gabriel's Angels in the social media arena or through their website, you may want to check out these links:

Facebook

Pam's Blog

Follow Gabriel's Angels on Twitter

Follow Gabriel on Twitter

Gabriel's Angels Website

Sit, Stay, Read

Rocky, SSR's 2009 Dog of the Year

There are many children in school that can find reading difficult. All kids have the ability to learn but some learn better using different methods. Chicago has a huge public school system. Many of the inner-city schools do not have the resources and have greater demands on their teachers. As a result, many of the children fall through the cracks.

When I first heard about Sit, Stay, Read a couple of years ago, I was thrilled. What it involves is having a dog sit next to a child and just listen. Dogs are non-judgemental and their presence is a comfort to the children. Children become less self-conscious and are able to focus on reading the materials they have in front of them.

Since the program began, there has been a 20% increase in their words per minute. I used to tutor students and the better the speed, the better their comprehension. The dogs used for the program are given a stringent test to make sure that they are not aggressive and are a good match for the program. If you would like to learn more, here is their website:
Sit, Stay, Read

I hope you all have enjoyed the weekend. If you have had anything like this in your city, please share it here. Have a great night