Friday, February 15, 2013

How A Psychiatric Service Dog Can Help

By Kerry Ross


Dogs would really have various uses. They can provide various forms of help for people. They can give companionship, love, and assistance. They are really smart, compassionate, and highly trainable animals. They can be trained to do various sorts of tasks. Recognizing their high potential, many canines are now trained to assist people having various forms of disabilities. It would include people having vision impairments, hearing problems, and mobility issues. It would also include people having psychological problems. These people can actually choose a good psychiatric service dog. Choosing to have one would really give you various benefits. Learn then what these benefits are.

These canines would be trained to give various services to a handler. This handler would be the patient. Training would usually be given by the handler, but would be supervised by a professional trainer. Many would be also trained by formal organizations. These canines would be used to give assistance, mitigate psychological behaviors, and enhance safety. You can choose any form of dog breed with this. These canines would be able to accompany handlers in any place they would go. Even when animals would not be usually allowed, they can still go. They should behave properly however and would not pose threats, produce noise, or litter around.

Such animals could be utilized for varied kinds of psychological problems. This will include schizophrenia and other related conditions. They could help people with posttraumatic stress disorder too. Such animals could assist people with anxiety disorders as well. They could cater to mental conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder, autism spectrum disorders, and Asperger syndrome too, among others.

Assistance can be provided in varied means. Stopping repetitive behaviors can be one form of help. Repetitive behaviors can be performed by a lot of individuals having mental conditions. Unconscious or conscious doing of the behaviors may be observed. Some self destructive or dangerous repetitive actions can be done too. Some of these behaviors may be done for hours on end. Jumping, toe walking, or hand flapping can be among these behaviors. Schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorder, and autism would usually manifest these repetitive behaviors.

They could aid also through reminding handlers to have their medications. Varied medications will be required for such clients. It will be essential to regularly take these medications. Such animals could perform signals which will aid them in remembering medications.

These animals would also help in grounding patients to reality. They can help bring patients to the present. It would be important especially when they experience hallucinations, flashbacks, and memories. People experiencing these things would get really absorbed by their visions and may forget reality. They would feel intense fear, become disoriented, or do inappropriate actions.

The animals would also give emotional support. They would help people with coping. They would give positive interaction that would really help in supporting patients emotionally. It would let them feel less isolated.

They would also enhance safety. They can give protection especially in crowded places. They would also be trained to help during specific emergencies like when disorientation, dizziness, or attacks would occur.

Getting a proper psychiatric service dog will really be advantageous. One could acquire great help from them. These dogs will really aid then in enhancing safety, positive coping, and reality awareness.




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