I learned about service dogs for mental
health a couple years when I was hospitalized, and right away I knew it was a great
idea and wanted to be part of it. I
contacted a trainer in the area and requested information, I knew soon I would
have a dog of my own and he or she would be the answer I was looking for. After
filling out the lengthy forms and a few emails later I learned that there was a
three year wait for a dog as they were in high demand, I was immediately
crushed and felt once again I was alone in this daily battle for stability.
When I began doing research on what a
service dog for mental health actually does and what they are capable of
helping with, what I found was quite remarkable. The training they receive is extensive and they
are taught to focus on the most common symptoms for each illness; because of
this each service dog’s job is unique to the person. The most common mental illnesses the dogs are
trained for are Schizophrenia, PTSD, Depression, Anxiety and Bipolar Disorder.
For these illnesses specifically, a
trained service dog is able to minimize anxiety by licking the handler’s face
or hands, pawing at them and physically engaging them. They can indicate whether something is there
or not for those with visual or auditory hallucinations. For PTSD and those who have night terrors, the
dog is able to awaken the person, turn on lights, and help them calm down. If depression becomes severe, the dog is
able to get the person up to go for a walk, play and simply have them
moving.
So with such a long wait list the idea
of getting a puppy came to mind, after all a puppy would be fun and certainly
add some excitement to life. He or she
would be able to provide me with the support I needed and wanted. What I found, however, was not what I was
expecting. In November we got a Yellow
Labrador puppy, she was 7 weeks when we brought her home and just the cutest
thing I’d ever seen. While this ball of
fur was a welcome addition, over the next couple months I began to see a change
in myself and it wasn’t for the better.
This puppy, who was supposed to bring such joy and comfort, was causing
my illness to compound itself in not so welcome ways. I became more anxious, my sleep patterns were
way off, stress became a daily issue and depression set in. I would often dissociate and my auditory and
visual hallucinations increased, this was not what was supposed to happen.
It took awhile to realize that while it
was a good idea to have a dog and she is able to help me, having a puppy and
raising her to be a helpful dog for me, was not the right path. On the positive side she does help me
concentrate on being active and social by taking her for walks, playing and
talking with people we meet. However, I
didn’t expect life to change in the way it did.
Having a puppy is like having a toddler; they need constant supervision
and attention. She took over our lives;
the spontaneity that was once enjoyed was no longer available as she could not be
left alone for a long period of time. I
became angry, I wanted “my life back”, I missed the adventures of life and the
freedom, and there are days when it is a greater weight on me than I would
like, knowing life will never be the same.
It is often in these moments, when I sit
down and sometimes cry because I am trying to do something and she wants to “help”
me that I get frustrated, and then I look at her and all I see are these bright
green eyes looking at me and that puppy face and I know she is maybe in her way
already trying to help, she knows what I need and I am the one not listening to
her.
I still struggle quite a bit, but we are
getting to where we want to be. Not
only is she learning about us, but we are learning about her and I have to
adjust to what she needs, it’s not all about me. My intellectual side knows that, but the
other side, the one that does not see things the right way, fights back and I
am caught in the middle.
The lesson here is, yes a service dog is
a wonderful addition and is very helpful, however when making the decision to
have one, it may be wise to be patient and wait for a trained dog. The idea of a puppy and the fun it can bring
is nice, but weigh the pros and cons before you do and make sure you are
prepared for not only the life changes it will bring, but the challenges you may
face mentally as well.
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