Service animals, especially service dogs, are a great help to veterans suffering from the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They are also excellent at helping veterans rebuild their families after returning from war or serving in foreign countries.
The benefits of service animals cannot be understated because many veterans form deep and meaningful bonds with these animals that help them cope with the effects of mental illnesses. We explore the many benefits service animals can provide for veterans and military members.
Bonds With Service Animals
Service dogs undergo special training, which allows them to assist veterans during times of internal turmoil in order to achieve a higher standard of living. These animals are more than just a companion and can form deep bonds with their owners, which can help alleviate symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses.
By helping their owners cope with a difficult time in their lives, these animals indirectly lower the cost of medical bills involving psychiatric evaluations and therapy costs. Service canines are also great at providing stress relief and reducing the effects of social anxiety that many veterans develop, which lowers the need to rely on medical drugs.
Service animals are also an icebreaker and allow individuals to engage in more conversations with the public, which is a big step in overcoming social anxiety. Since they are highly trained dogs, you can also expect them to provide protection and security to their owners and contribute to greater peace of mind.
Highly Trained To Deliver Results
Service dogs are very efficient at helping their owners deal with daily struggles of existence following traumatic events in their lives. These dogs can be expected to turn on the lights as soon as they enter the owner’s premises or even before.
When a veteran is sleeping with the service dog in the room, they can nudge and paw their owners to interrupt painful nightmares and flashbacks to horrifying events. Service dogs are also great for grounding as they detect anxiety in their owners and pull and tug them around to center them in reality and out of their minds.
Believe it or not, these dogs are also trained to dial specific numbers in case of an emergency and retrieve bags containing medications and other important things. They also contribute to more peace of mind because they are excellent guard dogs and provide security to an area, which reduces the need for hyper-vigilance.
The presence of these dogs deters thieves and burglars, and you can enjoy a peaceful environment with minimum levels of stress. Any items that are dropped on the ground can be picked up by these dogs, who provide a degree of mobility that assists veterans in managing daily tasks.
Service animals have touched the lives of many individuals suffering from the effects of trauma and their families by providing support and being incredibly loving creatures in dark and difficult times.