Noteboom The Law Firm

Army Releasing the Hounds on PTSD

July 28, 2010 - Like most branches of the military, the Army is constantly searching for new and better treatment methods for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One of the Army's most recent approaches is using therapy dogs.  At a recent conference on treating mental illnesses, an Army representative spoke to the benefits of using therapy dogs to combat the effects of PTSD.

Using animals to assist in recovery is not a new concept. Indeed, dogs have been used for years in hundreds of different therapy applications; using therapy dogs for soldiers with mental illnesses is only the most recent evolution. Almost every study published in the last couple of years has come to the same conclusion: PTSD among returning military personnel is on the rise. More soldiers and veterans than ever are suffering from PTSD and there are critical, immediate concerns with rise in the rates of suicides among military personnel suffering from PTSD.

The Psychiatric Service Dog Society (PSDS) has a history of working with the Army as well as other government agencies. The PSDS works with people training dogs to be used as service and/or therapy dogs for people suffering from mental illnesses by providing information on the training.

The Department of Defense (DoD) is currently funding a PSDS study on the effectiveness and value of using therapy dogs. The study focuses on soldiers recently returning to the states who suffer from PTSD. Walter Reed Army Medical Center will host the study.

PTSD therapies are as varied as the soldiers and veterans suffering from it. While this therapy will not work with everyone, therapy dogs have proven themselves to be effective in this specific arena. If the study is positive, therapy dogs could be used in an even wider realm of healing.