June is PTSD Awareness Month. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated most with veterans, but anyone who has been through a traumatic event can experience it. Many people who go through a traumatic event may have difficulty adjusting and coping with things, but with time they can get better. Sometimes though, symptoms get worse and begin to interfere with day-to-day functions and disrupt their whole life. A service dog, or PTSD Assistance Dog, can help give an individual their life back.
Like all service dogs, they are trained for specifically
what their owner needs. They can be trained to use scent to know when an
anxiety episode is going to occur and are able to calm their owner to alleviate
the anxiety. They can distract from a specific event that may trigger a PTSD
flashback or create space in a crowd. They can also help bring medication or
open and close doors for an individual. These dogs are truly amazing. PTSD
Assistance Dogs are just one type of service dog our friends at 4 Paws for
Ability train. They have a wonderful veterans assistance program
to help those with hearing loss or mobility issues.
If you would like to get more involved with 4 Paws for
Ability we encourage you to visit their website or follow
them on facebook. There
are many ways to volunteer, our favorite is playing with puppies. Don’t forget
to follow us on Facebook and Instagram @Rivervalleycu, for updates on our
current sponsored dogs.