Service Dog Life > Is a Service Dog for You? (publicly viewable board)
Thinking about getting a PSD (thoughts, stories, advice?)
skytig:
Hi, I'm Sky, and I've been looking into possibly getting a Psychiatric Service Dog for the last couple months. I have rather severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in which I have huge amounts of difficulties stopping my repetitions and compulsions without outside help (usually from humans but it's starting to get to the point where I can tell it's not a good situation for me or my family and friends, as they can't always be there to tell me to stop or distract me). I have an inordinate amount of panic attacks. I have difficulties in social settings (though I've recently been diagnosed with mild aspergers, so it might be because of that) and I also have huge agoraphobia issues. I've worked with a therapist before where CBT lowered the symptoms and I was able to continue with my life even with the constant panic attacks and the compulsions and the checking. I'm now working with a therapist again (I was out for about three years because of insurance difficulties) and while I'm improving on some things, I'm still having huge amounts of difficulties. I've already tried some medications but I seem to be unbelievably side effect prone and they cause more issues than they help. Even with therapy (and I'm being sent to another one! for eating issues as well), I have difficulty finding and holding down a job, going to social events, hosting social events, and even with things as simple as going to the grocery store.
I've had dogs before that I was able to take care of even when under high stress. It seems to help if I have someone to focus on other than my own mind and fears. I understand the amount of work and care they require. I also recognize the fact that I will get stared at *more* but as I'm already an obvious physical gimp, I'm not sure I could get *more* stares.
I've read that PSDs can interrupt compulsions (which would be HUGELY helpful), alert you to panic attacks (I often don't realize I'm panicking until I'm seconds from having a complete and utter melt down, guide you during dissociative states (I sometimes stress so bad I can barely tell where I'm going or what I'm doing which if it happens outdoors or in parking lots, it quickly becomes dangerous), and initiate social contact(? I'm not certain if this is considered a 'task' or just a 'bonus').
I'm 22, and I'd really like to begin my life and I think a PSD would make it a lot easier and I was just wondering what people's thoughts were. I know some people who think it's a really great idea but I'd like to hear from people who have actually gone through the process and have a PSD (or even an SD) and if you think it would be a good fit? I am going to discuss this with my therapist at my next session but that's not for another week or so. Would I be a candidate?
state_of_nowhere:
Whether or not you are a candidate is something only your physician can tell you. You must meet the legal definition of "disabled" in order to have a service dog. PSDs need to be the most stable (temperament wise) of all service dogs so that they do not feed off the handler's anxiety. It generally takes 2 years to raise and train a service dog and I don't recommend you take on owner training if you do not have advanced dog training experience. It is much, much harder to OT a PSD.
Contrary to what you might have read, dogs cannot alert to panic attacks. They may respond to them or signal you after the panic attack has started, but "alert" is a specific term that means the onset of something that hasn't happened yet is being predicted and dogs cannot predict panic attacks. Kirsten has a more thorough explanation of why this is so.
One thing I suggest you consider is that having a service dog attracts a LOT of attention and the job of the dog is to focus on you and help you do something you cannot do because of your disability. People are going to approach you (unsolicited), attempt to kick you out of places, and generally try to make your life more difficult (pointing, staring, ask you invasive questions, etc). You need to decide if you can handle this because many people with panic attacks and agoraphobia cannot.
I suggest you work at managing your conditions with therapy as much as possible. Panic attacks can be decreased and eliminated, but you have to re-train your brain. There is a book by Dr. David Carbonell called "The Panic Workbook" that I strongly suggest. Also consider less obvious causes of the panic - for example, food intolerances, vitamin deficiencies, etc.
Roxie:
--- Quote ---alert you to panic attacks
--- End quote ---
Kind of a dead give away one is having a panic attack: nervous - agitated - hyperventilating. All things that the one experiencing those things can notice!
>I know, I'm a smart aleck/Roxie, or actually a smart Equus africanus asinus put very simply<
State says it all in the post.
A diagnosis does not equal a disability! I notice you are a young'un. Have you thought about learning tricks of the trade to recognize, manage and cope with symptoms before you might think about getting a Service dog?
A SD is not the magic bullet that is the fix-all. It adds way more stress, worry, fear, anxiety than perhaps you understand. CBT is good! I've been in CBT every 1-2 weeks since around 1968 or so. I'm here to tell ya: it WORKS!!!! Just keep practicing to keep the skills honed! Focus on your wellness and recovery accomplishments rather than diagnosis labels!
I would consider all other options for yourself - not just one. That way you are making a wise and informed decision.
If you can't find and hold down a job, where do/will you live? How will you afford dog care and transportation to dog care - like in emergencies?
skytig:
--- Quote ---One thing I suggest you consider is that having a service dog attracts a LOT of attention and the job of the dog is to focus on you and help you do something you cannot do because of your disability. People are going to approach you (unsolicited), attempt to kick you out of places, and generally try to make your life more difficult (pointing, staring, ask you invasive questions, etc). You need to decide if you can handle this because many people with panic attacks and agoraphobia cannot.
I suggest you work at managing your conditions with therapy as much as possible. Panic attacks can be decreased and eliminated, but you have to re-train your brain. There is a book by Dr. David Carbonell called "The Panic Workbook" that I strongly suggest. Also consider less obvious causes of the panic - for example, food intolerances, vitamin deficiencies, etc.
--- End quote ---
I'm already stared at constantly, asked invasive questions constantly, and pointed at constantly. I do realize that people will try to kick me out of places but a lot of places that I go to I have seen service dogs around.
I've been having panic attacks for as long as I can remember and I've been trying to retrain my brain for the last five years. I've also read The Panic Workbook, The OCD Workbook, The Anxiety & Phobia Workbook, along with various meditation/relaxation books. I did find I have gluten and dairy intolerances but I keep to a strict diet and now avoid those foods. I'm also working on better nutrition (and being sent to a nutritionist) but I am still having difficulties. This may only be the second time I am in therapy, but the first time I was in therapy for two years and I've been back into therapy for a couple months again and even when I was released from therapy, I was still having a fair amount of difficulty.
--- Quote ---Kind of a dead give away one is having a panic attack: nervous - agitated - hyperventilating. All things that the one experiencing those things can notice!
--- End quote ---
As someone who lives in a constant state of anxiety, it's not a dead giveaway for me. Often I'm at a state of heightened anxiety far before realizing it and the usual breathing and relaxation techniques don't work as well if at all during a full-blown attack.
<i>A diagnosis does not equal a disability! I notice you are a young'un. Have you thought about learning tricks of the trade to recognize, manage and cope with symptoms before you might think about getting a Service dog?</i>
I was diagnosed with OCD five, if not six, years ago. I've been insisting that I can power through this. And I keep trying and trying and I'm at the point where I feel like I'm running out of options. I've been in therapy before. I'm in therapy again. I've been trying to cope with the symptoms but it's not working out so well.
<i>A SD is not the magic bullet that is the fix-all. It adds way more stress, worry, fear, anxiety than perhaps you understand. CBT is good! I've been in CBT every 1-2 weeks since around 1968 or so. I'm here to tell ya: it WORKS!!!! Just keep practicing to keep the skills honed! Focus on your wellness and recovery accomplishments rather than diagnosis labels!</i>
I recognize that it's not a fix-all. I recognize and understand that it will be hard but I honestly think it might be worth it. I wouldn't have been researching for the last few months if I didn't think so! :smile: CBT works to a point with me. It stops me washing my hands for a bit, but then I start checking doors, then I start needing things to be done in a certain way and before I know it, I'm washing my hands again. And I've been practicing. For years.
--- Quote ---I would consider all other options for yourself - not just one. That way you are making a wise and informed decision.
--- End quote ---
I really have been. Trust me. This isn't a snap thought or idea.
--- Quote ---If you can't find and hold down a job, where do/will you live? How will you afford dog care and transportation to dog care - like in emergencies?
--- End quote ---
I'm living off of a settlement right now and I am good for the next twelve years. And I'm trying to begin a business from home (as in I have paperwork being filed, product made, etc. this is a serious thing). I would NEVER get a dog that I wasn't certain I could take care of. I also have my own car and my own place.
I apologize if I come off a little blunt, I really appreciate your thoughts and concerns! It's just that I've tried tons of things to help my anxiety and ocd and if I hadn't already tried them I wouldn't be looking into PSDs. I do get that there are people who just want a pet to take everywhere but I wouldn't do that.
Magesteff:
Need to discuss a bit of terminology here. As the words are used here:
Alert: is a natural ability and cannot be trained, as we do not understand what event or signal the dog is sensing. Not all dogs have this ability and that includes Service Dogs.
i.e. siezure alert - People cannot tell when they are going to have a siezure, so what they train the dog for is a RESPONSE that happens after the event.
Signal: a trained response to something you do. i.e. dog nudges you in response to you chewing your fingers, or tensing up, or lowering your head, or some other action that may include non-verbal actions you take before you have a problem that is more than you can deal with. dog sees you tense up, dog nudges you to signal you that you are begining to show signs of stress or panic so that you may take appropriate action to stop the progression of the action be it petting the dog, moving to a quiet area, leaving the building or other things.
Response: a task or work the Service DOg is trained to take when specific things happen, be it a verbal or non-verbal command, licking the face of the handler and remaining close to handler during a seizure and helping the Handler remain in a safe place as the handler recovers, leading the handler to a quiet area, to a car, outside of a building, nudging or pawing the handler when the handler is showing signs of stress, panic, or the handler goes intoa a dissociative state.
A PSD is signalling to your panic attack before it becomes a full blown panic attack and does a response which helps you break free of it before you can become incapacitated.
People who are not familiar with Service Dogs call it alerting, in terms of letting you know something is happening, but here the word Alert has a different meaning.
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