You may or may not know that when we say Psychiatric Disabilities that can mean an extremely wide spectrum of diagnosis. So, with that said I waited until today to write and educate you about the “General” aspect of Psychiatric Disorders in a “General” sense. We will begin to unfold all the different diagnosis that can fall under a Psychiatric Disorder and how a psychiatric service dog can help aid or even save the lives of each one of those diagnosis!
Let us start off by defining what exactly is a Psychological Disorder, what does a Generalized Psychiatric Disorder look like?
Defining exactly what constitutes a psychological disorder can be tricky and definitions have changed over time. The first problem is that a mental health professional must first decide exactly how to define “disorder.” How do you determine if there is something psychologically wrong or unhealthy about a person? How do you decide what is normal and what is abnormal? If you were to define disorder as something that lies outside of the statistical norm, then people who are considered exceptionally talented or gifted in a particular area would be regarded as abnormal. So, rather than focus on actions considered outside of the normal statistically speaking, psychologists tend to concentrate on the results of those behaviors.
Behaviors that are considered maladaptive and cause significant personal distress and interrupt daily functioning are more likely to be labeled as disorders. Today, many mental health professionals agree that psychological disorders are characterized by both personal distress and impairment in multiple areas of life.
A psychological disorder is a designation often used interchangeably with the terms mental disorder, psychiatric disorder, or mental illness. The “official” term is mental disorder as: “…a syndrome characterized by a clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognitive, emotion regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological, or developmental process underlying mental functioning. Mental disorders are usually associated with significant distress in social, occupational, or other important activities.”
Did you know that expected responses to a common stressor such as the death of a loved one are not considered mental disorders? The diagnostic manual also suggests that behaviors that are often considered at odds with social norms are not considered disorders unless these actions are the result of some dysfunction. Interesting, isn’t it?
Many dog people would say their canine companions are their best friends, but for a growing number of individuals with specific physical, neurological, or mental health needs, distinct types of service dogs are also invaluable partners in day-to-day life.
When most people think of service dogs, they usually envision a handler with a physical disability such as vision impairment or limited mobility. Service dogs, however, are also hard at work helping people with invisible disabilities. Psychiatric service dogs (PSDs) are a type of service animal with the same legal rights as service dogs that help with physical disabilities. PSDs are specially trained to help people with mental illnesses and learning disabilities. PSD handlers can take their dogs into places open to the public, such as stores, restaurants, beaches, hotels, and airports. PSDs are also allowed to fly with their owners inside the cabin, without any charge under the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) new rules which went into effect on January 11th, 2021.
These types of service dogs assist people who are suffering from issues like depression, anxiety, and most often post-traumatic stress disorder better known as PTSD. PTSD can afflict people after they have served in combat, worked as a first responder, or experienced abuse, natural disasters, terrorism, and other life-altering events, such as car crashes. The human handlers in this category can feel hyper-vigilant about their safety, and service dogs can make them feel safer by doing things like entering the home before the human and turning on the lights with a foot pedal. These dogs can also help PTSD sufferers who feel overwhelmed in public places by creating a physical barrier between the handler and others, giving the handler more personal space. Many PTSD sufferers find that having a service dog to care for forces the human to also take care of themselves, by getting out into the world and getting exercise with their dog.
Note that certificates, registrations, and ID cards are accessories used by PSD handlers but not required for any service animal to help signal to members of the public that their PSD is a trained service animal on duty. These items by themselves do NOT establish or convey any legal rights under the ADA or other assistance animal laws. Like vests and harnesses, they are just routinely used tools that help PSD owners manage interactions with the public.
Psychiatric service dogs are also different from emotional support animals (ESAs), even though people frequently think they are the same and have very different legal rights. The primary difference is that psychiatric service dogs are trained to perform tasks that enable their handler to function in everyday life or protect their handler from harm. An emotional support animal, however, provides comfort just through its companionship and does not require specialized training.
What is the purpose of getting a diagnosis?
While some people may avoid seeking a diagnosis out of fear of social stigma, getting a diagnosis is an essential part of finding an effective treatment plan. A diagnosis is not about applying a label to a problem; it is about discovering solutions, treatments, and information related to the problem.
Psychological Disorder Facts and Statistics
Recent research has revealed that psychological disorders are far more widespread than previously believed. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), approximately 26% of American adults over the age of 18 suffer from some diagnosable mental disorder each year.
The 1994 National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) indicated that 30% of respondents had experienced symptoms of at least one psychological disorder in the previous year. The survey also showed that half of all adults experience some form of mental disorder at some point in their life.
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that there were approximately 9.8 million adults in the U.S. with a serious mental illness in 2014.
What is Stigma you may ask?
Stigma involves negative attitudes or discrimination against someone based on a distinguishing characteristic such as a mental illness, health condition, or disability. Social stigmas can also be related to other characteristics including gender, sexuality, race, religion, and culture.
Unfortunately, stigma surrounding mental health is still common. While stigma is not limited to mental conditions, attitudes towards psychiatric illnesses tend to be more negative than that toward medical conditions.
Research has shown that stigma is one of the leading risk factors contributing to poor mental health outcomes. Stigma leads to delays in treatment. It also reduces the chances that a person with mental illness will receive appropriate and adequate care. There are many signs of Stigma as well as two different types but most importantly the impact of stigma can be profoundly serious and devastating.
How does a Psychiatric Service dog help to assist an individual with a psychological disorder?
The tasks a psychiatric service dog can perform include the following:
• Providing tactile stimulation for someone experiencing a psychotic episode or panic attack.
• Reminding the handler to take their daily medication.
• Creating a safe space for the handler by acting as a buffer in crowded areas.
• Calming the handler with touch when the handler is experiencing distress.
• Waking up the handler to stop them from oversleeping.
• Helping to reorient and ground the handler when experiencing a PTSD episode.
• Reminding the handler to complete essential activities.
• Alerting the handler when the handler begins to engage in anxious or distressed indicators like shaking.
• Preventing the handler from scratching themselves.
• Using pressure tactics and eye contact to calm the handler.
These are just some of the common tasks that a Psychiatric service dog can provide to an individual at any given time, in public or at home no matter where they are to help their handler. It is utterly amazing to watch what these dogs can do for their handlers and how they bring back the life that many thought they would never have again.
In addition to performing specific tasks, PSDs like emotional support animals usually provide general comfort through their companionship as well. Most PSD owners find the bond they form with their psychiatric service dog to be invaluable for their mental health, even when their PSD is not engaged in performing the specific task it has been trained to do.
In closing: We hope that you have enjoyed this mini-series. We hope you took away more knowledge than you had before. We have been so humbled to see that so many have that curious interest in service dogs, how those dogs save so many lives, all the different service dogs there are, and most importantly they serve a purpose to each and every handler, giving back “life” as many of us take for granted. We are so pleased to have you continue this journey with us over the next mini-series spin-off as we take things in so much more depth… Let us keep sharing and educating. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
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