How Animals Help in Psychological Healing?

Abstract

People often overlook the importance of animals in the process of psychological healing. Animals have been used for decades as emotional and social cushions for people with debilitating ailments. Service dogs and animal-assisted therapy are a growing cultural phenomenon, as a common tool for increasing physical and mental wellness. These tools have been most commonly used for treating physical disabilities, but recent research suggest that animals can also be used to treat emotional illnesses. The prevalence for post-traumatic distress disorder (PTSD) has grown exponentially since the year 2002 (Furst, 2016).

There is no cure for PTSD, but many therapists have been exploring the psychological and perhaps, even physiological benefits of the human-animal bond. Non-profit organizations have funded programs that provide training for animals specifically for the use of emotional support. Animals that are professionally trained, are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act; requiring all public institutions to make arrangements to accommodate the needs of the patient (Silcox, Castillo, & Reed,2014).

Emotional Support Animals and Veterans With PTSD

The human-animal connection is a complex relationship that is still being studied today. For hundreds of years animals have been used to help remedy the effects of certain disabilities. A person with a disability can suffer from impaired functional capacity and diminished social participation (Silcox, Castillo, & Reed,2014). Animals of various species provide therapy to a wide range of people, says (Kane, 2015). Doctors, therapists, even the ancient Greeks utilized the relations between human and animal to aid in the recovery of physical and psychological ailments (Silcox, Castillo, & Reed,2014).

Using animals for therapy is growing in popularity; due to the degree of simplicity and the capability to adhere to one's autonomy. In America, there are approximately 73 million homes that own pets- some homes owning more than one (Silcox, Castillo, & Reed,2014). Pet ownership is rewarding in itself; because of the many emotional and physical benefits it provides. According to (Silcox, Castillo, & Reed,2014), animals help fosters the strengthening of interpersonal relationships-improving social interactions with other people. While most people seek a sense of security from their companions, animals can provide a sense of trust and empathy (Silcox, Castillo, & Reed,2014). Humans psychological need for unconditional love and acceptance is primarily demonstrated in the human-animal relationship.

Doctor, Charles Mayo, and Therapist, Sigmund Freud discovered the unique effects animals had on humans during the 20th century (Silcox, Castillo, & Reed,2014). Patients had an overall positive behavior in the presence of a pet, and some people used pets to shard personal emotions. The president of K-9 for warriors (2015) asserts that dogs improve people's mental health, their perspective, and their ability to relate to other people. Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has been used increasingly within the past few years. AAT is a type of therapy that utilizes animals in the process of treating clients with moderate to severe psychological and physical impairments (Silcox, Castillo, & Reed,2014). Seeing eye dogs and psychiatric service dogs are trained by professionals to aid in the people daily lives'. The American Disabilities Act (1990) requires all public facilities and institution to accommodate the needs of a person with any type of disability (Silcox, Castillo, & Reed,2014). Emotional support animals (ESA's) can be any animal, wild or domestic, that assist in the overall mental health of a person. Unfortunately, since ESA's do not have to be trained, the law passed in 1990 does not recognize to work done by the animals (Silcox, Castillo, & Reed,2014)

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder following an excessively traumatic event (Kloep, 2016). Effects of PTSD can be devastating, not only for the victim but the people around them. On average, twenty-two veterans die every day from suicides, some conjecture that health care professional could do more to diagnose and treat PTSD (Furst, 2016). The prevalence of PTSD in civilian populations average around 6.9% but it is immensely higher, ranging from 10.1%- 30.9% (Kloep, 2016). While anyone can suffer from PTSD, veterans who have been in combat are more likely to develop and become diagnosed with PTSD. Combat veterans who have killed or have seen death first hand are predisposed to the diagnosis of PTSD (Furst, 2016) Common symptoms for PTSD are intrusion, avoidance, negative alterations in cognition and mood, and alteration in arousal and activity (Kane, 2015). Post-traumatic stress disorder overrides a person ability to distinguish non-threatening people and stimuli from past memories. There are more developed ways to treat PTSD; however, veterans who have been diagnosed with PTSD rarely ever seek help. A group of approximately 50,000 veterans with PTSD were offered medical treatment, and only 9.5% actually sought help (Kloep, 2016).

There are multiple non-profit organizations that provide service animals for veterans who suffer from PTSD. K-9's for Warriors (2015) is a non-profit organization- founded by people associated with PTSD- that provides emotional support dogs, including a 3-week training program for returning veterans with PTSD. Another program uses animals trained by incarcerated individuals and gives them to veterans with PTSD (Furst, 2016). According to Silcox, Castillo, & Reed (2014) there are many types of animals- not only dogs- that help people achieve a better quality of life. People who suffer from PTSD, find it difficult to integrate back into a functional society, especially due to compromised feelings of trust. Animals lack a developed frontal cortex, which confines them to the limitations of their own instincts. It is easier for humans to trust in an animal; simply because, it will never conspire to do anything that is outside of its own nature.

Those who participate in Animal-assisted therapy, will learn different coping methods, how to efficiently manage symptoms, and regain a sense of confidence (Furst, 2016). The relationship formed between human and animal not only improved social interactions, but reduced heart rate, and cholesterol levels- encouraging people to become more publicly involved (Silcox, Castillo, & Reed,2014). Oxytocin, bonding hormone, is commonly associated between human-human, however, this hormone is also produced by pet and owner. Service dogs can be trained: to recognize the symptoms of a flashback, block people from getting too close to the veteran, and wake up a veteran during a nightmare (Furst, 2016). It was observed that in the presence of service dogs, veterans reduced taking anxiety medications, felt lessening symptoms of depression, and strengthened interpersonal relationships (Kane, 2015). Though it is still unperfected, animal-assisted therapy has made an impact on many people's lives.

References

1. Duax, J. M., PhD., Bohnert, K. M., PhD., Rauch, S. A. M., PhD., & Defever, A. M., B.S. (2014). Posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, levels of social support, and emotional hiding in returning veterans. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 51(4), 571-8. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1553179753?accountid=40159
2. Furst, G. (2016). Helping war veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder: Incarcerated individuals' role in therapeutic animal programs. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing & Mental Health Services, 54(5), 49-57. doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.3928/02793695-20160420-07
3. Kane, E., PhD. (2015). K9s for warriors: Saving the lives of veterans with PTSD.Dvm360, 46(5), 40-41,43. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1678609564?accountid=40159
4. Kloep, M. L. (2016). The effect of psychiatric service dogs for PTSD symptom amelioration in military veterans (Order No. 10163382). Available from ProQuest Central. (1830472216). Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1830472216?accountid=40159
5. Silcox, D., Castillo, Y. A., & Reed, B. J. (2014). The human animal bond: Applications for rehabilitation professionals. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling, 45(3), 27-37. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/1619358977?accountid=40159

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