By D. Kevin McNeir
As Americans pay tribute to veterans on Tuesday, one of the prevailing challenges affecting those who served in the Armed Forces is finding solutions for ongoing and unresolved mental and emotional trauma.
Veterans suffer various forms of trauma— either due to war and combat, violence and abuse, or disaster events — collectively referred to as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), affecting about 12 million people in the U.S., according to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs.
And while mental health professionals routinely employ specific short-term psychotherapies, most notably Cognitive Behavior Therapy — deemed to be the most effective treatment for PTSD — they agree that what works for one person may not work for another. One alternative source of treatment, well documented in studies but still lacking the full endorsement of the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), remains the use of service dogs.
However, “man’s best friend” may provide a solution to years of mental anguish, as explored in the recent screening of a documentary, “By My Side” (2023), showcased during the GI Film Festival in the District on Nov. 5.
“For those with PTSD who have had dogs in the past and are familiar and comfortable with them, canine assisted trauma therapy can provide a tremendous means of emotional and psychological support,” said Meg Olmert.
A pioneering authority on the evolution of the human-animal bond, Olmert is author of the ground-breaking book “Made for Each Other: The Biology of the Human Animal Bond” (2010) and an adviser on “By My Side,” directed by Vicki Topaz.
“Whether the trauma is combat-related or sexually related, victims have undergone experiences during which someone attempted or succeeded in hurting them,” she said. “The creation of strong social bonds is what sets humans apart and above other mammals and we seek to develop a sense of trust with others. It’s the key to our survival.”
Olmert noted that PTSD, which is a severe case of prolonged trauma, leads to multiple psychological impacts, including the inability to trust others or oneself, isolation, lack of patience, and issues with anger.
In “By My Side,” three veterans suffering from PTSD share their pain, fear and the difficult realization that they’ve lost time and love. All three find hope where no one had looked – in the heart of a faithful service dog.
The service animal expert posits that because dogs have social brain networks and genetics most like people – even more than chimpanzees – they are physically and neurologically wired to be humans’ “best friends.”
“Dogs can listen like no human and provide a very special kind of support that humans have destroyed,” Olmert said. “They help us open up again and keep our hearts open until we are able to begin to trust humans again. They allow us to practice social skills. In the process of training or working and connecting with service dogs, people regain the ability to be patient and display empathy, as well as other vital social skills that have been destroyed because of trauma.”
Pushing for Service Dog Benefits
An August 2022 Psychology Today report reveals service dogs can be invaluable in helping people with PTSD.
“PTSD affects an estimated one in seven adults at some time in their lives and it affects a large proportion of military members and veterans,” the report noted. “Previous research has found benefits of the PTSD service dogs such as reduced severity of symptoms, improved mental health, and improved social interactions. As with people and their companion dogs, the researchers note, each veteran-service dog partnership is unique and multi-dimensional.”
Olmert said while there’s growing acceptance of the benefits of service dogs, insurance companies still refuse to pay for the treatment.
“We’ve gone to VA officials with studies, which validate how service dogs improves psycho-social skills, increases brain chemistry, and lowers stress,” Olmert said. “But you cannot monetize dogs, so there’s no money in it and therefore no incentive to pursue the treatment.
She explained that getting a service dog is not “like selling a medical device, which can be a profitable venture for service providers,” citing previous experiences in the field.
“I was once part of a program at Walter Reed,” she continued, “which was helping veterans with PTSD who had not found the desired results from other forms of treatment. But the officials chose not to support the program which resulted in veterans’ insurance companies denying payment.”
Because the VA won’t pay for service dogs, Olmert said veterans often have to seek other resources to acquire furry friends’ help.
“For now, the tragedy some veterans face, which is their inability to pay for a desired, alternative form of treatment, is the fact that the service dog industry almost exclusively relies on nonprofits for financial support,” Olmert continued, “mostly mom-and-pop businesses.”
Further, the author emphasized service dogs are not only beneficial for veterans experiencing PTSD, but their whole families, before offering a call to action.
“We need to break down the barriers that now exist. We need better funding for the creation of qualified service dogs. We need to support those who are doing the work,” she explained. “Finally, we need to make sure that if a service member and their mental health provider agree, then the VA will provide and pay for a service dog. Some vets need a power wheelchair to get around. Others need a service dog.”
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