Though there are many types of service dogs available to assist humans, psychiatric service dogs specialize in helping individuals who have mental health-related disabilities or impairments. Having the support of a psychiatric service dog can greatly improve the quality of life for many and can allow those with certain disabilities to proceed about their daily lives with improved confidence.
In this article, we will be discussing how a psychiatric service dog differs from a traditional service dog. Then, we will be giving you a rundown of the specific types of disabilities that a psychiatric service dog can help with.
Though many people may think that a psychiatric service dog (PSD) is the same as a traditional service dog, there are some key differences that you should be aware of. To start with, traditional service dogs fall under the category of either “seeing eye” guide dogs or medical assistance dogs. These are dogs that have been trained to guide an individual, provide mobility assistance, retrieve items, or alert to the beginning of a medical event (such as a seizure or low blood sugar).
Psychiatric service dogs, on the other hand, are trained to provide support and assistance to those with mental health and developmental disabilities, including anxiety disorders, depression, PTSD, and autism.
They can act as companions and offer a sense of safety, but they can also provide support during things such as panic attacks, depressive episodes, and flashbacks. PSDs may also help their owner by retrieving medication, water, and phones in the case of an emergency.
Separate from all categories of service dogs are emotional support animals (ESAs). These are animals that are not trained to provide support for a specific disability, nor do they perform assistance tasks for their owners.
Instead, ESAs help their owners by providing comfort and companionship; almost any animal can be considered an ESA, and ESAs will not have the same legal protections under the ADA that a service dog would. However, some emotional support animals may be protected under the Fair Housing Act. You can read more about this here.
The list of disabilities below details some of the ways in which a psychiatric service dog can provide assistance to an individual. There may be other disabilities that can benefit from having a PSD, but we have only included the most common diagnoses that can receive help from a psychiatric service dog.
For those who suffer from anxiety disorders, a psychiatric service dog can help provide comfort and support during a panic attack. PSDs may also be trained to stop self-harm behaviors and to prevent their owner from engaging in behaviors associated with anxiety, such as shaking or rocking.
In public, a psychiatric service dog can place themselves between the owner and others as a buffer that helps the owner remain calm.
A psychiatric service dog can assist those with depression by preventing any type of self-harm behavior; the dog will interrupt and bother the owner until they stop engaging in negative behaviors.
PSDs can also provide a source of comfort and companionship, and allow their owners to maintain a daily routine as they care for the dog. Studies also suggest that the exercise an individual gets from caring for their dog can help improve their mood.
For those with PTSD, psychiatric service dogs can provide comfort and support after nightmares. They can also be trained to turn on lights, search rooms, check around corners, and stop an individual in a dissociative episode from walking into danger.
Additionally, the presence of having a psychiatric service dog can help many with PTSD feel safer and more confident when going out in public.
To help their owner handle the symptoms of bipolar disorder, a psychiatric service dog can retrieve medication and water at certain times of the day, in addition to waking up their owner on time. They can also bring phones or call 911 in the case of a medical emergency and prevent their owner from engaging in self-injurious behaviors.
If the owner experiences a dissociative episode or delusions, the PSD can help to ground the individual by laying their head or paws on the owner.
With individuals that have autism, psychiatric service dogs can provide comfort and calm during meltdowns, helping to stop them sooner. They can also be tethered to the owner (this is usually done with children) in an attempt to keep the individual focused and prevent them from wandering off.
A PSD may also help in interrupting repetitive behaviors by placing their paw or body onto the individual and preventing them from engaging in the behavior.
Though it is less common for those with OCD to obtain a service dog, a psychiatric service dog can help relieve symptoms of OCD by providing a sense of comfort and calm. Those with OCD typically have higher anxiety levels and may also experience panic attacks, from which a PSD can help calm them down.
Additionally, owning a psychiatric service dog can give an individual a sense of routine that may help distract them from their compulsions.
Much like with bipolar disorder, those with schizophrenia may experience delusions and sudden mood shifts. A psychiatric service dog will place their paw or head on an individual, grounding them in reality. They can also move to act as a buffer between the person and any hallucination they see moving towards them, providing a sense of safety.
PSDs will also prevent their owner from self-harming by nudging their owner or using their body to prevent any dangerous actions from being completed.
Those with Agoraphobia experience intense anxiety and fears on a daily basis. A psychiatric service dog can help calm those fears and provide a source of safety, allowing the individual to start working towards leaving their comfort zone and start gaining confidence in their daily life.
They may also stop panic attacks and can provide a sense of grounding when the owner is experiencing extreme fear.
Similar to autism service dogs, a psychiatric service dog trained to handle sensory processing disorders can help control and calm meltdowns in the owner. They can also provide a source of comfort and relief during moments of anxiety or panic attacks, and can guide their owner through daily tasks when needed.
For those with Down Syndrome, a psychiatric service dog can help provide a source of calm and comfort during overwhelming situations. They can also retrieve items for the owner, bring phones in the case of an emergency, and prevent an individual from completing self-harming behaviors.
The presence of a PSD can also increase positive emotions and relieve stress from the owner.
The first step in qualifying for a psychiatric service dog is to speak with your doctor or mental health professional. They will be able to evaluate your condition and point you in the right direction to getting started with obtaining a service dog.
Keep in mind that when you are looking to purchase a service dog, most organizations will want to ensure that you or someone near you can independently care for the dog. You will also likely need to participate in the service dog’s training (this is done to start building a bond between the both of you) and make sure to provide the dog with a suitable place to live.
Purchasing a psychiatric service dog can be fairly cost-prohibitive and may not be the easiest decision to make. Most service dogs will cost between $15,000 and $30,000; these costs cover the dog’s initial expenses and all training. You may find yourself paying more money depending on any specialized training that you will need the dog to learn.
While you can opt to train your own service dog, this may be difficult if you need more complex tasks taught to your PSD. The cost of hiring a private trainer to help you out is likely to range from $150 to $250 an hour; this can become quite expensive depending on how much training assistance you need help with.
Another option for receiving a service dog is to reach out to a national or local organization that works to place service dogs with those in need at reduced or no cost. You can run an internet search to find these organizations or talk to your mental health professional, as they may have an idea of where to start looking.
For many, receiving a psychiatric service dog can be highly beneficial when it comes to dealing with the daily challenges of living with a disability. Psychiatric service dogs can help with a variety of impairments ranging from depression and anxiety disorders to PTSD and autism, and work to provide comfort, safety, and calm for their owners.
When combined with other treatments and medication, a psychiatric service dog can help an individual regain confidence and feel more comfortable in their day-to-day life.
If you feel you would benefit from a service dog, reach out to your doctor or mental health professional and start the discussion on whether or not a service dog is right for you and your specific disability.