For 27-year-old James McQuoid, an Iraq War veteran, a trip to the local grocery store used to send him into a panic since he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), commonly characterised by flashbacks, nightmares and a heightened state of alertness.
By the time he returned home from his second combat tour six years ago, McQuoid was having nightmares every day. He had a hard time communicating with his wife.
"I'd stay in my house all the time," said McQuoid, who was in the Marines from 2003-2007. "Windows were blacked out. I had cameras on the outside so I could monitor the surrounding area. ... The outside scared the hell out of me."
Fortunately, things started to change for the better about a year ago when he was matched with his service dog, Iggie, through 'Operation Freedoms Paws'.
For McQuoid, training Iggie has given him the opportunity to build a strong bond.
"Just like your combat buddies watch your back, this dog has got to have that same kind of trust," he was quoted as saying by CNN.
Dogs can be trained to assist veterans in a variety of ways. For example, Iggie wakes McQuoid from nightmares, turns off lights and helps create space between him and others in public places. The dog also helps McQuoid keep his anxiety level down in stressful situations.
Of the more than two million US troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since October 2001, it is estimated that one in five is likely to be afflicted by PTSD or major depression, according to a study by the RAND Corp.
Operation Freedoms Paws, the nonprofit organisation, started by Mary Cortani, herself a veteran, helps returned military personnel train their own service dogs in California.
"It's hard enough to come out of the service and get back into civilian life," said Cortani, who served in the Army from 1975-1984. "But now they have an injury that people don't understand. They have to find a way to balance what they're feeling, what they've experienced, with everyday life."
"Service dogs are but one tool, but they're a very important tool, in the healing process for our veterans."
The veterans "are taught to focus on the dog, read the dog's body language, not to worry about the environment," said Cortani. "If they start to have a panic attack because they're getting overwhelmed or the anxiety is so strong, they'll actually stop and kneel down and hug the dog." (More)
