If you search the word “reality” on the internet, the first definition you will likely find is the following:
“Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within the universe, as opposed to that which is only imaginary, nonexistent or nonactual”.
Usually, we do not think about reality, as we simply know what it is and how to differentiate between what is real and what is imaginary. However, approximately 20 million people of the global population are suffering from a distorted perception of reality as a symptom of schizophrenia. The impact of schizophrenia goes beyond a diagnosis, and affects the lives of families, friends, and communities.
Along with other mental health illnesses such as anxiety, depression, panic attacks, PTSD, bipolar disorder, etc., the symptoms of schizophrenia can also be mitigated through the assistance of a beloved loyal companion who has undergone proper training.
Today, we will talk about service dogs, who never cease to astonish us, and can provide invaluable support to people with schizophrenia!
What Is Schizophrenia?
Schizophrenia is described as a “complex, chronic mental health disorder characterized by an array of symptoms, including delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech or behavior, and impaired cognitive ability”.
Due to its symptoms, both “positive” and “negative”, it often turns into a disabling illness for many individuals.
Symptoms of Schizophrenia
In the previous paragraph, we mentioned two types of symptoms. Let’s first clarify what they mean! “Positive symptoms” refer to distortion or sometimes an excess of normal body functions; “negative symptoms”, on the other hand, are related to a lack or decrease of normal functions and behaviors.
Having said that, examples of positive symptoms are:
- Hallucinations- perceiving things (hearing, touching, seeing, feeling) that aren't there;
- Delusions- holding false beliefs despite evidence to the contrary;
- Incoherent/unorganized speech;
- Uncontrollable movements.
Examples of negative symptoms are:
- Decreased attention;
- Decreased working memory;
- Social withdrawal;
- Alogia, which is translated as “poverty of speech”;
- Avolition (total lack of motivation), etc.
As you can see, positive symptoms are rather related to the presence of abnormal behaviors or their distortion, while negative symptoms manifest as a reduction or absence of specific behaviors or functions.
Causes of Schizophrenia
The exact cause of schizophrenia is not fully understood, but it is believed that it results from a wide range of factors, such as genetic disposition, infections, exposure to certain toxins and substances, and neurobiological imbalances in the brain.
Last but not least, let’s not forget about stress as a serious factor, that contributes to developing and worsening many symptoms of mental illnesses.
Which Individuals Are More Prone to Schizophrenia?
As explained above, there are many factors that contribute to developing this mental disorder. While it can affect individuals of any sex or age, there are some tendencies regarding susceptibility.
Sex
Generally, schizophrenia affects men and women almost equally, but there are some differences regarding the age when the symptoms manifest. Usually, symptoms in men manifest earlier, e.g. in their late teens to early twenties; women, on the other hand, are believed to develop symptoms a bit later- typically in the mid to late twenties.
Some research suggests that men may be exposed to a slightly higher risk of developing schizophrenia compared to women.
Age
In most cases, schizophrenia develops between the ages of 16 and 30 years. While it is not impossible for this disorder to develop in childhood or after the age of 45, such cases are rather rare.
Genetics
Similarly to many other health conditions, genetics are often a common cause of contracting an illness. Having a first-degree relative (parent or sibling) with schizophrenia significantly increases the risk for an individual to also develop this disorder.
However, having a family history of schizophrenia does not guarantee that someone will also develop it, as other factors such as environmental ones also play a role. The risk increases, though, with the number of affected relatives and the degree of genetic relatedness.
Environmental Factors
While genetics play an essential role in developing this disorder, environmental factors such as prenatal exposure to infections, maternal stress during pregnancy, and stressful experiences in childhood, can also contribute to the development of schizophrenia.
Additionally, traumatic life events, substance abuse, and social isolation are also associated with an increased risk.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis of schizophrenia typically involves a comprehensive assessment by a licensed mental health professional, including a thorough evaluation of the individual’s symptoms, medical history, and psychosocial functioning.
Treatment for schizophrenia often involves the use of medication along with psychotherapy, and social support. Vocational rehabilitation (VR) can also tremendously help individuals with psychological, developmental, cognitive, functional, and other health disabilities access, maintain, or return to their occupations.
Early intervention and support services are essential in improving the lives of individuals affected by schizophrenia!
Service Dogs for Schizophrenia
As you may already know, service animals are dogs who have been individually trained to do specific tasks/work for the benefit of an individual with a disability. These tasks must be directly related to the disability.
Having said that, you can train or have your dog trained to perform tasks to help you deal with the symptoms of schizophrenia.
Grounding the Owner
In the context of service dog training, “grounding” means bringing the handler back to reality. A service dog can be trained to respond to cues- verbal or non-verbal and exhibit specific behaviors as a response. The non-verbal cues, which can be certain types of breathing, specific movements, or types of behavior that the individual does when they are having episodes, are known as “tells”.
By grounding their handler, a service dog can help bring them back to the present moment, which is particularly helpful for people with hallucinations and delusions.
Providing Deep Pressure Therapy / Tactile Stimulation
Anxiety and panic attacks can occur as components of schizophrenia, especially during psychotic episodes. They can develop as a side effect due to medication, as a sign of a simultaneous anxiety condition, or due to an underlying condition.
Regardless of the specific cause of anxiety and panic episodes accompanying schizophrenia, their effect can be alleviated through deep pressure therapy and tactile stimulation such as giving a kiss, nose-nudging, or pawing.
Furthermore, individuals with schizophrenia often experience sleep disturbances, which can worsen the severity of the condition. Through tactile stimulation and deep pressure therapy, service dogs can promote relaxation and improve sleep quality. As you may know, quality sleep is a crucial factor in good mental health.
Reminding the Owner to Take Medication
Some service dogs can be trained to remind individuals to take their medication at specified times.
This is particularly helpful to people with schizophrenia, who may struggle with adherence to medication due to cognitive symptoms or side effects.
Retrieving Items (Medication, Phone)
A trained service dog can bring items such as medication and a phone to their owner in situations when they are not responsive or otherwise unable to get them themselves.
Retrieval tasks are common for both mobility service dogs and psychiatric service dogs due to their wide range of applications.
Interrupting Repetitive Behaviors
Similarly to the first type of task listed above, interrupting repetitive behaviors is based on cues that the dog identifies and responds to.
This task can tremendously help individuals with mental conditions by preventing them from biting their nails, scratching their skin, or showing potentially harmful behaviors.
Alerting to Ongoing Episodes
A service dog can be trained to recognize signs of an impending episode, such as changes in behavior or physiological indicators, and alert their handler by showing a specific behavior.
These behaviors could include guiding the owner to a safe place, providing tactile stimulation to help bring them back to reality, or alerting others for assistance. The specific tasks a service dog is trained to perform can be tailored to the individual's needs and the nature of their symptoms.
Encouraging Activity
Social withdrawal and lack of motivation are common symptoms of schizophrenia. Raising and training a dog, especially a service dog, is related to a commitment and responsibility to properly care for the animal.
As a service dog owner/handler, you will need to take your paw companion on walks, bathe them, brush them, bring them for a grooming session eventually (based on the breed), play with them, maintain their training progress and skills, etc. All these activities will keep you engaged and contribute to improving your motivation and social skills.
Emotional Support
While service dogs must be trained to do specific tasks to support an individual with a disability, they also provide emotional comfort and foster a sense of safety. Through their companionship, they reduce the feelings of loneliness and isolation, which are common for people with schizophrenia. It is important to clarify, that unlike service dogs, emotional support animals povide comfort and companionship, without performing specific tasks directly related to a disability.
The presence of a loyal and loving paw friend can help alleviate anxiety and social isolation and provide a sense of security.
Service dogs can play a valuable role in the treatment of schizophrenia by doing specific tasks, and providing emotional support, and companionship to their handlers. However, prior to embarking on a training journey or having a dog trained through a professional, make sure to evaluate all the factors related to raising the dog. Having a service dog is a great responsibility and such a decision should be made mindfully.
