Man's best friend, a treatment for PTSD in Vets

Man's best friend, a treatment for PTSD in Vets

FOX 23 News
By Trishna Begam

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The U.S. military estimates around 20 out of every 100 veterans returning from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. It's a constant emotional battle some veterans cope with through the help of a service dog. But the NEWS CENTER's Trishna Begam has discovered the dogs are not being covered by the Department of Veterans Affairs (V.A.).

Mike, who did not want us to use his last name, joined the Marines and went to fight in the first Gulf War during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He later joined the Department of Defense as a Para Military specialist to fight the War on Terror. He found himself in countries like India, Pakistan and Iraq. When he returned home in 2005, like so many others, he came back with PTSD.

We found the retired U.S. Marine Corporal Mike in the one spot he goes to escape. "It's indescribable. It's so frightening those feelings like you're right back there," Mike explained.

It's during these solitary moments he relives the nightmares and opens the wounds no one else can see.

"Feeling under attack, you don't see the enemy you have a feel they are coming in closer and closer and closer, and my gun won't fire it's jammed. It won't fire it's a feeling of panic anxiety and fear," Mike added.

Anxiety, panic, and nightmares are now his constant companion.

"We had a time in the bunker in mop suits. It was such a closed entrapped feeling and there was a free rocket over ground attack. So I'll have dreams that are claustrophobic. Where I'm trapped in something or it's all black around me," he said. "I had to figure out how to live in the world without medicating without drinking. That's the only way I could cope for a while."

Then Russell, a service dog, entered his life. read more here and watch video report