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1. https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/00000149-c3cc-dbb2-abcf-cbdef7c80000
2. https://offthebase.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/ptsd-fighting-stigma-with-name-change-to-combat-injury/
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dover_test
American war casualties returning to Dover AFB from Iraq in 2004. Photo by the U.S. Air Force.
Epidemiology of PTSD, Jaimie L. Gradus, DSc, MPH, July 2013
https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/coe/cih-visn2/Documents/Provider_Education_Handouts/Epidemiology_of_PTSD_Version_3.pdf
Examining effects of equine-assisted activities to help combat veterans improve quality of life. Lanning, Beth A, PhD, MCHES; Krenek, Nancy, PT, HPCS. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development; Washington Vol. 50, Iss. 8, (2013): vii-xiii
https://www.rehab.research.va.gov/jour/2013/508/jrrd-2013-07-0159.html
1: Ferruolo DM. Psychosocial Equine Program for Veterans. Soc Work. 2016
Jan;61(1):53-60. PubMed PMID: 26897999.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0203943
I believe that this issue has a huge impact on the audience because PTSD is a real and hard struggle that is a huge deal in our community right now. The estimated percentage of Veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who suffer from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is 24% This disorder makes an impact on quality of life. Causing an individual to struggle in different situations including social gatherings and public spaces. I believe that my audience should care about the outcome of my investigation because they are either struggling themselves with PTSD or know someone that is struggling themselves. I want to give these people a possible solution to help them improve their quality of life. According to Beth Landing’s article, the first systematic study for therapeutic riding was established in 1875 and has since then reached many veterans who have reported changes of increase of quality of life, as also stated in Beth’s article and others where studies were conducted from different sessions and asking questions from the veterans involved in the session about how their lives have changed since starting therapy.
(Examining effects of equine-assisted activities to help combat veterans improve quality of life
Lanning, Beth A, PhD, MCHES; Krenek, Nancy, PT, HPCS. Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development; Washington Vol. 50, Iss. 8, (2013): vii-xiii)
In my research on equine therapy for veterans struggling with PTSD, I have found a research study by Ferruolo DM with some hard facts where veterans were given different activities, both individually and in groups, where they had to work with horses to increase their different qualities of life. These activities included: herd meets, where everyone gathers together to get their horses and converse with one another to help create a mindset that every day you wake up is going to be different. Ground work, where an individual works on-one-one with their horse on foot to help build a relationship with the animal they will be working with throughout their therapy. Grooming, where the individual will brush down and clean out their horse’s hooves, this establishes a close connection with the animal the individual will be working with by close, hands on contact with the horse. Liberty work, this in a form of horsemanship where the horse listens to the individual without any halter or lead rope, but by vocal and visual movement commands instead, this helps create a deeper connection with the animal. Obstacle Courses, where the individual must ride through a course, this helps create a trusting mindset when you have to trust that the animal will guide you safely through selected obstacles. Trail rides, which helps create a sense of freedom while the individual also has to put their trust into the animal to guide them and respond to their asks, to complete this activity successfully, the individual must remain in a calm manner as horses have a strong sense of feeling what their selected individual feels. Other activities that do not involve the individual’s equine companions are also included in the therapy where veterans get together for group therapy sessions to discus their thoughts and feeling with one another. Couples sessions were also provided to individual who would want to work with their partners to create a better quality of life for their lives together. After these activities were conducted, results showed decreased levels of depression, stress and anxiety for veterans who were struggling with PTSD. This was shown in the graphs provided in the article Psychological Equine Program for Veterans by Ferruolo DM. This study concluded that 87.1% of veterans who participated in this study reported “very positive perceived benefit” in relation to their relief of symptoms of PTSD and 100% reported “very positive perceived benefit” in relation to acquiring new or enhanced self-mediating coping skills.
To me, the social issue of equine therapy for veterans struggling with PTSD is personal because, a couple of months ago, I lost my cousin to severe PTSD. He was a sergeant in the Marine Corps and oversaw a crew of a plane in active duty. Back in December, the plane that he oversaw went down with the whole crew, leaving my cousin as the only survivor in the crew. Even though my cousin was not on the flight, this became too much for my cousin. He became severely depressed with PTSD, leaving him feeling guilty and other emotions I would never be able to describe or feel myself. In Feburary, we were told that he took his own life. I want to be able to help veterans like my cousin who are struggling and be able to let them find the light and happiness again so they can live a normal life in our society.
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Although it has been 3 months since my cousin has passed, my family is still grieving over the loss of an amazing man. In doing this research project, I have gotten to look at this whole situation in a different way than I feel the rest of my family is able to at this current moment. I got to look at losing my cousin through his eyes. This investigation has showed me what might go through a mind of a veteran who is struggling with PTSD. What behaviors that you might want to keep an eye out for if you have any suspicions of a loved one having PTSD symptoms. In thinking like a social scientist, I have gotten to stop thinking about why this was thrown at me and my family since I cannot change the past or bring back my beloved cousin, but instead as how can I reach out to other people who are going through the same struggles that he did and find ways to help them. In thinking in this manner, I was able to find excellent successful results of programs that provide equine assisted therapy for these veterans. I hope that one day, I will be able to open my own center where I can help all sorts of people who are struggling with any sort of mental, physical, mental and psychological disability through my love and passion of horses.
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The social scientific issue behind equine therapy for veterans would be the PTSD in the veterans. PTSD in veterans is a big issue in this world. Many PTSD behaviors can lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviors, drug and alcohol use, social anxiety in both public and private setting and tons of more life altering behaviors. This mental illness can make life very challenging for many veterans in the world and a lot of symptoms go unnoticed to an outsider’s eye. I am hoping to expand the knowledge of resources that are out there for these veterans who are struggling.
Do you struggle with PTSD? Do you know someone or have a loved one who served our country but paid the price of a lifelong disease that impacts their quality of life? Have you ever taken yourself or your loved one to be around animals and see just how much they can connect so someone/thing that cannot talk back to them with their face just lighting up? If these sound familiar, I believe that equine therapy might be a great solution for you or your loved one. Equine therapy has been proven to have successful results for veterans who have come back from service with a disorder that can be complicated and hard to understand to an outside eye. Someone with PTSD might have trouble socializing with others, finding joy in daily activities, and struggle with things such as suicidal behaviors and certain addictions. Using equine therapy can help a veteran to find joy again in different activities, can help addictions and suicidal thoughts and behaviors decrease, and can help work on social interactions in group sessions with other veterans who are struggling with the same disorder. Although, equine therapy is not for everyone, I believe that if you or someone that you know is struggling with PTSD, equine therapy would be a great resource to look into.