War, like all adversity, has a beginning and an end. Sadly, it is the effect war plays on a person’s psyche that can linger long after the soldier has left the battlefield. Managing life with the emotional and psychological stress that follows war is a battle many veterans have been unable to overcome. As per a report by national newspaper USA Today, a veteran takes their own life every 65 minutes. Put another way, 22 veterans commits suicide every day for a total of nearly 8,100 annually.
This is why the job performed by the charitable group “K9s for Warriors” is so important. The group trains dogs to be companions to veterans. Their unique unconditional love and at times inexplicable perception can be absolutely lifesaving. This may well have been the case for Army veteran Erik Scott. He suffers from post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) and the medications he took did not help. K9s for Warriors paired him up with a dog by the name of Gumbo.
As Scott was being interviewed regarding his struggles to cope with life after the war, his dog Gumbo began engaging him with dog kisses and snuggling up with him.
It turns out that Scott was beginning to suffer a panic attack from his PTSD. Gumbo helped him push through it before the symptoms even became readily apparent. It was such a blessing because the dog is able to do what no medications had been able to do for him: help him balance life with PTSD. Dogs really are man’s best friend.