12/24/2025
The Role of Psychiatric Service Dogs in Managing Emotional Challenges and Anger Issues
Dogs can reflect their owners' emotions. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, approximately 13.6 million adult Americans, or about one in 17, are affected by psychological disorders requiring rehabilitation, including depression, anxiety, personality disorders, autism spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia. Patients in rehabilitation programs often benefit from the presence of well-trained service dogs. During psychological crises, individuals rely on the comfort and support of a service dog. Deep pressure therapy, which involves light patting of the dog's body, is often recommended to manage anger issues and can provide significant relief.
According to The Mental Health Foundation, individuals with disabilities who have service dogs may struggle to function in society, leading to anxiety, fear, isolation, and loneliness, resembling symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Service dogs play a proactive role in addressing anger issues by acting as bodyguards. Service dogs for PTSD do not require formal certification. However, they should still receive training under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which grants them special privileges, such as access to public places.
Emotions serve as signals for safety, alerting us to beneficial things or threatening situations. However, for some, emotions can cause intense pain, making them difficult to manage. Emotional challenges can leave individuals feeling stuck, lost, lonely, or overwhelmed by despair or anxiety. Negative thinking can narrow one's perspective, making it hard to experience hope or positive emotions. These challenges often contribute to difficulties managing anger. Individuals may feel uncomfortable with anger, perceiving it as wrong, but struggle to cope effectively when it arises. This can reinforce their fear of anger, potentially leading to loss of control, relationship damage, or aggression. Routine support and therapy are often sought by those facing emotional challenges. Anger issues represent a severe stage of dysregulation that can harm daily life and complicate treatment. Interpersonal problems and irritability can hinder relationships, causing discomfort for the individual and pushing others away. Research shows that individuals dealing with anger have higher attrition rates from therapy and lower levels of mental well-being, highlighting the need for interventions like psychiatric service dogs.
Psychiatric service dogs, trained to help manage symptoms of mental health disorders through companionship and a calming presence, assist human handlers during in-person visits outside therapeutic settings. Their primary role is to provide animal-assisted therapy in facilities, offering comfort to individuals and families during clinic appointments or emergency visits. According to the ADA, these dogs can enhance the visitation experience. Still, they must perform specific tasks that benefit the person's primary condition, such as minimizing psychiatric symptoms and providing emotional support.
Psychiatric service dogs assist individuals with emotional challenges, providing comfort and professional support in demanding situations. They help those with extreme anger issues and undergo months of specialized training to facilitate socially acceptable interactions. Pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and convulsive therapy often have limited outcomes in reducing anger and emotional problems. The Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings recently reported on the use of psychiatric service dogs (PSDs) for individuals with both intellectual disabilities and psychiatric comorbidities, with 72% of people with intellectual disabilities meeting criteria for co-morbid psychiatric disorders.
The role of emotional experience in developing disabilities remains unclear. Treatment for emotion regulation is in its early stages, with few specialty programs researching "anger management" comorbidity. PSDs are well-suited for individuals with psychiatric comorbidities, offering access to social connectedness, understanding, crisis intervention, and emotional support. Their roles can help manage emotional dysregulation and improve exposure to rewarding experiences. PSDs have performance standards beyond providing emotional benefits, distinguishing them from other interventions.
Mood imbalances are common among individuals diagnosed with psychiatric conditions. A psychiatric service dog can provide emotional support. For example, Ingrid, a nursing student with bipolar disorder, finds comfort in her service dog, Melina. When Ingrid feels stressed, Melina instinctively supports her. Similarly, Darius, a veteran, found solace with his service dog during overwhelming anxiety.
Every episode of 'overreaction' stems from a legitimate, unmet need, and actions to prevent crises must focus on addressing basic needs. Reported instances of dogs breaking training boundaries to carry out crisis interventions highlight their potential. In emotionally overwhelming situations, such as parents with children at airports, psychiatric service dogs can make a significant difference.
Remaining calm is one of the many roles of the service dog team. PSDs can intervene before or after an outburst, often before the handler is aware of brewing tension. Crisis prevention is the primary goal, followed by management during and after episodes. While a PSD may not prevent every situation, the connection between a person in need and a well-behaved PSD is vital.
Real-life examples of how psychiatric service dogs have transformed lives include:
JAK's Guardian: She had anger issues and depression, but no longer experiences suicidal ideation since receiving her service dog.
A client from T.E.R.A. Incognita reported that after getting service dogs, she no longer had severe anger issues that frightened her roommate.
The Veterans Administration provides PTSD service dogs to many current and former service members, demonstrating their effectiveness in alleviating symptoms.
A pilot study by Juntunen, Bahnsen, and Mees (1997) found that the presence of a dog reduced self-injury and anger behavior in a child removed from his biological family. Ethical considerations and future directions include recognizing that the use of PSDs as mental health interventions depends on the client's desire, potentially beyond therapeutic goals. Updating the International Association of Service Dog Professionals' guidance to prioritize the dog's well-being is essential. Additionally, the benefits provided to working dogs must be considered, highlighting the need for further research on animal welfare.
