双相情感障碍的精神科服务犬

Service dogs have a long history of providing assistance to people with physical challenges and are increasingly used to aid those with psychiatric challenges. Psychiatric service dogs are extensively trained to perform specific tasks to meet the individualized needs of their handler and are permitted access to public places in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

精神科服务狗可以接受培训，以帮助生活的人bipolar disorder当well as other mental health challenges, including autism,精神分裂症,创伤后应激障碍,沮丧， 和恐慌症。The tasks a service dog is trained to perform to aid someone living with bipolar disorder depend on the individual's circumstances and personal challenges and needs.

The Role of Service Dogs for Bipolar Disorder

The ultimate function of a psychiatric service dog is to alleviate or diminish the negative effects of bipolar disorder on the handler's life. Examples of tasks a dog might be trained to perform for its human partner include:

• 带上药物或提醒他们的伴侣在特定时间服用规定的药物
• 每天在特定时间唤醒他们的伴侣
• Remind their partner to go to bed at a specific time to keep sleep cycles regular
• 如果处理程序表现出可能表明躁狂发作或严重抑郁症的行为，请将便携式手机带到他们的合作伙伴或致电9-1-1
• Interrupt potentially dangerous behaviors in their partner by nudging, nagging, or distracting with play
• 如果他们的伴侣睡着或可能由于药物可能镇静，请将处理程序提醒到电话，门铃或烟雾报警
• 通过倾向于他们的伴侣，或将头部放在处理程序的腿上，平静或中断丑陋或躁狂行为
• 如果他们的合作伙伴在躁狂发作期间经历妄想，请提供与现实的联系

While not considered a service dog function per se, the emotional support provided by a canine helper is often as valuable as the tasks the animal performs.

Laws Relating to Service Dogs

It is important to note that to qualify for the protections and allowances of the ADA, both the individual and the canine must meet specific criteria. In short, an individual must have a失能and a service dog must be specifically trained to meet the needs imposed by that disability.

• 具有残疾的个人由ADA作为具有身体或精神损伤的人来定义，这些人基本上限制了一个或多个主要生活活动，这是一个拥有此类减值的历史或记录的人，或者是一个被认为的人其他人有这样的损伤。
• ADA定义了一种像狗一样的服务动物，训练有素才能完成工作或执行特定任务，以便为个人提供残疾人的援助。如果狗符合此定义，它被认为是ADA下的服务动物，无论其是否已被州或地方政府获得许可或认证。

其他考虑因素

If you're living with bipolar disorder and considering getting a psychiatric service dog or an emotional support dog, talk with your doctor to determine what type of canine companion is best for you. A psychiatric service dog involves a considerable financial commitment because of the extensive training required, which may take up to two years to complete. Depending on your specific needs, however, you may consider this an invaluable investment.