It Seems Some of Us Are Less Equal Than Others

Yup, at the end of the day it seems some of us are less equal than others, less deserving of respect, privacy and protection of our rights. Yes, here in the U.S.A.

Today I had the good fortune to interview Dr. Joan Esnayra who is the trailblazer for the use of Psychiatric Service Dogs by those with mental illness. This is a subject dear to my own heart because discovering Dr. Esnayra and her online community a few years ago changed my own life for the better. I suffer from depression, anxiety and PTSD. I suffer from this not just when these conditions attack with full force, but I suffer from the sense of embarrassment many in society try to place on all those with any form of mental illness. I suffer from the symptoms and the underlying conditions of these symptoms. I suffer because I worry about when they might creep up on me and say BOO!

For many years I worked from home. I have been happily married to a wonderful man, my best friend, for almost 28 years. I raised a family, including many children who passed through our home. I cared for my mother-in-law, my elderly aunt, and my dying parents. I did what I had to do to supplement our family income from home so I could be available to those I love as well. It has been a very wonderful life, filled with love and joy, despite my own cross.

After my mother died my grief became severe, and my chronic depression took over. Yet I was planning with my husband to open a small store. The prospect of working out of the house again, often alone in our shop, and dealing with strangers overwhelmed me with a crippling anxiety that threatened to put a brutal stop to our plans--plans we needed to fulfill for our own financial survival.

I heard about psychiatric service dogs (PSD)from a couple of different people, and went researching to find out more. That is when I came across Dr. Esnayra on the web, and joined her online community. I was with a group of caring people, who were happy to help newcomers learn more about PSD, how to go about finding an appropriate dog, get the training needed for the dog and myself to work as a team together for my benefit. I finally felt there was hope, and that I could have some control over my own future, not be bound to my home by the fear of leaving it.

I had a German Shepherd who already was bonded with me. Indeed, I'd rarely ever been without a German Shepherd in my entire life...I later discovered my personal reasons for that through my therapy sessions. My GSD, Honey, was already very familiar with me, my symptoms and my habits. It became a matter of working closely and consistently with her, over a year's time, to convert our bond to a relationship that could allow me the freedom to make the move I had to make to work at our new store. This meant training Honey not only to "notice" my symptoms, but to respond to them in a manner that would interfere, interrupt them so that they would not escalate into a situation which was paralyzing for me. Severe anxiety attacks do that. Those of you who've experienced them know this. Some experience them once or twice in a lifetime as a result of an immediate and overt stress, and some live a lifetime imprisoned by them. Assaulted by them. I had medication, yet was still subject to their attacks, unexpectedly. Triggers, if severe enough, can fight medication as well. I was assaulted and now had yet another way, in addition to my medication and therapy, to "fight back" and win.

Honey would paw me over and over when I began to show signs of anxiety (my symptoms were visible). If pawing didn't get my undivided attention, she jumped on my lap, nuzzled me and licked until there was no choice but turn my attention to her, rather than that which was totally taking over in my mind--and body. Those who suffer depression know it can take a life of its own, where we are feeling totally out of control. Honey would NOT allow me to hide in bed. It was just not allowed. The last time I suffered a very severe anxiety attack was while driving on an interstate. Honey, who sat staring at me in the passenger seat of my van began pawing me without stop. She began her woof as she pawed. She knew she was not to jump on me while driving, so woof was the added alarm she set for me. Instead of driving up a tree, I pulled the car to the side of the road and grounded myself. I was there over an hour to refocus and reclaim my body and mind. Honey saved my life that night, because my driving became very erratic. A month later, Honey suffered a massive stroke and died, but not before I held her and thanked her for all she gave of herself to me. She gave me freedom.

Mental illness is a physical condition, treated with little material pills--like those I take for my heart condition and my diabetes. Pills--medicine, treat physical, medical conditions. Hormonal problems are physical, not emotional or imagined. The symptoms can be emotional, but the underlying condition is physical.

Those who are afraid of, those who are cruel to, those who try to impose laws and restrictions upon humans who suffer from various forms of mental illness are also very ignorant of it. They lump all conditions into one category and label it as something to be feared, suspected, shunned and now punished by taking way rights to medical privacy. The next step, I fear are armbands... Isn't that what Hitler did?

I am posting in this blog information from the Psychiatric Service Dog's website at: www.psychdogs.org and this information is extremely important and very serious. It is about stigmatizing and demanding to have the personal medical information of those who suffer from mental illness. It is about the Department of Transportation and its planned restrictions on an individual with mental illness traveling with a psychiatric service dog on an airline. They must provide their mental health history, documented by a mental health professional 48 days before air travel!! Diabetic, Hearing Impaired, Blind, and any others who use service dogs are not being targeted by the DOT--only those with mental illness--those whose physical condition has mental symptoms. This is profiling at its worst because it is attacking some of the most vulnerable in our society--those who may be afraid to defend their own rights. It is bullying, but I'm afraid it is far more serious than that even. There is a sinister element to this type of profiling. The government has NO RIGHT to this type of discrimination.

If after reading this information below, from the PSDS website, you agree that this move on the part of the DOT is WRONG, PLEASE send an e-mail to: joan.esnayra@mac.com who is collecting e-mails of protest to present on JUNE 3, 2008 at a hearing on this matter.

If a person with mental illness, who uses a service dog for freedom of activity should need to visit a dying family member or travel for a sudden death...s/he will not be able to do so because DOT will require a 48 day notice with all his or her mental health information disclosed.

This is shameful, unethical, and God-only-knows where it will lead. Let us learn from history. History teaches this kind of fascism leads to no good place.

Please consider this seriously. Evil triumphs when good people are apathetic.

Cait

Campaign TALK BACK!


The U.S. Department of Transportation released new regulations under the Air Carrier Access Act on May 7, 2008. The new regulations require Psychiatric Service Dog handlers to notify the airlines 48 hours in advance every time they fly with their Service Dog. Additionally, handlers must submit a doctor's letter at least 48 hours in advance of travel that discloses their DSM-IV diagnoses, explains the handler's need for a Psychiatric Service Dog, provides evidence of the clinician's status as a licensed mental health professional, and attests to the fact that the handler is his/her patient. No other disability group is subject to these new rules. In fact, the new regulations state explicitly that airlines are prohibited from requiring documentation from any disabled Service Dog handler, unless the individual has a mental health disability.


STIGMA
The Air Carrier Access Act is a federal civil rights law that is intended to remedy "…discriminatory, inconsistent and unpredictable treatment' of air travelers with disabilities…." Nonetheless, DOT has decided that persons living with mental health disabilities who utilize a Service Dog in order to manage their disability must be controlled, identified, and otherwise discriminated against, selectively and systematically. In the press release that accompanied DOT's release of the Final Rules, the U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters said, "This revised rule expands the protections people with disabilities will enjoy while traveling by air". It appears that Ms. Peters is either sleeping on the job or something sinister is brewing at DOT. Since when, in the post civil rights era of the United States, is it acceptable to single-out an entire class of disabled persons and impose restrictive measures selectively upon them in the name of 'preventing potential abuse' as the DOT claims these new regulations will do?

STIGMA
The Psychiatric Service Dog Society is collecting written statements from those who will be directly affected by these new rules. We encourage all Psychiatric Service Dog handlers to send us an email expressing your outrage and horror at the selective oppression these new regulations represent. In the name of 'preventing potential abuse' the U.S. Department of Transportation has abrogated its legal responsibility to uphold the Air Carrier Access Act, a major civil rights law. You may remember it from a long time ago.

STIGMA
Please 'Talk Back' to DOT in regards to the new regulations. Include your full name and snail mail address. All testimony will be presented to DOT officials in the near future. Please refrain from using slang or profanity in your correspondence. It undermines our collective efforts. Let the Psychiatric Service Dog Society be your VOICE in Washington, DC. Stay tuned for further updates.



You can access and download the New Air Carrier Access Regulations from here: http://www.psychdog.org/comm_talkback.html

May 15, 2008 PSYCHIATRIC SERVICE DOGS ~ GUIDES FOR THE MIND

May 15, 2008, ST.CIARAN'S CRITTER CONNECTION

Topic: Psychiatric Service Dogs
Guest: Dr. Joan Esnayra

Discussion about the service offered by trained dogs to those who suffer from mental illness. Dogs can help individuals reclaim their lives and their confidence.

Callers are welcome. 646-200-4653