Page 869 - Total War on PTSD

won't calm down until I am actually calm. If I just pet him a little and don't calm down, he doesn't buy it at all. I am working towards getting Gaea trained as my Service Dog. Because she is such a high energy dog, I find that with her everyday demeanor, she's more in tune with me when it comes to everyday activities, and I feel that she would be a really good fit. I have done training for Gaea in basic obedience already. A friend of mine was a canine handler in the military and I am will be reaching out to him to assist with advanced training for Gaea when the time is right.
I think that the key for me was awareness. I became aware that I was struggling with something that the average person around me was not dealing with. Once I became aware, trying to formulate a solution wasn't that difficult. So, understanding that I suffered from anxiety and depression, once I became aware that these were the things that I was dealing with, then going to the gym made sense, meditation made sense, going to floatation therapy made sense, getting a dog made sense. It's because these were all healthy outlets that I could utilize that would lessen my stress and anxiety. I wouldn't be drowning in alcohol or participating in other risky behaviors that might have given me a moment of relief but would create follow-on consequences that were even more stressful. I think becoming aware is paramount. For me, floating, exercise, meditation and my dogs...those are all my outlets.
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