My new dobe may possibly be trained as a service dog, we'll have to see how it goes. I have social anxiety that is generally well-controlled through therapy and meditation, but if the situation gets suddenly "scary" it's an instant panic attack. People touching me when I'm panicking or getting too close makes it worse and my breathing can get pretty bad. There are dogs for anxiety that are basically trained to put themselves between you and other people so you can take a few minutes, take your meds and calm down. Put your back to the wall and have your dog (in my case a "big, bad" (big softy, squishy-faced) Doberman) sit on your feet. Easy to train, and beneficial like you wouldn't imagine.
I'll still never go Christmas shopping on Christmas eve, or go to a concert, but I won't have to be freaked in the mall either. Again, not sure if this is actually going to happen as it may not help enough for me to justify it. It may be worth a try though.
