EMDR For Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
What is PTSD?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (known as PTSD), is often associated in people’s minds with soldiers who have seen active duty in war zones. The truth is that it can effect anyone of any age, sex, ethnicity or religion and is more widespread than people know.
What is common to anyone suffering the effects of PTSD are individual intense experiences of or repeated exposure to traumatic events. So for example, children who are continually bullied can become traumatised, women suffering domestic violence, anyone who has gone through sexual abuse, exposure to public tragedies, such as natural disasters, bombings, the list goes on.
Dealing with PTSD means identifying the symptoms of the disorder and these can vary from person to person, ranging from overt physical symptoms or behaviours, to internalised mental or emotional difficulties, that even close relatives or friends may not always detect. The next step in overcoming PTSD is seeking PTSD treatment.
More often than not, people choose counselling for PTSD because of comments or advice from loved ones who can see that a client is having problems that are not ‘normal’ for that person and it is effecting relationships, or the person suffering can end up in trouble with the law, or coming to the attention of the psychiatric profession, at which time PTSD may be diagnosed. Sometimes, clients are not aware that they may be suffering from PTSD, but disclose other problems to a counsellor.
Trauma is more common than you might think
A general population survey conducted in 24 countries showed that more than 70 percent of respondents experienced a traumatic event, and 30.5 percent had experienced four or more events.
For instance, someone who is suffering from post- traumatic stress disorder may be suffering a range symptoms, such as:
Depression
Anxiety or stress – specific or free floating
Panic Attacks
Nervous breakdown
Uncontrolled anger
Nightmares and flashbacks
Dissociation and ‘acting out’
Hypervigilance or OCD
Shakes and tremors
Nightsweats
If you have had symptoms of PTSD for more than a few weeks, then talking to your G.P. is recommended. They may then refer you to a specialist after their initial assessment. If you have had symptoms of PTSD for more than four weeks, or have severe symptoms, you will be referred to a mental health specialist for further assessment and treatment, which may include medication and ‘talking therapy’.
“The term complex trauma describes the early life experience of multiple and / or chronic and prolonged, developmentally adverse traumatic events”
“Some studies show that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions.”
How can EMDR for PTSD help?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy treatment that was originally designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories.
It enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. Repeated studies show that by using EMDR people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference.
During EMDR therapy a specially trained member of the team will support a client to attend to emotionally disturbing material in brief sequential doses while simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus. Directed lateral eye movements are the most commonly used external stimulus but hand-tapping and audio stimulation are often used.
EMDR facilitates the accessing of the traumatic memory network, so that information processing is enhanced, with new associations forged between the traumatic memory and more adaptive memories or information. These new associations are thought to result in complete information processing, new learning, elimination of emotional distress, and development of cognitive insights.
“In a controlled component analysis study of 17 chronic outpatient veterans, using a crossover design, subjects were randomly divided into two EMDR groups, one using eye movement and a control group that used a combination of forced eye fixation, hand taps, and hand waving. Six sessions were administered for a single memory in each condition. Both groups showed significant decreases in self-reported distress, intrusion, and avoidance symptoms.”
EMDR therapy uses a three pronged protocol:
The past events that have laid the groundwork for dysfunction are processed, forging new associative links with adaptive information
The current circumstances that elicit distress are targeted, and internal and external triggers are desensitised
Imaginal templates of future events are incorporated, to assist the client in acquiring the skills needed for adaptive functioning.
The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. Using the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes.
If you think you or someone you are close to is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or has experienced trauma and would like some advice on how to deal with it, or need help, everything you tell our psychologists will be in the strictest confidence.
The Family Practice Group have expertise in helping clients overcome PTSD and will be happy to answer any questions you may have. Please feel free to chat via the website or via our social media. Alternatively, please give us a call on: 01295 236262 or email us here: ask@familypracticegroup.co.uk
