Treating Patients By Using EMDR Therapy For PTSD

By Young Lindsay


One of the commonest syndromes characterized by nightmares, anxiety, flashbacks, and among other mental conditions is post traumatic stress disorder. It occurs when a person experiences or witnesses horrifying moments in your life. Such events induce threats to the physical and emotional well-being of the individuals. Therapists can use EMDR therapy for PTSD to help the patients come out of the disturbing memories and be able to lead their lives without the symptoms.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing- EMDR offers a comprehensive as well as integrative psychological approach in treating this disorder. Epidemiology of this syndrome shows that it has a prevalence of about 8 to 10 percent in a lifetime, and is responsible for a lot of disability and morbidity. It is more common among the female gender than in their male counterparts.

The stimulation further causes the body to release hormones and neurotransmitters, which are believed to be the principal cause of the associated symptoms. The orbitofrontal cortex acts as an inhibitor in countering the activation of amygdala. Another modulating factor to the activation of amygdala is the hippocampus. People with PTSD display an orbitofrontal cortex, which is not effective when it comes to inhibition of amygdale activation.

The activation and release of neurotransmitter and hormones triggers many of the symptoms observed in this disturbing syndrome. An inhibiting effect is provided by the orbitofrontal cortex on this activation. Another modulating effect to the amygdala is by the hippocampus. In patients with this disorder, the orbitofrontal cortex appears to be ineffective in inhibiting the amygdala activation mainly due to stress-induced atrophy of the nuclei involved.

Individual vulnerability is also contributed by aftermath factors such as social support from relatives, hyperarousal aspects, and re-experiences. Patients are likely to experience signs and symptoms such as negative moods or feeling, re-experiencing of such bad events, consequential numbness, avoidance, and hyperarousal. For one to be effectively diagnosed of this condition, he or she must display some or all of the signs for a period of more than a month following the event.

The chances of developing the disorders are also determined by hyperarousal as well as re-experiences. In order for a patient to show positive results from examination, they have to display some or all of these signs for about 30 days after the terrifying event. However, the period may vary significantly.

Its consequences can range from mild to severe, and they affect the standard of life. Other patients engage in use of substances like drugs and alcohol something that complicates the condition and the health of a patient. Other problems observed in patients are eating disorders and suicide thoughts or actions.

Treatment is both psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy centered. Psychotherapy involves cognitive therapy, exposure therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy. In EMDR treatment, a therapists uses his or fingers and moves them back and forth on the eyes and asks the patients to follow the motions using the eyes. The therapist also asks the patients to recall the disturbing events. Therapists may also use other methods like toe tapping and musical tones.




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