Using EMDR Therapy For PTSD Treatment

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.

The EMDR mode of treating PTSD applies psychological therapies using structured protocols to help patients manage their condition. PTSD is mainly caused by physiological factors. The amygdala is one part of human brain that is implicated in its pathogenesis. Once this part is activated, it is likely to create fear within the individual something that stimulates other related parts like hypothalamus, locus ceruleus, nuclei parabrachial, and periaqueductal gray.

There is no age preference in this condition and it has been observed in all age groups. Causes of this syndrome include mainly physiological factors. The amygdala is a brain structure that plays an important role in the pathogenesis of this condition. Its activation by threatening stimuli can lead to fear, which results in activation of its related structures including the locus ceruleus, periaqueductal gray, hypothalamus, and the nuclei parabrachial.

There are predisposing factors associated with the disorder and they include the nature of exposure, individual characteristics, and resultant events. The individual elements which determine the occurrence of this disorder include genetic makeup, any psychiatric illness before the trauma event, and a family history of experiencing this syndrome. When looking at the characteristics of exposure, things like the duration, closeness to the place or event and the severity play a role too.

There are risk factors connected to this condition such as nature of the trauma event, the personal qualities, and the subsequent events. Aspects like psychiatric illnesses suffered before the bad event, the previous exposure, genes, and the tendency of family members to suffer the syndrome are major determinants in an individual. In analyzing the exposure, things like proximity to the event, its severity, and how long it lasted are also considered.

Regarding aftermath factors, availability of social support, hyperarousal, and re-experience symptoms play a role in vulnerability. Signs and symptoms of this syndrome are such as persistent re-experiencing of the bad events, resultant numbness, avoidance and negative thoughts, as well as mood changes. To make a diagnosis of this syndrome, the symptoms must be present for not less than a month following the inducing event.

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.

When such complications develop, one should see a doctor immediately. Psychotherapy as well as pharmacotherapy applies in treating patients. Psychotherapy procedures involve aspects like cognitive therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, and exposure therapy. The psychotherapy procedures are more safe than use of medications and they can produce good results in treating this disorder.




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