|
E
|
ye movement desensitization and
reprocessing, or EMDR, is a technique that some psychotherapists use to treat
people experiencing psychological distress.
Research suggests that EMDR is a relatively safe and
effective therapy. Organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO)
and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) recommend it for people with post-traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD).
In this article, we discuss the
potential benefits of EMDR and look at the research behind it.
What is EMDR?
Therapists can use EMDR to help treat PTSD, anxiety, and phobias.
Francine Shapiro, an American
psychologist, developed EMDR therapy in the late 1980s.
Practitioners initially used it to
treat people with traumatic memories, but they now use it to treat a variety of
disorders, including:
·
phobias
·
PTSD
·
anxiety
·
chronic
pain
The therapy consists of eight phases.
During the treatment, people recall traumatic experiences while moving their
eyes back and forth. The therapist will direct this eye movement.
The aim is to allow people to process
and integrate these traumatic memories into their standard memories. The theory
behind this method is that remembering times of distress while distracted is
less upsetting. Over time, exposure to these memories should reduce their
effects.
EMDR is similar in some respects to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) —
another PTSD treatment — as it involves remembering or discussing the traumatic
event as well as identifying and altering the thoughts.
These processes are called exposure
and cognition.
How it works
The theory behind EMDR is that
traumatic memories make changes in the brain. These changes stop the mind from
processing information properly, which causes anxiety and intrusive thoughts.
Experts believe that remembering the
traumatic events while performing rapid eye movements allows the brain to
process these memories correctly and integrate them into the story of the
person's life.
The eight phases of EMDR therapy are
as follows:
Phase 1: Client
history and treatment planning
The therapist will evaluate the
client's case, including their ability to tolerate exposure to distressing
memories.
They will then formulate the treatment
plan based on the person's symptoms and the behaviors that need modifying.
Phase 2:
Preparation
The therapist will lay the groundwork
for the treatment by establishing a therapeutic relationship with the client
and educating them on EMDR.
They will also teach the person
self-control techniques, which are ways to cope with distressing memories that
arise.
Phase 3:
Assessment
During this phase, the therapist will
identify the traumatic memories that the client needs to address.
The client will then choose an image
to represent each memory, noting the negative beliefs and physical sensations
that accompany these memories. They will then identify a positive thought to
replace the negative beliefs.
Phase 4:
Desensitization
Desensitization involves reducing the
client's disturbing reactions to the traumatic memory, including the physical
sensations that they have when thinking of it.
Physical sensations may include a
rapid heart rate, sweating, or stomach problems.
The therapist facilitates
desensitization by directing the client's eye movements while they focus on the
traumatic material.
Phase 5:
Installation
The focus of this stage is on
installing the positive thoughts that the client identified in phase 3.
Phase 6: Body
scan
A body scan is a meditative technique
in which a person scans their body from head to toe to notice the physical
sensations that are occurring.
During EMDR, the therapist will target
these physical sensations for further processing.
Phase 7: Closure
At the end of each session, the
therapist will stabilize the client using the self-control techniques that they
discussed in phase 2.
The therapist will explain what the
client can expect between sessions. They will also ask the client to keep a
record of any negative experiences that occur so that they can target them in
the next meeting.
Phase 8:
Reevaluation
The final phase involves a review of
the effectiveness of the treatment so far. The therapist and client will also
identify any additional traumatic effects to target.
Benefits
Studies suggest that EMDR can have positive effects.
Most of the research on EMDR looks at
its benefits for people with PTSD and other trauma-related symptoms.
Research suggests
that EMDR may also treat symptoms that accompany a traumatic experience, such
as self-harm, stress, and anger.
However, practitioners use it to treat
a variety of other conditions and issues, including:
·
anxiety
·
attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
·
chronic
pain and phantom pain
·
depression
·
eating
disorders
·
psychotic
symptoms
·
self-esteem
issues
·
stress-induced
flare-ups of skin problems
Preliminary research supports
its application for some of these issues, such as psychotic symptoms and
chronic pain.
In some cases, people may choose to do
EMDR alongside other treatment options for the best results.
Is EMDR effective?
According to the EMDR Institute, more than 30 controlled outcome
studies on EMDR therapy have shown that it has positive effects.
In some of these studies, as many as
90% of trauma survivors appeared to have no PTSD symptoms after just three
sessions.
Other studies that the EMDR Institute
cite showed very positive outcomes for the majority of participants after six
to 12 sessions.
Organizations such as the WHO, the APA, and the Department of
Veterans Affairs currently recommend EMDR as a treatment option
for PTSD.
A 2014 research study looked
at 24 randomized controlled trials that support the effectiveness of EMDR
therapy for the treatment of trauma. The results of some of these studies
suggested that EMDR therapy is more effective than CBT for trauma.
Some research indicates that EMDR may
be effective for other mental health issues.
For example, it may have a
positive effect on psychotic symptoms (in people with both psychosis and
PTSD), such as:
·
hallucinations
·
delusions
·
anxiety
·
depression
·
self-esteem
issues
Research also suggests that the
benefits of EMDR persist over time. The authors of a small 2015 study reported
that people who underwent EMDR treatment for depression were less likely than
those in the control group to experience relapse or problems relating to
depression in the year following treatment.
However, many of the studies on EMDR
have small sample sizes and limited follow-up information.
As a result, several researchers have
called for additional research into the treatment.
Side effects
Doctors generally consider EMDR
therapy to be a safe treatment. It typically causes fewer adverse reactions
than medications for depression and trauma symptoms.
Also, unlike some medications, EMDR
may maintain its
effectiveness after treatment ends.
Even so, EMDR and other forms of
psychotherapy may cause some side effects, such as:
·
an
increase in distressing memories
·
heightened
emotions or physical sensations during sessions
·
lightheadedness
·
vivid
dreams
·
the
surfacing of new traumatic memories
These symptoms will typically resolve
as treatment continues. Individuals should tell their therapist about their
experiences between sessions so that they can work on new memories and symptoms
in future sessions.
What to ask a doctor
A person should speak to a healthcare professional for more information about EMDR.
Individuals who would like to know
more about EMDR should speak to a doctor or mental health professional who
specializes in the practice.
Questions to ask include:
·
Do
you have the appropriate training and credentials?
·
How
many people with my particular issue have you treated using EMDR?
·
What
is your success rate?
·
Do
you keep up to date with the latest EMDR training and research?
·
Am
I a candidate for EMDR?
·
How
many sessions will I need?
·
How
many sessions will we have before beginning EMDR therapy?
·
What
will happen in each session?
·
Do
treatment effects last over time?
·
What
are the potential side effects?
Summary
Therapists have been using EMDR for
more than 25 years to treat PTSD and other mental health conditions. A growing
body of research suggests that it is effective and safe in reducing distress,
anxiety, and other symptoms.
People who would like to know more
about EMDR treatment should speak to their doctor or a licensed therapist.
No comments:
Post a Comment