Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T04:55:05.337Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Eye-Movement Desensitisation to Overcome Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

John Spector*
Affiliation:
Shrodells Unit, Watford General Hospital, Vicarage Road, Watford WD18HB
Mark Huthwaite
Affiliation:
Shrodells Unit, Watford General Hospital, Vicarage Road, Watford WD18HB
*
Correspondence

Abstract

A new treatment using a saccadic eye-movement desensitisation (EMD) procedure has recently been introduced to treat post-traumatic stress disorder, a disorder that has been difficult to treat in the past. The treatment is claimed to be very rapid and successful. This paper reports the treatment of a woman with post-traumatic stress disorder following a horrific road traffic accident using the EMD procedure.

British Journal of Psychiatry (1993), 163, 106–108

Type
Brief Reports
Copyright
Copyright © The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association (1980) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edn) (DSM-III). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
American Psychiatric Association (1987) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd edn, revised) (DSM-III-R). Washington, DC: APA.Google Scholar
Fairbank, J. A. & Nicholson, R. A. (1987) Theoretical and empirical issues in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder in Vietnam veterans. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 43, 4455.3.0.CO;2-N>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Foy, D. W., Donahoe, C. P., Carroll, E. M., et al (1987) Post-traumatic stress disorder. In Anxiety and Stress Disorders: Cognitive Behavioural Assessment and Treatment (eds Michelson, L. & Ascher, L. M.), pp. 361398. New York: Guilford.Google Scholar
Friedman, M. J. (1988) Toward rational pharmacotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: an interim report. British Journal of Psychiatry, 124, 392401.Google Scholar
Horowitz, M. J. & Kaltreider, N. B. (1979) Brief therapy of the stress response syndrome. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 2, 365377.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McFarlane, A. C. (1989) The treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 62, 8190.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Meichenbaum, D. H. (1971) Examination of model characteristics and reducing avoidance behaviour. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 17, 298307.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pavlov, I. P. (1927) Conditioned Reflexes (trans. Anrep, G. V.). New York: Liveright.Google Scholar
Richards, D. A. & Rose, J. S. (1991) Exposure therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder. Four case studies. British Journal of Psychiatry, 158, 836840.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shapiro, F. (1989a) Efficacy of the eye movement desensitisation procedure in the treatment of traumatic memories. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 2, 199223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shapiro, F. (1989b) Eye movement desensitization; a new treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 20, 211217.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wolpe, J. (1982) The Practice of Behaviour Therapy. New York: Pergamon Press.Google Scholar
Wolpe, J. & Abrams, J. (1991) Post-traumatic stress disorder overcome by eye movement desensitization; a case report. Journal of Behaviour Therapy A Experimental Psychiatry, 22, 3943.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.