EFFICACY OF EYE MOVEMENT

Abstract

Objectives: To demonstrate the efficacy of EMDR in complex multiplepsychological trauma after failed drug treatment from selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor(SSRI) in a diagnosed case of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Method: Singleparticipant of this case study, a sitting session judge of judicial governmental scaffold reportedto this mental health tertiary care facility at his own accord with features of intense anxiety,depression, maladjustment issues and post- traumatic stress for a duration of several months.As a partial responder to full trial of SSRI he was enrolled for EMDR therapy to address hissymptoms of intense anxiety, panic attacks, being overwhelmingly fearful, depressed, low selfesteem,inappropriate feelings of guilt, flashbacks, avoidance, nightmares, hyper-arousal andinability to perform as a judicial head in active war stricken area of northern Pakistan. Completepsychiatric evaluation was carried out and after the discontinuation of SSRIs he was scoredon Impact of Event Scale (IES). He fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for PTSD as evaluated by theEnglish version of the PTSD module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV administeredonce before commencement of EMDR. Safe place of the client was established and 8 stagedprotocol of EMDR was started with him. Multiple EMDR sessions were conducted. Result:The case presented in this paper had multiple psychological trauma forms and failed drugtreatment and yet it was observed that EMDR provided marked improvement in all the domainsof his deficits and this was at a prompt speed as compared to cognitive behavioural therapy(CBT) which usually takes longer duration of therapy to achieve similar results. Conclusions:EMDR provides marked improvement in all domains of complex mental trauma and traumaticmemories. Improvement attained was prompt and enduring as compared to other formsof established therapies and drug treatment indicating permanent changes happening atneurobiological levels of brain.