Journal Article Review
Journal Article Review
Summary
In this journal article, the authors discuss the importance of treating people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder otherwise known as PTSD specifically in the Department of Defense. Of four different treatments that were recommended by the Joint Clinical Practice Guidelines for PTSD, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) treatment and its effectiveness are covered in this journal (Russell, 2007). EMDR treatment concentrates on the correlation between eye movement and certain visual triggers that result in reliving or remembering past memories that were especially shocking or stressful.
Several problems in the Department of Defense prevent people with PTSD of getting proper treatment when they need it. Because the professionals that are trained and experienced in using the EMDR treatment have all been called to serve the front line soldiers that are active in the war on terrorism, Department of Defense personnel who suffer from PTSD that are not considered “front line” are not receiving the proper treatment. Not only is there a lack of trained professionals, long term EMDR treatment is near impossible because Department of Defense personnel tend to move around and relocate often due to their occupation.
This Journal observes data on how effective EMDR treatment is for service members with combat and non combatant PTSD. Subjects who had PTSD due to receiving injury in combat needed more therapy sessions and proved to have more difficulty during the beginning stages of treatment. But overall, there were no significant differences in the amount of improvement between the combatant and noncombatant patients at the end of the treatment. All of the patients made significant improvements.
Analysis
Treatment for PTSD should be considered a high priority within the Department of Defense. These people volunteered to serve their country and deal with hardships that most people would run away
Summary
In this journal article, the authors discuss the importance of treating people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder otherwise known as PTSD specifically in the Department of Defense. Of four different treatments that were recommended by the Joint Clinical Practice Guidelines for PTSD, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) treatment and its effectiveness are covered in this journal (Russell, 2007). EMDR treatment concentrates on the correlation between eye movement and certain visual triggers that result in reliving or remembering past memories that were especially shocking or stressful.
Several problems in the Department of Defense prevent people with PTSD of getting proper treatment when they need it. Because the professionals that are trained and experienced in using the EMDR treatment have all been called to serve the front line soldiers that are active in the war on terrorism, Department of Defense personnel who suffer from PTSD that are not considered “front line” are not receiving the proper treatment. Not only is there a lack of trained professionals, long term EMDR treatment is near impossible because Department of Defense personnel tend to move around and relocate often due to their occupation.
This Journal observes data on how effective EMDR treatment is for service members with combat and non combatant PTSD. Subjects who had PTSD due to receiving injury in combat needed more therapy sessions and proved to have more difficulty during the beginning stages of treatment. But overall, there were no significant differences in the amount of improvement between the combatant and noncombatant patients at the end of the treatment. All of the patients made significant improvements.
Analysis
Treatment for PTSD should be considered a high priority within the Department of Defense. These people volunteered to serve their country and deal with hardships that most people would run away
Cited: Russell, Mark C., Silver, Steven M., Rogers, Susan, & Darnell, Jolee N. (2007). Responding to an identified need: A joint department of defense/department of veterans affairs training program in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) for clinicians providing trauma services. International Journal of Stress Management, 14, 61-71.