Upon learning more about Rod and his deployment to Afghanistan, as well as learning about the symptoms that he presents with it was determined by the therapist to give the client the PTSD checklist military version (PCL-M). The PCL-M is a self-reportable measure that is compatible with the symptoms of PTSD outlined in the DSM-V (PTSD Check List-Military Version, 2012). There are 17 items in the PCL-M that have to do with distress from a trauma over the last month (PTSD Check List-Military Version, 2012). The PCL-M uses a five point Likert scale that ranges from 1 being not at all to 5 being extremely (PTSD Check List-Military Version, 2012). Another measure that can used includes the Structured Interview for PTSD (SI-PTSD) (Verstrael, Van …show more content…
The first criteria, being exposed to actual or threatened death is met by Rod’s combat deployment to Afghanistan and witnessing battle buddies die as well as the shooting of the boy. The second criteria, intrusive symptoms, is met by Rod’s flashbacks and constant nightmares. The third criteria, avoidance of trauma related stimuli, is met because Rod is constantly avoiding his son as he is reminded of the boy that he shot. The fourth criteria, “negative alterations in cognitions and mood,” is met by feeling guilty and blaming himself for the death of the young boy as well as being detached from his family (APA, 2013). Finally, the fifth criteria is met because the client is experiencing irritability and angry outbursts towards his wife and son with little or no provocation. With this information, it is recommended to continue on with EMDR.
Treatment Plan Compared to both pharmaceuticals and other forms of psychotherapy, EMDR has proven to be effective in the treatment of PTSD (Shapiro, 2002). There have been approximately twenty controlled studies that proved this (Shapiro, & Laliotis, 2010). EMDR has been recommended as a first line of treatment including by the American Psychiatric Association (Shapiro, & Laliotis, 2010). EMDR uses bilateral stimulation such as auditory tones, tactile taps and
Post-traumatic stress disorder abbreviated PTSD is a response to traumatic events in someone’s life. Traumatic events are events that provoke fear, helplessness or horror in response to a threat or extreme stressor (Yehuda, 2002). Soldiers and other military members are at a much higher risk to Post traumatic stress disorder due to combat and other stressful situations they are put into. People effected by Post-traumatic stress disorder will have symptoms including flashbacks, avoidance of things, people or places that remind them of the traumatic event. Also, hyper arousal which includes insomnia, irritability, impaired concentration and higher startle reactions. In this paper I will discuss post-traumatic stress disorder, its signs, symptom and effects on culture as portrayed in the movie, American Sniper.
"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Nebraska Department of Veterans' Affairs, 2007. Web. 07 Apr. 2014.
Sullivan, Gregory. "Vetting PTSD." Nature Medicine 17.9 (2011): 1031. Health Reference Center Academic. Web. 21 Apr.
William Harrar went into private practice in 1991 and continues to maintain a private practice. He provides professional consultations to other therapists and consults at local psychiatric units as well. He also provides psychotherapy to individuals, couples, and families. Dr. Harrar’s emphasis is brief treatments, especially treatments utilizing EMDR. His expertise in EMDR has afforded him as an approved consultant and certified therapist with the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association (EMDRIA). Dr. Harrar also facilitates at national EMDR Institute trainings.
I find it troubling that our Soldier’s Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms are being discredited by the medical community. It appears as though there has been a shift in our commitment to the health of the men and women who served this nation. These ideas connect to the overall ideas of the unit because it provides greater insight on challenges that patients and medical professionals experience when coping with cognitive health concerns. I do not have any personal experience associated with PTSD; however, the problem that I find in this article is that it suggests the effects of trauma which causes PTSD can be measured by a universal criteria. For example, I believe this research should consider that each individual has a unique level of tolerance to trauma which may cause them to respond in varying degrees of severity. Additionally, a patient’s inability to accurately express their symptoms may play a major factor which is causing this disparity. I recommend that further research should be conducted to
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event that results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to one's own or someone else's physical, sexual, or psychological integrity, overwhelming the individual's ability to cope. As an effect of psychological trauma, PTSD is less frequent and more enduring than the more commonly seen acute stress response. Diagnostic
Treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder is possible. The current treatment of PTSD encompasses several types of psychotherapy combined with a medication regimen. Cognitive therapy is one type of therapy used to combat PTSD. The goal of cognitive therapy is to allow the patient to slowly experience feelings, thoughts, and events associated with the trauma in a controlled setting. This allows the PTSD sufferer, to categorize the traumatic feelings associated with the event and assign a more positive meaning to them. Thus providing a coping mechanism. Another school of thought places the therapeutic focus on gradually exposing the PTSD sufferer to elements of the trauma. The goal is to desensitize the patient to the traumatic event. This allows the patient to resume a normal life. One other form of therapy used in treatment of PTSD is EMDR. EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a form of exposure therapy that places the emphasis on guided eye movements. The theory is that the movements help retrain how the brain reacts to memories of the traumatic event. Success has
However, you can manage your symptoms and live a very productive life. Most people with PTSD have issues dealing with past feelings and keep them inside. Counseling or Talking to a Therapist is very beneficial in getting better. One of the most effective treatment for PTDS is Cognitive Behavioral therapy or CBT. The two forms of CBT most frequently used are Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy. The four main parts of CPT are: patients learn about the symptoms of PTSD, they become aware of their thoughts and feelings, they learn skills to help question and challenge their thoughts and understand the changes in your beliefs. There are also four main parts to PE therapy they are: education, breathing, real world practice and talking through the trauma. The most common medication to treat PTSD is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants. (Cohen, H. (2015). Some alternative treatments are yoga, acupuncture and
The government sends the military off to fight wars. The cost of these wars are growing due to the medical treatment cost of taking care of the people that were sent off to fight for our country. Five percent of soldiers are diagnosed with PTSD, but since the Iraq and Afghanistan war that number has increased to eight percent. The number of people with PTSD went from 190,000 to about a half million.
Although controversial when first introduced, the PTSD diagnosis has filled an important hole in psychiatric theory and practice when dealing with this plethora of symptoms. Throughout history the significant change brought upon by the theorization of the PTSD concept was the stipulation that the origination agent was outside the individual rather than an inborn weakness. The key to understanding the scientific theorem and clinical determination of PTSD is the concept of
This annotated bibliography looked at 6 different journal articles on the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) versus other methods and variations of CBT. Historically speaking, it is common knowledge in the field of psychology for CBT to have a 50% success rate for patients with PTSD in that it either works or it doesn’t work, which is traceable to the patients commitment to the therapy. These articles review abstract ideas that have been ventured upon by researchers to corroborate the preconceived notions of CBT and PTSD and find a
For some patients with excessively traumatic experiences, the following preparation stage will last longer than the 1 to 4 sessions that most patients take. In the preparation phase, the therapist has to build a trustful relationship with the client in order to help establish appropriate expectations for the patient during the treatment. Since EMDR therapy does not require the patient to completely confide in the therapist her experiences, a therapeutic relationship between client and clinician is very important. Otherwise, the following sessions and treatments would be misdiagnosed since the patient’s statements to the therapist may not be completely true. After they establish a connection, the theory, procedures, and expectations of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy is clarified by the clinician to the patient. Also explained to the patient is the concept of Bilateral Stimulation (BLS), oscillating eye movements, sounds, and sensations. BLS aids the left and
Prochaska & Norcross explains that EMDR has not been studied thoroughly with other behavioral disorder beyond PTSD and insufficient data makes it difficult to determine its effectiveness in other domains (2014, p. 211).
The patients used it this design were outpatients referred in 1992 through 1995 by professionals, Victim Support, police, ambulance, fire services, and even the subjects themselves. The criteria that had to be met in order for the subjects to be used in this study were as followed: PTSD for 6 or more months; age of 16 to 65 years; and absence of melancholia or suicidal intent, organic brain disease, past or present psychosis, antidepressant drug (unless the patient had been receiving a stable dose for 3 or more months); and diazepam in a dose of 10 mg/d or more or equivalent, ingestion of 30 or more alcohol units a week, and past exposure or cognitive therapy for PTSD (Marks et al., 1998). The therapist used a procedure manual and 4 treatment manuals which covered each session in each treatment condition. The sessions were audiotaped and each individual session lasted either 90 minutes or 105 minutes in Exposure Combined with Cognitive Restructuring (EC) therapy.
According to a Tanielian and Jaycox (2008) study, as of September 2014 there were approximately 2.7 million American veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars”. Of the 2.7 million at least 20% of the veterans in Iraq and Afghanistan wars obtained PTSD and/or depression. However, it was noted that when interviewed, the military counselors stated that they believe that the percentage rate of veterans with PTSD was much higher. The number is said to continue to increase when combined with traumatic brain injury (TBI).