November 11, 2011 is both Veterans Day here in the United States, and also PTSD and Trauma Awareness Day. It is both a day to honor veterans, and also to be mindful of the potential psychological trauma they bring home with them (and to their loved ones).
With that in mind, we wanted to provide a tool for veterans (or civilians) to see if they are experiencing at PTSD.*
For therapists and clinicians, we encourage you to use this survey with your clients if you believe they might be suffering from PTSD or trauma.*
We will also provide more information at the end of this blog post about training on trauma protocols for PTSD and trauma, and how EMDR can be integrated into your existing practice and modalities. If you, or your clients, would like more information on EMDR, we recommend visiting our Learning Center.
In terms of books, “EMDR Essentials: A Guide for Clients and Therapists” written by Barb Maiberger, MA, LPC (both to clinicians AND clients). We also have a list of books at our Store.
What is PTSD?
A person may develop PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) if he/she is exposed to or witness to a traumatic event in which there was an actual threat of death, serious injury, or harm to the self or others, or if he felt intense fear, helplessness, or horror. According to the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorder (DSM-IV), PTSD is “the development of characteristic symptoms following exposure to an extreme traumatic stressor involving direct personal experience of an event that involves actual or threatened death or serious injury, or other threat to one’s physical integrity; or witnessing an event that involves death, injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of another person; or learning about expected or violent death, serious harm, or threat of death or injury experienced by a family member or other close associate.”
People suffering from PTSD often experience:
- Disturbing memories, thought
- Nightmares
- Have trouble sleeping
- Feel irritable or angry
- Have trouble concentrating
- Feel hyper-vigilant or on guard for fear of danger
- Experience flashback memories
If you are suffering from trauma or feel “stuck” when trying to change destructive patterns of thought or behavior, EMDR might be right for you. Only a qualified doctor or therapist can give you the diagnosis of PTSD. But take a look at the following list of questions and see if any of the following apply to you?*
Answer the following questions with a “Yes” or “No”
I experienced something traumatic that felt life threatening to me
Yes ____ No____
I witnessed something traumatic that felt life threatening to me
Yes ____ No ____
I see images or memories that are painful to me
Yes ____ No ____
I have recurring thoughts that seem to take me over where I can’t focus anymore
Yes ____ No ____
I feel like the incident is happening to me over and over in the present
Yes ____ No ____
Sometimes I feel myself sweat, shake, have difficulty breathing when I think about the incident
Yes ____ No ____
I spend time avoiding anything that could possibly remind me of the incident
Yes ____ No ____
I am having trouble connecting with people I care about
Yes ____ No ____
I tend to get irritated easily and burst out in anger easily
Yes ____ No ____
I feel like I’m on edge
Yes ____ No ____
I have nightmares
Yes ____ No ____
I have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep
Yes ____ No ____
If you have said “yes” to 7 or more of the following this may indicate that you may be suffering from PTSD. We recommend that you consult with an EMDR therapist in your area to determine if EMDR might be helpful to you. If you want to learn more about EMDR, we would recommend visiting our Learning Center. You may also be interested in “EMDR Essentials: A Guide for Clients and Therapists” written by Barb Maiberger, MA, LPC. You can purchase ths book — along with other EMDR books — at our Store.
If you are a therapist or clinician who would like more information on trauma protocols for treating/processing PTSD and trauma, and on how EMDR can be integrated into your existing practice/modality, we encourage you to attend one of our EMDR Basic Trainings.
If you are currently an EMDR therapist and would like to continue your education on using EMDR for PTSD and trauma, we have an Advanced EMDR Workshop called “EMDR Toolkit for Complex PTSD.” We would also recommend EMDR Consultations if you have specific cases you’d like to discuss.
We also highly recommend reading “EMDR Essentials: A Guide for Clients and Therapists” written by Barb Maiberger, MA, LPC. It is a great resource for both clients and clinicians. You can find this book — along with other EMDR books — at our Store.
* The quizzes provided are not intended to diagnose, treat or advise individuals of their mental health stats. Use these quizzes at your own risk. Maiberger Instititute takes no legal responsibility for the use or misinterpretation of the information.