Military/Veterans Archives

War-Related Medically Unexplained Symptoms, Prevalence, and Treatment: Utilizing EMDR Within the Armed Services (Journal of EMDR Practice and Research)

A brief historical review of combat-related medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) & analysis of evidence of a possible “Iraqi War Syndrome.”

Two case examples of combat veterans illustrate the ability of EMDR to achieve symptom reduction in a variety of clinical domains.

Four sessions of EMDR led to elimination of phantom limb pain and a significant reduction in PTSD for one combat veteran.

Ninety percent of military/VA mental-health professionals surveyed did not use cognitive, EMDR, exposure, or stress inoculation therapies.

A training program for EMDR psychotherapy was implemented with personnel from federal departments to fill the need for PTSD interventions.

Detailed case study of the EMDR treatment of water phobia experienced by a U.S. Navy recruit and the unique stressors of recruit training.

Clinicians responding to psychological aftermath of man’s inhumanity to man—stories of school violence, refugees, soldiers, etc.—with EMDR.

Vietnam War veterans diagnosed with PTSD received a single session of exposure or EMDR focusing on their most distressing war experience.

Fifty-one war veterans with PTSD were given either 2sessions of EMDR, an equivalent procedure without EMDR, or a standard psychiatric support.

Thirty-five veterans with combat-related PTSD were treated with either EMDR, biofeedback-assisted relaxation, or routine clinical care.

Results suggest that eye movements do not play a significant role in processing of traumatic information in EMDR.

Four Vietnam veterans diagnosed with PTSD were treated with 12 sessions of EMDR, targeting their combat memories.