Olfactory reference syndrome (ORS) is an illness currently considered a delusional disorder under the DSM–IV criteria. Patients believe that they emit a foul odor, causing them great emotional distress and negative social consequences. Its etiology is inadequately understood, and there is generally a poor response to pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions. This article describes the treatment of four consecutive cases of ORS whose pathological symptoms had endured for 8–48 years. The administration of EMDR consisted of processing the various life experiences that appeared to cause and/or trigger the pathology. The EMDR sessions resulted in a complete resolution of symptoms in all four cases, which was maintained at follow-up. Given the rapid and sustained results, we offer a hypothesis based on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model to explain the etiopathology and remission.
Date
March 1, 2008
Creator(s)
Therese McGoldrick, Millia Begum, Keith W. Brown
Topics
Psychosis/Schizophrenia
Practice & Methods
AIP
Extent
6 pages
Publisher
Springer Publishing Company
Rights
Copyright © 2008 EMDR International Association
APA Citation
McGoldrick, T., Begum, M., & Brown, K. W. (2008). EMDR and Olfactory Reference Syndrome A Case Series. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 2(1), 63–68. https://doi.org/10.1891/1933-3196.2.1.63
Series
2
Installment
1
Audience
EMDR Therapists
Language
English
Content Type
Article
Original Source
Journal of EMDR Practice and Research
Access Type
Open Access