tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8207713177773691778.post7221766290039810732..comments2023-06-28T07:59:16.685-04:00Comments on PTSD: A Soldier's Perspective: Review: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in the Treatment of War VeteransScott Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17861938200417302754noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8207713177773691778.post-29971139882545884812010-02-05T21:03:48.063-05:002010-02-05T21:03:48.063-05:00I stumbled upon this site by accident...you are do...I stumbled upon this site by accident...you are doing great work here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8207713177773691778.post-32864514840170281582009-08-13T23:40:53.464-04:002009-08-13T23:40:53.464-04:00I am doing the, "Hey not in my backyard"...I am doing the, "Hey not in my backyard" thing with the VA again. I go to one therapist in an attempt to be admitted to the PTSD program and they tell me, no, that I am depressed to go see another therapist. It took me 2 months to see this one, then I get another appointment, and then, they tell me to move on down the road. Now at the VA getting in to see a new therapist. So, now I have to wait to see another therapist and guess what? Yep, you guessed it, another two months, add this up, 5 freaking months. <br /><br />I know that I am depressed AND I know that my PTSD is kickin. Treat PTSD in one clinic, depression in another.....this is madness! No wonder veterans do not come back to another appointment. <br /><br />Wait, did I just go into a tangent? I was trying to say that I want to go through EMDR therapy, it might take me another 5 months to receive it, but THEY will not get me to turn away!! Thats all folks a little help here please!!Scott Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17861938200417302754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8207713177773691778.post-55702385591022259932009-08-11T21:00:07.991-04:002009-08-11T21:00:07.991-04:00I am not a combat vet but am a life long sufferer ...I am not a combat vet but am a life long sufferer of PTSD from horrendous sexual abuse. So I will humbly submit my opinion. <br /><br />7 years of cognitive therapy helped, but the last year of continuous EMDR therapy worked to minimize the symptoms and triggers. I would recommend it to anyone. Some people cannot tolerate EMDR with light but my therapist gave me a choice and I normally watched her move the wand in her hand. You feel like crap after but later it all becomes 'foggy' like it is behind a veil. You remember but there is not pain with it. <br /><br />Although I do use the VA, I used a private therapist for psychotherapy. <br /><br />I have a friend who is a WWII vet and I am so sorry for the loss of your father, anonymous. <br /><br />SusanLetters-to-our-Soldiershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13504217389930850243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8207713177773691778.post-81456932669744614822009-07-27T10:33:25.647-04:002009-07-27T10:33:25.647-04:00When Anonymous commented, I could feel their anger...When Anonymous commented, I could feel their anger and and confusion coupled with grief. It is hard to watch someone who suffers and not be able to sooth their pain.Scott Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17861938200417302754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8207713177773691778.post-72996427800297888602009-07-26T08:30:55.877-04:002009-07-26T08:30:55.877-04:00To Anonymous: If you go to the VA's National C...To Anonymous: If you go to the VA's National Center for PTSD, you will find information about EMDR. For your convenience, I have copied and pasted it below:<br /><br />"What is EMDR? <br />Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a fairly new therapy for PTSD. Like other kinds of counseling, it can help change how you react to memories of your trauma.<br /><br />While talking about your memories, you'll focus on distractions like eye movements, hand taps, and sounds. For example, your therapist will move his or her hand near your face, and you'll follow this movement with your eyes.<br /><br />Experts are still learning how EMDR works. Studies have shown that it may help you have fewer PTSD symptoms. But research also suggests that the eye movements are not a necessary part of the treatment." <br /><br />I am sorry for the loss of your father. My father was a WWII Veteran, and I miss him terribly everyday.<br /><br />Sue Lamoureux<br />Wife of Iraq war Veteran rated at 70% for PTSD.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12063970140504548926noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8207713177773691778.post-88644233515673774072009-07-23T12:06:58.443-04:002009-07-23T12:06:58.443-04:00Anonymous, I am not insulted at all. Not every com...Anonymous, I am not insulted at all. Not every combat veteran experiences the same phenomenon while serving in a battle zone. Additionally, the veterans reactions to unimaginable situations could be polar opposites. <br /><br />I do not expect everyone who reads my material to have a complete understanding of my combat experiences and reactions. Further, some people do find my writings difficult to read and troublesome. I have included a warning disclaimer at the top of my blog for this reason. <br /><br />When I wrote the article about <a href="http://ptsdasoldiersperspective.blogspot.com/2009/01/we-cannot-make-it-through-confines-of.html" rel="nofollow">missing the feeling of aliveness</a>. I was describing a psychological and phyisological change within myself. This altered conscouisness shifts the brains entire focus on the immediate arena of experience. All the rambling thoughts that we incur in normal life cease to exist and all of the minds faculties automatically focus on interpreting sensory input. All of the senses sharpen exponentially and time suspends its rush toward the future, where seconds become days and hours become eternity.<br /><br />I do not expect you to understand this unless you have encountered a life threating episode. Please, go back and reread the post and try to get past the line you described. The entire article should be absorbed to appreciate my reaction to an unimaginable situation. I did not think that the killing was beautiful; I was in awe of the massive tank battles, the Apache Helicopters rain of hellfire missiles, the Bradley Fighting Vehicles missiles and cannon, and the A10 Warthog airplanes strafing of the enemy. <br /><br />One has to distance themselves from that kind of carnage to do what needs to be done to survive and win the battle. Some use anger to create an "othering effect" where they assign a monstrous value to the enemy in order to justify killing them. In my case my experience converged on omnipresence. <br /><br />The VA does have EMDR therapy at many hospitals. I believe that this therapy is new to the VA, so your father may not have had access to it. I have read some on EMDR and the research has proved many successes using this treatment. I am in the PTSD program at the VA in Louisville, Kentucky and have been considering going through EMDR treatment. I want to stress that not all therapies will help everyone. Thoughtful consideration on choosing a therapist will maximize the benefits on deciding what treatment(s) will the individual profit from. It has taken me three years of extensive treatment to obtain the level of independence that I command today. <br /><br />God bless you and your father, may you find peace.Scott Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17861938200417302754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8207713177773691778.post-74829152461714973662009-07-22T23:28:30.063-04:002009-07-22T23:28:30.063-04:00I don't mean to insult you, but my father serv...I don't mean to insult you, but my father served in heavy combat in Vietnam for 8 months, and he suffered from severe PTSD all of his life until he died of a stroke. If I posted his expriences, everyone would puke. I read a post about something you said that you missed feeling alive in combat. This is not and never was a part of his illness or what caused it in the least. I just don't think that eye treatment would have helped him. It's not something the VA offers, as he was actively being treated by the VA just 3 years ago before his death.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com