| The statistics are staggering! According the National | | | | Family doctors are not always the most |
| Institute of Mental Health: "An estimated 26.2 percent | | | | knowledgeable when it comes to these illnesses. And |
| of Americans ages 18 and older - about one in four | | | | in fairness, how could they be? They are general |
| adults - suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in | | | | practitioners who treat a wide variety of issues, |
| a given year. A report on mental illness prepared by | | | | problems and health concerns. And like other illnesses, |
| Health Canada in 2002 stated that: "Twenty percent | | | | if the symptoms persist, sometimes family doctors |
| of Canadians will personally experience a mental illness | | | | will refer their patients to specialists who understand, |
| during their lifetime." | | | | assess and treat these disorders. |
| What is a DSM-III-R disorder? Depression, anxiety, | | | | Psychologists, social workers and other therapists are |
| panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder or | | | | trained in a variety of treatment techniques because |
| bi-polar disorders to name a few. But how many | | | | different problems require different treatments. In |
| people even know what these illnesses look like? If | | | | my opinion, because of personal and professional |
| they do, do they know what to do about it or what | | | | experience, EMDR is one of the most consistently |
| the best treatment option is? | | | | effective treatment options. According to Wikipedia: |
| Often people ignore the symptoms of depression, | | | | "Based on the evidence of randomised controlled |
| symptoms such as trouble sleeping and eating, low | | | | research trials both the practice guidelines of the |
| mood, or lack of motivation. People who suffer from | | | | American Psychiatric Association[13] and the |
| anxiety and panic attacks often think they have | | | | Department of Veterans Affairs and Defense[14] |
| heart problems, and only find out they are suffering | | | | have placed EMDR in the highest category of |
| from an anxiety disorder when they end up in the | | | | effectiveness and research support in the treatment |
| E.R. department in the middle of a panic attack. I | | | | of trauma." |
| would guess most people have no idea what bi-polar | | | | Dr. Bessel van der Kolk talked about his amazing |
| disorder looks like, or what Post-Traumatic Stress | | | | EMDR vs Prozac study. 80% of adult onset trauma |
| Disorder is. | | | | completely cleared PTSD & Depression after 8 |
| Some people go to their family doctor who | | | | weeks of treatments. Prozac people felt better until |
| prescribes some kind of medication (not always the | | | | they stopped taking the drugs. EMDR folks got |
| correct one). I have had clients who do not wish to | | | | better and better for months after treatments, and |
| take medications. They don't like the side effects. | | | | stayed that way. |
| And then I have others who have come for | | | | This is a very cool study: |
| counseling or psychotherapy because they have tried | | | | Do not get me wrong. I am not against medications |
| taking different medications and nothing works or | | | | and I use whatever treatment techniques work with |
| they have been taking the same medication for | | | | my clients. I just love the positive results that my |
| years, and either have not seen any improvement or | | | | clients are getting when we do EMDR! And it is all |
| minimal gains. They all want better results and a | | | | natural -- no medications needed! |
| happier life, which they deserve! | | | | |