EMDR in the treatment of affective disorders

Traumatic life events and PTSD are frequent in affective disorders. Unipolar and bipolar patients due to their mood swings are particularly prone to be exposed to traumatic events which influence negatively the course of the disease. In clinical routine with patients with affective disorders trauma aspects are largley ignored so far and not taken into consideration in the treatment plan. This is also due to very limited scientific evidence of trauma orientated treatment options in affective disorder. Recently, first randomized, controlled studies in traumatized subjects with affective disorders revealed positive effects of EMDR in this population. In this presentation I will first give an overview about affective disorders, problems in the managment and the under-recognized role of trauma on the long-term course. Furthermore, EMDR protocols in affective disorders and videos of patients will be presented.

Conference

English

Benedikt Amann