Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy on a patient with schizophrenia and clinical effects: A case study

Abstract

Being exposed to traumatic experiences is rather common in patients with schizophrenia. Adverse experiences may induce the onset of psychotic symptoms or trigger current symptoms to be exacerbated. Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective therapy in the treatment of incidences with underlying traumatic experiences, thereby it can be conducted on various cases in addition to other treatments such as psycho- medication or another therapy method. Although desensitization is widely applied on patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, it is unusual for EMDR therapy to be safely and effectively performed in the treatment of psychotic disorders or symptoms. In the present case study, EMDR treatment process and course of psychiatric state in a patient with history of childhood abuse and forced psychiatric residency will be discussed.