MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, Calif. -- James always was an outgoing person who was known for his dry humor and everlasting smile. He was always in the mood to participate in anything, and always spent time with his children and wife. However, just recently he was in a terrible car accident where his pickup was hit by a careless dirt bike rider. Due to the speed, the dirt bike rider was thrown from his motorcycle over the truck and then skidded across the pavement for 100 feet and died. After the accident, James became quiet and distant, and one could tell that there was something bothering him. After speaking with a doctor, James was told that he had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and if he didn't receive treatment, he would experience many more days of anxiety, unease and pain.
For people who have been diagnosed as being afflicted by PTSD, a new treatment has been developed that generally would require less therapeutic sessions and no drugs, said Dr. David Nieman, clinical supervisor for the Marine and Family Services Division.
The treatment, known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a relatively new remedy for PTSD, but has a great track record when it comes to therapy, Nieman said.
"EMDR is one of the most researched therapies around," said Nieman, who then added, "but I have not had one person who was not dramatically helped by this."
According to Nieman, the EMDR treatment was developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 80s after she realized that whenever she moved her eyes back and forth while thinking about her own negative emotions, she felt better.
Within a person's brain is an information processing system, which takes memories and stores them, Nieman said. The memory storage part of the brain is a network that processes thoughts, images, emotions and sensations related to the memory.
Sometimes, when people have traumatic experiences, the characteristics of the memory cannot be processed properly, and this causes PTSD, said Nieman.
Unfortunately, nobody chooses to have PTSD, an ailment that is painful and even disabling to the individual, Nieman said. In addition, the affliction causes suffering to a person's relationships with their family and friends.
A lot of times people who suffer from PTSD want to numb the emotional pain, so they turn to substances and alcohol to help cope, said Nieman.
With the new EMDR treatment though, victims may conquer PTSD within only a couple of sessions that can be done in one or two weeks, Nieman said. In contrast, an alternative treatment for PTSD may take four to six months of sessions, and would incorporate prescription drugs for the patient.
"What is really amazing is that you can actually see a person processing the info from the experience in their memory. You see their face get flush, and their eyes start to flutter," Nieman explained.
Despite the popularity of the treatment, the Marine Corps has not yet trained all of its therapists on utilizing it for the Corps, Nieman said. However, the base has a program set up, where Marines from other bases may be sent here to receive treatment for their PTSD.
Through Nieman's experience, the EMDR treatment is effective enough to help someone with PTSD in a short amount of time. In addition, the treatment does not involve the use of drugs as a cure. Since the treatment is so effective, Neiman said he does not have a problem with recommending it for anyone and everyone.