ARE WE MISINFORMED ABOUT PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR PTSD?
Frank Pasquill
Trauma Therapist, Yoga Instructor, Organization Development Consultant
Dear Dr. Eric Kuekler,
I enjoyed reading your LinkedIn post, "If the Best Scientific Journal in the World is wrong about Mental Health, how misinformed are you?
It reminded me of a paper "The Changing Face of PTSD",? March 2013 Traumatology Institute, in which Dr. A B.Baranowsky, noted:
Traumatic Stress Disorders Are Often Misdiagnosed as:
- ? Personality disorders, including antisocial, borderline, histrionic & narcissistic ? Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- ? Somatization disorder
- ? Learning disabilities/”severely emotionally disturbed
- ? ADD/ADHD
- ? Malingering
- ? Schizophrenia
- ? Bipolar Disorder
Consequently, I agree with your premise that unresolved trauma may be the mental health culprit that drug companies love to ignore. However, I am not convinced of your conclusion that if "nearly every other mental-health problem is psychological injury, then psychotherapy should have primacy of place to treat those injuries."
Unfortunately, people with PTSD often do not seek traditional psychotherapy, because talking about their experiences can trigger their unpleasant physiological symptoms. Therapists often label them "resistant clients", for simply avoiding re-traumatization.
Perhaps what should be given primacy over prescription drugs are more trauma sensitive therapies, which recognize the dangers inherent in asking people with PTSD to talk about their symptoms. For example, there are several free, practical, self-help videos that people with PTSD can access anonymously from emotionaltuning.com, thereby avoiding both stigmatization in their workplace and the prospect of re-traumatization during talk therapy.
Consultant Youth Psychiatrist Seton Psychiatry services
8 年EMDR seems to help. Slow gradual therapies seem to be helpful as is mindfulness meditation. Too much too soon is usually a disaster.
PsyD, MS, NCC, ALC, PE-C
8 年Well here's my question: Has there been any consideration given to the benefits of journaling to help in addressing PTSD?
Entrepreneur, HumanRelations Skills, Counselor, Coach Train Leaders
8 年Eric, I like your summary. Nothing beats a great relationship. All the emphasis on "techniques" can treat humans as "data points" not people with desires, ideas, preferences, etc. Many clinics with a disease model want humans to come in with a puzzle for the clinic to solve. But human misery is a mystery not a puzzle. With a great relationship we can mutually discover the best technique.
Thought Tech Ltd. Co-Founder & Vice President
8 年The Psychophysiology Lab and Biofeedback Clinic at ECU uses biofeedback and psychophysiology to help Americas wounded warriors heal the emotional wounds of war. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDlKRA_vURk&feature=player_embedded Carmen Russoniello, PhD, LRT, LPC, BCIAC was the President of the Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback. He is currently Associate Professor and Director of the Psychophysiology Lab and Biofeedback Clinic at East Carolina University. Dr. Russoniello teaches undergraduate and graduate biofeedback courses through a first of its kind global classroom initiative and directs a biofeedback program for Wounded Warrior Marines at Camp Lejeune. The novel biofeedback intervention involves EEG and heart rate variability feedback and includes the use of virtual reality. Dr. Russoniello is himself a former Marine machine gunner and decorated Vietnam combat veteran.
Nonprofit Operations ? Communications ? Resource Connector ? Stress Management Coaching
8 年Good article, Frank Pasquill. In your opinion, when a child is diagnosed with ODD and generalized anxiety, can that be due to trauma or genetics?