EMDR therapy as a trauma treatment in police officers

Travmatski dogodki pogosto vodijo v razvoj posttravmatske stresne motnje – PTSM in so neizogibni del policijskega dela. Da je takšna motnja diagnosticirana in potrjena, mora izpolnjevati osem ključnih kriterijev Diagnostičnega in statističnega priročnika duševnih motenj (DSM − 5). Psihosocialna pomoč policistom je velikokrat spregledana, vendar podprta s podzakonskimi akti, ki jih ponuja njihova institucija. Novodobna metoda, znana pod imenom Desenzitizacija in ponovna predelava z očesnim gibanjem − EMDR, je ena izmed časovno kratkih, varnih in uspešnih pristopov zdravljenja PTSM in drugih oblik duševnih motenj. Temelji na modelu Adaptive Information Processing − AIP, njen cilj pa je predelava preteklih življenjskih travmatičnih izkušenj in vzpostavitev ponovne vezi med umom in telesom. Je kompleksna metoda zdravljenja, katere glavna komponenta je bilateralna stimulacija oči, tapkanje ali poslušanje zvoka. Eden izmed starejših in prav tako zelo uspešnih empirično podprtih pristopov spopadanja s PTSM, je pogovorna kognitivno-vedenjska terapija − KVT. Sestavljena je iz vedenjske in kognitivne terapije, ki se je razvila iz modela Beck. Njen cilj je spremeniti klientovo mišljenje in sistem prepričanja, da bi ju nadomestil s trajnimi čustvenimi in vedenjskimi spremembami, ki prav tako prispevajo h kvalitetnejšemu življenju posameznika. Tako EMDR kakor tudi KVT sta na podlagi različnih raziskav, dokazano, enako učinkoviti, podprti s strani različnih organizacij ter pogosto uporabljeni pri zdravljenju PTSM v policiji. V osnovi se razlikujeta v tem, da je EMDR samo metoda in ni psihoterapevtska smer, za katero velja KVT. Po pregledu literature in dosedanjih raziskav lahko potrdimo, da sta EMDR in KVT pogosto uporabljena in uspešna pristopa spopadanja s PTSM v policiji. So pa vsekakor potrebne nadaljnje podrobnejše raziskave na tem področju.Traumatic experiences are inevitable part of police work, which often leads to development of a posttraumatic stress disorder - PTSD. To confirm the diagnosis, it has to meet the eight main criteria of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM - 5). Psychosocial help to police officers is often overlooked, but still supported by statuary law. The new method known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Processing - EMDR is one of the quick, safe, and successful approaches for treating PTSD and other mental disorders. It is based on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, and its goal is to process traumatic experiences from the past and re-establish the bond between the mind and the body. It is a complex method of treatment, and its main component is the bilateral eye stimulation, tapping or listening to sounds. One of the oldest and also most effective empirically supported approaches to deal with PTSD among police officers is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - CBT. It is composed of behavioural and cognitive therapy, developed from the Beck’s model. Its goal is to change the patient’s way of thinking and his belief’s system, and replace them with permanent emotional and behavioural changeswhich contribute to the quality of his life. Both EMDR and CBT treatments are proved to be equally effective by many of researches. They are supported by many different organizations and are most commonly used at treating PTSD in police. The base difference between the methods is that EMDR is just a method and not a psychotherapy course like CBT. Surveying the recent literature and researches, we can confirm, that EMDR and CBT are the most common and successful approaches to deal with PTSD in police. More detailed researches are still needed