How EMDR supports veterans

While it’s commonly known that veterans generally experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at higher rates than the general population, understanding what’s happening in the brain when it comes to PTSD, can help us understand how therapy methods, like EMDR, work. 

Understanding the mechanics of memories 

When we process a memory, the following parts of the brain are responsible with ensuring that memory is stored away correctly:

• Pre-frontal cortex: crucial for our working memory, the central hub for various memory processes including coding new memories and regulating fear responses. 
• Amygdala: plays a crucial role in tagging memories with an emotional tone, particularly those related to fear and strong emotions.  
• Hippocampus: responsible for storing memories as they happen, converting them into long-term memory and flagging them as having happened in the past. Then recalling those memories when triggered by environmental cues.  

For example, when walking through a crowded shopping centre in the lead up to Christmas, the sights, smells and sounds may trigger a memory of doing this as a child and being filled with excitement. The memory is recalled but crucially the memory is tagged as a “past” event. You know it's a memory, and you might not have the same level of excitement as you did before.  

What happens with PTSD? 

PTSD significantly alters memory function in the brain, and these memories can sometimes become “stuck” and not processed completely.  

This is due to the hippocampus being unable to process the traumatic event normally. Generally, due to the event itself being so overwhelming at the time that it caused a malfunction in the hippocampus.  

This means that when the current environment reminds us of the traumatic event, our hippocampus recalls the memory but because its unprocessed, or not tagged as a “past” event, we feel as though we are reliving the event. Our body goes into the same emotional tone and physiological state as we first did during the event.  

When memories are processed correctly, the pre-frontal cortex is supposed to provide context clues to the hippocampus and amygdala such as the current year, location and levels of safety.  

If we go back to our example of walking through a crowded shopping centre at Christmas time, the buzz of lots of people congregated, lots of sounds, etc. triggers the hippocampus to recall a memory of a crowded marketplace overseas.  

The amygdala recognises this and sounds the danger alarm, then your body enters a strong fight or flight response, and it feels like you are reliving that memory. The pre-frontal cortex is meant to tell the rest of your brain that, “We are in Australia, it is 2025, it is safe, stand down”, but this sequence is not functioning as it should in PTSD causing psychological distress. 

How EMDR helps to process trauma 

EMDR aims to appropriately process the “stuck” traumatic memories, giving these memories the correct tag of happening in the “past” and teaching the amygdala not to activate the alarm at these memories. Subsequently reducing the symptoms that are experienced and its emotional impact. 

A typical EMDR process operates across eight phases: history taking and treatment planning; preparation; assessment; desensitization; installation; body scan; closure; and re-evaluation.  

The desensitization phase is when you’ll be asked to pay dual attention and follow an object with your eyes as it travels from side to side while thinking about the memory – one way is to follow the therapist’s finger as they move it from side to side in your line of vision.  

The side-to-side motion is called bilateral stimulation (or BLS) which can:

• enhance coordination between brain regions involved in memory and emotion processing,
• decrease hyper-arousal (fight/flight sensations in the body as the BLS inhibits the amygdala’s activation), and 
• decrease negative emotions attached to a memory.  

This results in the traumatic memory losing is vividness, hyper-arousal and emotional impact. Consequently, symptoms associated with psychological distress (i.e., nightmares, isolation, difficulties focusing, and less enjoyment of leisure activities) can be reduced too. 

It’s important to note that EMDR is not trying to remove the traumatic memory but turn down/off the volume on the hyper-arousal felt in the body when the memory is triggered, resulting in the ability to navigate life without persistent fight or flight or intrusive memories always being recalled.  

Support at Mates4Mates 

It can sometimes feel daunting exploring a new psychotherapy method. Mates4Mates psychologists are trained in a range of therapies, including EMDR, to help support veterans, and family members, who are experiencing mental health concerns such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, etc. 

Appointments with Mates4Mates psychologists are available in person in centre or via telehealth. To book an appointment, you will need a referral from your GP. To find out more, reach out to us on 1300 4 MATES (62 837) for a confidential chat.  
 
Further support is also available with our team of counsellors and social workers, as well as exercise physiologists and physiotherapists.  

Alternatively, talk to a trusted General Practitioner about your health concerns or for 24-hour crisis-support phone Open Arms on 1800 011 046. If it’s an emergency, phone 000.   

 

Written by Jonathan Moscrop, Mates4Mates Clinical Lead – Psychological Services and Psychologist