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Background: The aim of this article is to summarize the current state of research on the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)., Methods: The results of current meta-analyses and trend-setting individual studies are summarized and the most important forms of intervention are explained., Results: The psychotherapeutic treatment methods for PTSD are very effective, the effect sizes are large and superior to those of pharmacotherapy. Trauma exposure and cognitive restructuring are most effective. Trauma-focused procedures are generally superior to other forms of psychotherapy. A range of different cognitive behavioral procedures as well as eye movement desensitization and reprocessing are recommended. The most recent initial findings confirm a very good effectiveness for imagery rescripting methods as protective interventions without a formal confrontation with trauma. Individual therapy works better than group psychotherapy. In the group setting cognitive processing therapy has proven to be the best intervention. Trauma-focused treatment should also be used when comorbid conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or addiction are present., Discussion: Trauma-focused psychotherapy in an individual setting is the treatment of choice for PTSD. A large selection of effective methods and well-reviewed manuals are available. The German language S3 guidelines are currently being updated., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

People with a disorder of intellectual development (German draft of the ICD-11, which came into force on 1 January 2022) suffer more frequently from mental illnesses. According to the international treatment guidelines multimodal approaches should include not only psychopharmacological treatment, but also disorder-specific psychotherapeutic methods. These psychotherapeutic interventions have to be adapted to the communicative and cognitive abilities (performance diagnostics with IQ tests) as well as the emotional developmental stage (developmental diagnostics, e.g., with the scale of emotional development, short version, SED-S 2; [1]). To ensure this, the rules of simple language should be observed and when appropriate relatives or caregivers should be involved in the therapeutic process. The effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy has received most scientific attention, especially for affective disorders. Posttraumatic stress disorders can be validly treated with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). There is also good evidence for exposure therapy with reinforcement in the treatment of anxiety disorders., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Medizin Verlag GmbH, ein Teil von Springer Nature.)

The efficacy of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) has been demonstrated for posttraumatic stress disorder. Despite promising research, it is still not clear if EMDR is a similarly effective treatment for chronic pain. Controlled trials are lacking and whether specific mechanisms underlie the effects remains unknown. The treatment of chronic pain aims at a reduction of subjective pain sensations. To achieve this goal without the usage of pain medications, i. e. through psychotherapy, is desirable for many reasons (e. g. reduction of treatment costs and side effects). Whether or not EMDR is an effective intervention for all chronic pain patients (or just a specific subgroup) constitutes an important question for psychological pain research.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic method that has been shown to be especially effective in traumatic disorders. Since the concept of an addiction memory has become widely accepted, the use of EMDR also in substance use disorders (SUD) treatment might count as a separate field. This review summarizes the current state of research on treatment effects EMDR in SUD. The literature search included the databases of PubMed and PsychInfo; four studies met the inclusion criteria. EMDR was found to be related to a decreased amount of craving, fear and depression and to an improvement of emotion regulation and management and self-esteem. Initial findings indicate a high therapeutic potential of EMDR in SUD treatment., Competing Interests: Interessenkonflikt: Die Autoren geben an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

In view of the inceasing number of implanted defibrillators in all industrial nations, the number of people who have suffered so-called multiple shocks (electrical storm, ES) also increases. Common complaints are severe and continuously recurrent massive anxiety, panic attacks, fear of death, helplessness and hopelessness, depression, nervosity and irritability as well as reclusive and uncontrollable avoidance behaviour, intrusions, nightmares, flashbacks, sleeplessness and the inability to show feelings and limitation of future perspectives. Because people with an ICD are often physically (very) ill and after multiple ICD shocks are additionally very insecure, it would seem logical if the inpatient treatment would be carried out in an institution which has close connections and is also spatially close to a cardiology department. The basis of the diagnostics is the clinical anamnesis and a systematic exploration of the trauma situation and the resulting complaints. As an additional diagnostic element psychological test procedures should be implemented to determine the core symptomatic (anxiety, depression, trauma symptoms). Psychological test procedures should be included in the diagnostics so that at the end of treatment it is obvious even to the patient which alterations have occurred. The core element of inpatient treatment is daily intensive psychotherapy and includes deep psychologically well-founded psychotherapy and behavioral therapeutic-oriented anxiety therapy as well as cognitive restructuring and elements of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). A follow-up examination within 4 months of the multiple shocks episode is recommended because symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder often occur after a long latent time period.

I would like to describe the initial extreme physical and psychological effects of my posttraumatic stress disorder that appeared after multiple shocks from an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, my surprise about my physical awareness, which I and apparently also the physicians could not understand, the feeling of helplessness, the lack of knowledge, the ignorance, and the unfairness of some of the physicians concerning my psychological illness, feelings of being stamped as a psychopath, not being believed, and being let down, my improvements during the course of the last 6 years, my current condition, and my appeal to physicians that better care be offered to patients with a similar illness.