CBC News: Suicide rate in Alberta up 30%

[ExtraSlow]

Hey speaking of therapy for PTSD, any of you folks ever try or hear of EMDR? Seems interesting, and legally available today unlike the pharmaceutical options.

[AndyL]

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Hey speaking of therapy for PTSD, any of you folks ever try or hear of EMDR? Seems interesting, and legally available today unlike the pharmaceutical options.

Yup, used it for 2-3 years now. EMDR & bilateral stimulation beat the crap out of meds once I started getting decent sleep (thanks to meds)

[rx7boi]

EMDR and PE as exposure based therapies are hard on the client, especially those with multiple traumas and/or severe/complex traumas.

One of my colleagues brought in Accelerated Resolution Therapy from the US and it is a novel modality that we've used to tremendous effect with our population.

[ExtraSlow]

I'm not any kind of expert, I ran across EMDR for a totally different use and only after looking it up did I see it was used for PTSD. Always find stuff like this fascinating. As always I respect the hell out of y'all.

[phil98z24]

Would be more interested to hear from you on this stuff. I’ve done DBT for PTSD and other stuff and found it tough but pretty effective, but I’ve been hearing more and more about EMDR and other similar therapies. I know I’m willing to go through some tough stuff to resolve some things I’ve dealt with. When you’re walking through hell, keep going, right?

[phil98z24]

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That article got posted in one of our groups, and it was refreshing to see. Not a peep from our "chief" on anything, he's too busy taking his 7th vacation of the summer while we get discretionary time off denied indefinitely. Do more with less. Work harder. No you can't get off work on time. No care if you've just done a really mentally trying call, we are in red alert so finish your paperwork later.

Its nice to see you guys have some leadership, we're jealous over here, and I hope it leads to positive changes and initiatives in the force!

Agreed. Two of my best friends I’ve know since way back before we got on the job are medics and the stuff I hear is simultaneously heartbreaking and blood boiling. I just can’t imagine how bad it is for you guys on that rudderless ship.

We are fortunate to have our new Chief Constable (that’s what he wants to be called, tells you something) and I hope for future generations he’ll be a difference maker and make our service into a role model for the rest. It’s been a long time coming!

I really hope you guys get some positive change soon though. Something has to give and it can’t be the people on the frontlines. No goddamn way.

[rx7boi]

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I'm not any kind of expert, I ran across EMDR for a totally different use and only after looking it up did I see it was used for PTSD. Always find stuff like this fascinating. As always I respect the hell out of y'all.

Yeah, the frontline treatments for PTSD are exposure based. This can be difficult because it involves processing traumatic memories which is exactly what those afflicted with PTSD try not to do as avoidance is a hallmark feature of PTSD. Additionally, when you have years of memories to go through and have limited time (and pressure from RTW (return to work)), it can become a huge mental drain while you're also dealing with the social and financial impacts of having the disorder.

Thankfully, there are also psychopharmacological interventions so it's best treated by an interdisciplinary team.

@phil98z24 Phil, I can give you some information on EMDR and Accelerated Resolution Therapy if you'd like.

Since you're with CPS, if you've not gone through CPS Psychological Health Services already, I happen to know the Manager there; she's a friend.

[blueToy]

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As always I respect the hell out of y'all.

X 2. I also add the firemen to your group, and to a lesser degree most doctors and nurses. Hell, most anybody that has to deal with the public or people. Thank you for your service and sacrifices.

[ExtraSlow]

Anyone know anything about tDCS neurostimulation for PTSD? I ran across it in a dyslexia context but apparently it is used for many things, including PTSD treatment?

Maybe I shouldn't be surprised that there's a lot of overlap with different neurological disorder treatments.

[rx7boi]

We use rTMS to treat PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder. There's good literature support to show that it helps with treatment-resistant MDD which is also reflected in the good response/remission rates we've gotten with military/veteran populations.

I'd have to read up on tDCS but the rTMS protocol is that it's daily for roughly 3 weeks. Each session lasts 30 minutes as the machine puts a low-frequency current through your noggin'.

It's meant to be an inpatient procedure since the rTMS machine costs roughly 40k.

[ExtraSlow]

Thanks for the background. Here's the flyer that I heard about this research study from:

[rx7boi]

Interesting study. The protocol they're using is the same as rTMS in terms of duration and frequency (daily, over 3 weeks, 30 minutes per session).

I pulled up the REB. The principal investigator for this study is Dr. Frank MacMaster and one of his current studies is (1) The effect of neurostimulation (high frequency repetitive TMS) on treatment resistant depression in adolescents and young adults which echoes my previous post.

I suspect that they're doing pre-post neuroimaging of the cerebellum amongst other things since cerebellar dysfunction is related to Specific Learning Disabilities such as dyslexia and is what they're primarily examining in conjunction with the reading intervention.

Thanks for sharing.