Scaling Up What Works: Using EMDR to Help Confront the World's Burden of Traumatic Stress

摘要

Global estimates of trauma exposure, classified under the heading "Four Violences," demonstrate that the world faces a mental health crisis of truly epidemic proportions. Given the extent, severity, and consequences of trauma-based disorders (including posttraumatic stress disorder) worldwide for individuals, communities, and societies, the current minimal global public health response needs to be addressed. An important part of the response should involve the implementation of timely treatment both during and after a crisis. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy offers a potentially scalable intervention that combines effectiveness, efficiency, affordability, and acceptability-essential preconditions-for launching an ambitious global trauma therapy plan. An overview of both challenges and solutions to effective scaling up and global implementation is provided, including the areas of policy, funding, and ethics. This article concludes with a list of activities (including research) that should be initiated without delay as part of starting up a global trauma therapy plan.