Post-traumatic stress disorder in doctors: Origins, approach and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing therapy

• Published in: Australasian psychiatry : bulletin of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2023-04, Vol.31 (2), p.136-138
• Main Authors: Leung, Kelvin CY, McCarthy, Catherine, Mclean, Loyola M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: COVID-19; Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing - methods; Eye Movements; Humans; Mental Health; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - diagnosis; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - epidemiology; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - therapy; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 1039-8562; 1440-1665
• DOI: 10.1177/10398562231166293

Objectives Navigating a high-stakes clinical environment, medical doctors tend to consider trauma and adverse workplace events as ‘part of their job’. This often leads to delays in help-seeking in doctors who develop acute traumatic stress symptoms (ATSS), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and their comorbidities. This article outlines the prevalence of acute traumatic stress and PTSD in this population and summarises the emerging evidence base for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) early-intervention protocols of this population. Conclusion Doctors have higher prevalence rates of ATSS and PTSD than the general public. Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing therapy’s early-intervention protocols for recent, prolonged and ongoing traumatic stress have the potential to be a widely acceptable, timely and cost-effective intervention for doctors and other healthcare workers (HCWs), as highlighted in the emerging evidence base, which has grown considerably in response to the impact of the COVID pandemic on HCWs’ mental health. These evidence-based interventions could potentially be routinely offered to doctors and other HCWs within 1 month of an adverse workplace experience to reduce ATSS, PTSD and other comorbidities.