Being exposed to traumatic experiences is rather common in patients
with schizophrenia. Adverse experiences may induce the onset of psychotic
symptoms or trigger current symptoms to be exacerbated. Eye
Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective therapy
in the treatment of incidences with underlying traumatic experiences,
there by it can be conducted on various cases in addition to other
treatments such as psycho-medication or another therapy method. It
was developed by Shapiro in 1980s. Although desensitization is widely
applied on patients with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, it is unusual
for EMDR therapy to be safely and effectively performed in the treatment
of psychotic disorder sor symptoms. In the present case study,
EMDR treatment process and course of psychiatric state in a patient
with history of child hood abuse and forced psychiatric residency will be
discussed. The patient who had a diagnosis of schizophrenia for 8 years
was treated with antipsychotic treatment as well as 2 sessions of EMDR,
and as a result, a positive change was observed in her general clinical
course. Our thoughts on this phenomenon are that EMDR treatment
is an effective, safe and short-term intervention in the comorbidity of
PTSD and psychotic disorders. However, the literature about the place
of EMDR in the treatment of schizophrenia cases is rather limited and
much more research is needed.