Long time no post. But a question about EMDR

We, well, the system, had our very first session with EMDR last night. It's been about a year and a half since I, well, we, first started going to see our T. It's been a long journey, and now it's T, and Co-T (who specializes in Trauma.) Right now, Cesario, LArry and I have been getting along, but Andrew has been a recent trouble spot. He seems to be particularly upset about many things, and has been wanting to be protective of me, and i'm resisting the urge of letting him take over, and he's particularly angry with me about that.

Anyhoo.

Has anyone, or does anyone, utilize EMDR with tactile tappers with their Ts in the treatment of Trauma?

Cesario~I have had experience with EMDR while in a hospital setting...I did get a lot out of it...and yes I used both tactile tappers and the headphones...sometimes at the same time...It is an effective treatment...and I sometimes wish that I knew of a T who does that because I know that it was very helpful and effective...I honestly don't remember much else about EMDR except that I struggled for the first month or so with doing the work...I hope that your journey with EMDR is effective and I hope that I was helpful to you...

Has anyone, or does anyone, utilize EMDR with tactile tappers with their Ts in the treatment of Trauma?[/quote]

Yes, I preferred the tappers..am going to start up again soon with some other trauma stuff that has been coming up.. Did you have a specific question? If you want to PM me feel free to..whatever you'd like is fine. I'm not DID but dissociative and PTSD stuff and depression...hope I can help somehow.

Wysteria Blue

I used like buzzer things. They buzzed im my hands, i dont know what they were called. It worked well for me.

What does it do? If you don't mind me asking.

The buzzer things are tappers. They send like little pulses from hand to hand. There's also something called a light board. I haven't used it yet. We usually couple the tappers with the headphones. Some Ts use their finger too and move it in front of your face.

Why? I don't understand.

Actually I don't understand it completely myself. I don't really know the science behind it. But what I do know is that it takes memories and "reprocesses" them again, but this time through causing less trauma to the individual.

EMDR can be thought of as a physiologically based therapy that helps a person see disturbing material in a new and less distressing way.

Like someone used the memory of them having an allergic reaction as a traumatic experience. You would go through that memory again and then maybe make a different outcome or be in a safer space or have safer people with you.

Reliving the memory in this fashion, and immediately talking about it with the T desensitizes the patient. The Therapist and the Patient then discuss how this memory or feeling has an impact.

Does anyone know if an alter can act during emdr? Like can I get really angry and be aggressive or is it more thought than physical reaction? I am trying to decide if that would be good for me. My therapist does it but I am afraid I will get angry and act out.

diagnostic criteria for DID states -

"A. The presence of two or more distinct identities or personality states (each with its own relatively enduring pattern of perceiving, relating to, and thinking about the environment and self).

B. At least two of these identities or personality states recurrently take control of the person's behavior. " http://www.behavenet.com/capsules/disorders/did.htm

so my answer would be yes they can. regardless of what you are doing in therapy (or any thing else - sleeping eating, at school, at work, ...what ever) there is always the risk that an alter is going to take control and do what ever their job / purpose for being is. thats why they were created and are there for right. with me it didnt matter if I was in therapy, out on a date or just lounging around in the back yard. my alters took over when ever and where ever they needed to according to what their purposes and jobs were. thats what got me sent to a psychiatrist for testing, my alters were taking over when ever where ever and finally my therapist recognized my symptoms and sent me for testing.

have you considered talking with your treatment providers. they can explain in more detail about DID and how it affects your life and help you to control it.

I have spoken to my therapist. I have explained that I have sometimes in the past acted aggressively toward another person with being unable to find the off switch. The mind set is very primal. There is no reasoning, I am just violently responding to a trigger. When someone pulls me off of them or another person I stop. It breaks the mood. It's just when I look back on what happened I do not see a reason that would have enabled me to stop myself. I just am going to pound someone until they stop moving. That is the only thing in my head at the time. A request by someone to stop goes unheard, but if someone physically grabs me and says stop that is enough to snap me out of it. There is no other thought in my head but to keep hitting until they stop moving. I took a lot of beatings as a child I will never let that happen again. I am sure that is where some of my rage comes from. My concern is that I might view my therapist as a threat and respond violently toward. her. I don't believe I have ever hit anyone first. So I think that is my line in the sand. But if someone touches me I'm off. If I am angry at that person and they touch me, even with good intentions, I go off. I have tried talking to my ragefull self but he has never said a word to me. I don't think he talks he just reacts. How do I reason with that? I know he is trying to protect me. My therapist has seen me in a ragefull state of mind. She is cautious because I don't trust that I can control me. We tried talking in a larger room but he did not speak. And I was too afraid to let him take full control because I am not sure I will be there also. I am grateful to him for giving me the strength to live I just wish he would talk with me.