[prosecarousel]

I have gone twice, and i'm still deciding.

[(JD)]

I think it is worth the try I can't do it, as I am too "hypnotizable" and go right on past the therapeutic point with this. But others here have tried it and it helped them. Try pulling an ADVANCED SEARCH on EMDR. (See upper right of page, click on advanced search, type in subject of EMDR, change date/timing to past 2 years (maybe?) and click SHOW.

[Rhapsody]

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prosecarousel said:
I have gone twice, and i'm still deciding.

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YES....... I have used EMDR and I still use it at home as I need.
Please do a EMDR search on here in the upper right hand corner page - just type in EMDR and you should be able to view all the threads written on the subject from past post here on PC.... Good Luck.

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[Yack]

No, but I tried plain hypnosis...it stopped the intrusive thoughts for about 2 days....But there was no lasting effect...

[Randy33]

I know that it can really help some people, I have heard more than one person say it worked great for them. I think it depends on the person and the trauma.

That was the first thing my therapist did to treat me. She started by having me sit in front of a long rectangle box in a stand that had little lights across it. When she turned it on I was supposed to keep my eye on the one green light that moved back and forth across the box. It can travel at different speeds. I knew immediately that I didn't like the way I was feeling doing it but I didn't know why.

The second session, I did it again and I knew what it was. Watching that little light run back and forth, from one end to the other and back again, triggered flashbacks of being chased and I just lost it. The next time she tried having me sit on the couch across from her and had me tapping parts of my body with two fingers. I just didn't work for me and it actually made me worse.

I have never been able to understand how or why it can work, but I know it does, very well, for some. You might give it a try, you have nothing to loose and you can stop anytime you want to.

Best Wishes

I tried it once and it drove me batty. Basically EDMR is first talking with a therapist to find out what the problems are That part I had no porblem with.

The next step was nuts
Tapping on my forhead while repeating the affirmation - This will no longer bother me, and click click of my tongue
at the same time as moving my eyeballs from side to side without moving my head - eyes look to the left eyes look to the right left right left right eyes look up eyes look down up down up down, tap tap tap of the fingers never stopping this will bother me click click of the tongue

all this activity going on all at the same time and not stopping for the WHOLE 50 minutes of the therapy session.

And then expected to use this same process outside the therapy room for whenever I experience a panic attack with that same trigger

Nope not for me

I can just picture me sitting in the juvinile court house lobby starting to expereice a panic attack coming on and start clicking my tongue tapping my forhead moving my eyes left right left right up down up down and saying - this will not bother me. Yup right one way ticket to the nearest nut ward because others in the lobby suddenly see a woman start tapping her head moving her eyeballs and making clicking noises and repeating the same words over and over again let alone what the judge would think if I sudden;y start experiencing panic symptoms during the actual hearing and start suddenly clicking, tapping moving eyeballs and repeating the same words over and over again.

A journal, a sketch book and a walkman with a relaxation visualization do just fine for me. out in public it is not a strange thing to see someone start writing and drawing and listening to their walkman or mp3 player.

Instead of using repeating the same sentence, sound and tapping and moving eyeballs the rest of my life everytime I experience the same trigger I would rather take care of the trigger and memories so that I am no longer triggered by them for the rest of my life.

[Rhapsody]

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myself said:
The next step was nuts
Tapping on my forhead while repeating the affirmation - This will no longer bother me, and click click of my tongue
at the same time as moving my eyeballs from side to side without moving my head - eyes look to the left eyes look to the right left right left right eyes look up eyes look down up down up down, tap tap tap of the fingers never stopping this will bother me click click of the tongue

all this activity going on all at the same time and not stopping for the WHOLE 50 minutes of the therapy session.

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Does your T really still use his finger? - my T uses the electronic pulse pads that go under your mid upper thigh while sitting in a comfortable chair.... maybe talk to your T about this approach, it makes therapy so much more pleasant and successful when one is using E.M.D.R.


LoVe,
Rhapsody - ((( hugs )))

[Rhapsody]

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myself said:
And then expected to use this same process outside the therapy room for whenever I experience a panic attack with that same trigger

Nope not for me

I can just picture me sitting in the juvinile court house lobby starting to expereice a panic attack coming on and start clicking my tongue tapping my forhead moving my eyes left right left right up down up down and saying - this will not bother me. Yup right one way ticket to the nearest nut ward because others in the lobby suddenly see a woman start tapping her head moving her eyeballs and making clicking noises and repeating the same words over and over again let alone what the judge would think if I sudden;y start experiencing panic symptoms during the actual hearing and start suddenly clicking, tapping moving eyeballs and repeating the same words over and over again.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I still use it today..... my T showed me how one can use it at home or in a public place to remain clam when distress arises - all one has to do is to squeeze their firsts together gently.... always starting and going left to right - just like one does with the eyes.
It is also GREAT for helping one fall a sleep or to get back to sleep when they are awaken in the night.

....... YOU can use your feet (when sitting down) in the same way one would use their hands when in public - always starting with the left foot first, then just gently just tap away.


LoVe,
Rhapsody - ((( hugs )))

No the therapists that have had me try this did not use their own fingers. I had to use my own fingers. a therapist can't be in my life 24 hours a day tapping on my forehead every time I have a panic attack. and being a survivor of child sexual abuse, adult rape, physical and emotional abuse I am very sensative to flashbacks, panic attacks and so on from anything and anyone touching my body sometimes. having something attached to me or my sitting on something that is going to "move" in anyway is not something I would be able to use. Even when I go to my family physician there are times when I cant have then take my blood pressure and so on without experiencing a flashback. So MY tapping myself was the best option available for me when they wanted me to try EDMR.

and regardless of the approach moving my eyeballs and so on is not going to stop me from experiencing flashbacks, panic attacks and so on. I have DID which is that my memories have been separated and stored in pieces unconsciously. Until those repressed memories have been remembered and stored at my conscious level of thinking through working on co consciousness and integration I am always going to have panic attacks and so on. If I didn't have DID and just had normal PTSD symptoms this might have worked for me but as long as I have no memories of why I am panicing EDMR is not going to help me no matter what approach is used. If I could do the contant repitiional movements and sounds and affirmation at the same time I still would be stuck with doing this my whole life because EDMR does not take care of the in depth underlying issues. its just locating the problem and doing the activity in the heat of the moment of panic. The underlying issues - repressed memories and co consciousness and integration has to happen first before I could even benefit from EDMR even if I could do the process.

[Rhapsody]

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myself said:
and regardless of the approach moving my eyeballs and so on is not going to stop me from experiencing flashbacks, panic attacks and so on. I have DID which is that my memories have been separated and stored in pieces unconsciously.
Until those repressed memories have been remembered and stored at my conscious level of thinking through working on co consciousness and integration I am always going to have panic attacks and so on. If I didn't have DID and just had normal PTSD symptoms this might have worked for me but as long as I have no memories of why I am panicing EDMR is not going to help me no matter what approach is used.

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I understand what YOU are saying here and yet I too have DID (had 20 alters) and I have PTSD (among other disorders) and the E.M.D.R. worked great at calming me when distressed in public...... for it is a physical change that takes place with in the body when using E.M.D.R. with the fist or feet, therefore, it can help to calm any part of YOU - rather YOU or the others are aware of it or not.

....... Just wanted to share something that worked for ME - a DID & PTSD patient, therefore, it might be able to help others.


Love,
Rhapsody - ((( hugs )))

"therefore, it can help to calm any part of YOU - rather YOU or the others are aware of it or not."

No it cannot calm - ME - for - I- have already tried it and it drove -ME - nuts and the type of life that - I - have such as court hearings and so on - I - cannot out of the blue in the middle of a court hearing start acting out tapping MY head chanting, clicking MY tongue and moving MY eyeballs all over the place because MY lawyer happened to be wearing calogne that - I - had no idea why it was making me panic. It wasn't until - I - went through the memory recall work of co consciousness and integration for a piece of memory in which there was information that an abuser wore that cologne when abusing - ME - that - I - was no longer triggered by sitting next to MY lawyer in court hearing.

FOR ME taking care of the underlying issues instead of just lopping on a coping tool without konwing why - I - am triggered to begin with does not work. EDMR is a coping tool that deals with the problem but not in depth of the underlying isuues of that problem.

FOR ME EDMR WILL NOT WORK.

if you reread - MY - previous post you will see that - I - did use - I - statements and was talking about - ME - and - MY - having DID

in general and not directed at anyone - Guess I have to go back to using capitals on MY - I - statements. Sorry about this and - I - was trying today to not use capitals so much as it triggers some people but For some reason MY - I -statements are passed over when - I - don't use the capitals so its back to capitals for ME.

Please note that when - I - am using capitals today it is to make MY - I - statements stand out not because - I - am yelling at anyone.

[radio_flyer]

One of my T's sent me to a T that did EMDR. I am not sure if it was for the PTSD or to try to recall childhood memories. I do not know if it worked or not. I only went a few times because I got too frustrated. And the T started asking is there anyone that would like to talk to me. I wanted to laugh at him, but instead I just was silent. I think that was the last time I went back to him. I did not like the eye movement stuff. I think I had to follow his finger going back and forth. Rather made me dizzy, so I concentrated on other stuff. So I prob did not do it right....

I have read a lot of info on EMDR since. Have read it has helped many people. I guess I am one of the few it did not work. But then therapy in the long run was not even beneficial to me. I guess I am one of the few that EMDR and therapy was not helpful. I can say what helped me the most was the hypno relaxing stuff one T did. I would feel sooo good and sooo grounded. And it would last for several days.

So...I would think of EMDR as positive. More have been helped than not...

all one has to do is to squeeze their firsts together gently.... always starting and going left to right - just like one does with the eyes.
It is also GREAT for helping one fall a sleep or to get back to sleep when they are awaken in the night.

....... YOU can use your feet (when sitting down) in the same way one would use their hands when in public - always starting with the left foot first, then just gently just tap away.

No - I - can't. I have a physical health problem Cerebral Palsy. if I squeze ANY of my muscles tight I go into muscle spasms and contractures that result in brokien bones.

[Rhapsody]

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myself said:
No it cannot calm - ME - for - I- have already tried it and it drove -ME - nuts and the type of life that - I - have such as court hearings and so on

- I - cannot out of the blue in the middle of a court hearing start acting out tapping MY head chanting, clicking MY tongue and moving MY eyeballs all over the place because MY lawyer happened to be wearing cologne

if you reread - MY - previous post you will see that - I - did use - I - statements and was talking about - ME - and - MY - having DID

in general and not directed at anyone - Guess I have to go back to using capitals on MY - I - statements. Sorry about this and - I - was trying today to not use capitals so much as it triggers some people but For some reason MY - I -statements are passed over when - I - don't use the capitals so its back to capitals for ME.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I am sorry that my post upset you..... for that was not my intention.... I was just trying to explain how EMDR can be used by doing one action all by its self and that the technique that your T did with you was not needed, for YES to many things going on at time can and will drive any one nuts.... I was trying to open the door to a better newer way of using EMDR - as it was in the beginning when its creator shared it with the world.

Take-Care.......................... ((( hugs )))


LoVe,
Rhapsody -

You didn't upset ME. I am using capitals because - I - was making sure MY - I - Statements are visable. You capitalized the word - you - which made me think you were assuming that I could do those things with out asking me if I could.

And after I explained why EDMR would not work for ME you capitalized the word you in saing it will work for me because you have DID and it works for you. Just like MY experiences are different then some with DID so is my reactions to different kinds of treatment plans. EDMR may work for you and your DID but it will not work for mine.

So - I - thought you might have passed over the fact that I was talking about ME and MY treatment plans and results and thought I was talking in absolutes that EDMR would not work for any DID's.

That was not what my post had stated because I did include MY - I - Statements. So I reworded MY post capitalizing the -I - statements this time.

Im not mad at you and your post I was just capitalizing MY -I - statements to make them more visable.

Hang in there. and cyber hugs back atcha.

[(JD)]

http://www.emdr.com/briefdes.htm

EMDR has been rather reduced in this thread to something too basic, imo. Tapping or eye movement are quite common elements. Who cares what, if it works?

It allows for more adaptive information to be processed and linked to a traumatic memory (for instance.)

Yes, I agree, if you don't think it will help, or don't wish it to, or believe that it won't, then it won't help.

http://www.emdr.com/q&a.htm#q16 Some theory behind it.

It is touted as excellent for trauma work. I wish I could do it and be done with my PTSD sigh oh well.

[happyflowergirl]

It has changed my life of a past that included some major child abuse. I am very skeptical about stuff like this, but when it worked it worked very well.

It is hard though, thinking of those horrible memories while trying to follow my T's finger takes some concentration. Please email me is you have any questions.

My stepdaugher also used it several years ago after she was raped, and it worked well for her too.

"Yes, I agree, if you don't think it will help, or don't wish it to, or believe that it won't, then it won't help."

For ME it isn't a matter of not thinking it will help or not wishing it to help or believing that it wont help its the fact that - I - have tried it and it does not work for ME.

-I - am glad that it works for some people but just like any other treatments out there both mental or physical one treatment does NOT help all people.

Each person reacts their OWN way to medications and any other types of treatments out there.

EDMR does NOT work for ME not due to my believing in it, not wishing it to work, and thinking it won't work and so on.

for - ME - it is a matter of - MY - having to go through co consciousness and integration process for -MY - repressed memories in order to stop the problems associated with those repressed memories including - MY - panic reactions.

There are people out there like ME that are unable to use EDMR due to what treatment plans are best for them not due to "if you don't think it will help, or don't wish it to, or believe that it won't, then it won't help."

CAPITALIZATION IS NOT DUE TO ANYTHING OTHER THAN MY MAKING SURE MY -I - STATEMENTS ARE NOTICABLE.

[woundedhearts]

I have tried EMDR and still do it. It is a great effective way for some to deal with it. For me it is great.

[jjudyy]

I went through a year of EMDR, and it helped tremendously...I embarrassed my therapist by calling the EMDR his magic fingers...not only did it feel good, but it took the pain away. I moved away after the year was up, but it was worth going through. It's amazing that it does work...at least for me it did.

[(JD)]

Myself, I think it might not work for you for the same basic reason it doesn't for me... since you already have a depth of dissociation/hypnotizability... you probably go right past the level that it works on... or some aspect of you blocks it entirely?

[majella]

Could somebody who has done EMDR, tell me about the procedure of doing EMDR on your own if you have a panic attack or flashback?

And can you use the EMDR technique on your own, if you havent done the EMDR sessions with your therapist in the first place?

I am just really interested in trialing any technique that might be helpful in reducing my PTSD symptoms. I cant see any harm in trying it (<font color="red">...qs for ppl who are familiar with EMDR - is there any harm in trying? </font>) and seeing as so many people have found EMDR very successful, I'd love to give it a go for myself.

So ... if I'm going to try EMDR by myself, I'd like to do it right, and listed below in blue is what I understand of the process. If there is more that I need to do to increase the chance that this will be successful, can someone please enlighten me? Thanks

<font color="blue"> * You use the EMDR technique when you are distressed by a flashback or panic attack.

* You move your eyes back and forth repeatedly - left to right - (... or you can tap you legs -> left right left right ... or clench fists -> left right left right etc) while you are thinking about those images/thoughts that are distressing ...

<font color="purple">(does it matter how fast you do these repetitve movements?
does it matter whether you use the eye method ... or the tapping legs method?
The most important part of whatever method you use - eye movts, or leg taps etc - is that your attention needs to be directed repeatedly from one side of your body to the other ... yes?) </font>

* You keep doing these eye movts/leg taps/fist clenches for ... um ... how long do you do it for ?

* You continue using the EMDR until your anxiety has reduced and the flashback has stopped. </font>

So ... is that about right?
Is there anything more to using EMDR that I havent included and is important to use to enhance the effectiveness of this technique?

I have PTSD, and during a particularly difficult time in my life, I was doing alot of research on different therapies and techniques that are available to treat this disorder.

I remember coming across the EMDR technique, and it sounded very appealing to me. I've always had alot of difficulty in talking about painful traumatic memories from the past, and from what I understood of the EMDR technique, it didnt seem to rely too much on the client having to talk about their painful memories in order to get better.

Also ... it was reported that EMDR worked alot quicker than the regular, plain-ole 'talk therapies' .

During my research on EMDR, I remember coming across a story about the person who invented EMDR (Francis Shapiro I believe), and how one day when she was very upset about something, she went for a walk to try to calm down - she was looking from side to side, admiring the flowers/plants in the garden, when she realised that her distress was diminishing She then realised that it was something about the side to side eye movement that was helping to reduce her stress and anxiety levels. And this incident was what started the whole EMDR development.

So it seemed that this technique can work even without a person's conscious knowledge of the technique and what it does, and also without specialised training, and that a lay person could do it!

The technique of EMDR seems too good to be true if you ask me, but after reading about so many people who have been helped by it, I'm not going to throw about an opportunity to try something that just may be beneficial for me!

I've asked my own therapist about EMDR, but she's not trained in the procedure ... but she said that she'd support me in finding a therapist who does do EMDR and see how it works out for me.

But I thought I could do a ltitle test run on myself first. It cant hurt me, can it?

[dalila]

<font color="green"> I have done EMDR and found it very beneficial. However, I would not suggest that you try it alone for the first few times. I find it lets me open up to deeper areas and deeper traumas. I am able to work through that with my therapist but while I was still so reactive, I don’t think it would have been a good plan to try it alone. Today I do use it occasionally to self-calm or to escape from a flashback but this is nearly 5 years later. </font>

No sky. Like I already stated It doesn't work for me because it does not address the moving repressed memories into my conscious level of thinking.

REpressed memory is a memory where I have no idea what that memory is.

If I don't know what that memory is for example Snakes drive me to panic. I can go into a pet store and see the cats and dogs and fish but when it comes to the snake tanks I enter high anxiety and panic to the point where I end up dissociating. I have no idea why I react this way. What I do know is that I do have a repressed memory of some kind that involves a snake because I find drawings and so on.

But I havbe no conscious memory of why I am deathly afraid of snakes.

So now add EDMR to this. I go into a pet store see a snake panic and ok find a place to sit tap my forehead with a finger, move my eyeballs constantly and repeat "This will no longer bother me"

Hey it may calm me in that moment but the next time I see a snake what happens -

I panic again

and the next time

I panic again

and the next time

I panic again

Why? Because th e source of my panicing - the repressed memory is not being taken care of. That repressed memory is still repressed (unremembered) and burried and as long as it is I will always be sent into a panic every time I encounter a snake.

So EDMR for me does nothing I panic now when I encounter a snake and 20 years of doing EDMR if I try it I would still be panicing when I encounter a snake.

for me EDMR is kind of like putting a band aid on - good for a quick fix but not for long term.

for me I prefer the long term solutions of locating the repressed memories and remembering what happened to me (co consciousness and integration) so that those memories no longer and forever will no longer bother me over the short term quick fix of band aids such as therapy approaches that take care of the surface problems but not the guts of the problems. I did the band aid approaches and where did I end up - with my son in foster care because I was only taking care of the surface problems so the guts kept coming back to tear mine and my sons life apart.

EDMR doesn't work for me because I have to take care of the guts not just put a band aid on the surface panic attacks.

Which is why I have the type of therapy program that I do where I have muliple goals that work together - relaxation visualizations tapes made by my therapist for the panic attacks, journaling, artwork, sensory stimulation, memory recall work, therapy sessions group therapy and so on. All geared for working on each and every aspect of each and every one of my problems that has been specifically set up for me and my problems.

That is what works for me.