[greenfairy]

going to see pdoc tomorrow and i'm concerned. being treated for ptsd (among other things) and hypnosis and EMDR have been suggested as alternatives or complements to my meds. Been in therapy for practically my whole life, on and off, and mom made a comment that i underwent similar treatment when i was a child with positive results. don't remember much about that doc, except that she made me keep a journal about my nightmares, and that i hated going to her. here i am twenty years later, and new pdoc has suggested this treatment. i'm afraid. i don't know if i could possibly feel any worse than i already do, but can this hurt me, not physically, but emotionally? i know i need to ask the doc these questions but i don't trust that i'll get an honest answer. has anyone been through hypnosis /EMDR and had negative reaction? positive reaction? total breakdown or total recovery? any advice or knowledge on the subject is most welcome.

[(JD)]

Hi greenfairy! No, neither of those therapies, used by someone trained like your pdoc, is harmful. If the pdoc goes slowly with you, you can gain great benefits from either modality.

You won't do, say, think anything under hypnosis that you are opposed to "IRL." It's safe because your own mind is really the control. There are others here who have used EMDR to their benefit.

I hope you are journaling...writing things down often helps us sort things out even without having to discuss them with a T!

You will get honest answers from your pdoc... what you need is to wait to try either of these therapies until you trust your pdoc enough to know they have your best interest in mind... I'm sure you will discuss this with pdoc, and I think your pdoc will be willing to wait until he/she builds up trust with you.

TC

[JustBen]

What you were doing twenty years ago probably wasn't EMDR, as it's a more recent approach. People are having a lot of success with it for PTSD. Never had it myself, but I've never heard any horror stories, either. I've done a little hypnosis and it's been great, but it wasn't for PTSD and it was self-hypnosis, so I'm not sure how much my experience would make sense for you. All I can really tell you is that I think they're both safe techniques as long as they're being carried out by competent people. Ask questions and keep asking questions until you're comfortable. I'd ask questions about their training and experience with hypnosis and/or EMDR for example...if they're good, they won't mind answering as many questions as you pose to them.

[Beautiful_Pain]

I agree with Ben, ask as much as you need to feel comfortable even thinking of doing either one. There needs to be trust with your pdoc, even without either one being done...I hope you have that. They are important part of your treatment team =) Wishing the best for you {{{{{greenfairy}}}}}

[Merlin]

The only thing I can say about EMDR is that I started to dissociate while doing it, but my t stopped and regrounded me and we decided I wasn't ready for it. I think is all that might happen, but at least you would know. I hear that it has really helped some people.

[Rhapsody]

EMDR worked wonders for me when I used it - and my T taught me the at home version so that I could calm myself when needed, while at home or in public...

Good Luck -

LoVe,
Rhapsody -

[contemplating]

Greenfairy,

I have had some hypnosis treatment. I was very nervous at first, but I trust my T completely. This is the only reason I agreed to try it. You cannot be hypnotized if you don't allow it. You can just listen and wait until you are ready to "let go" of your mind.

Be sure to ask all the questions you have. Ask what is the plan and purpose. I hope you will find some relief in these new therapies when you are ready.

hypnosis in nothing major. I use it all the time in fact most people use it and don't realize its what they are doing - dissociation is a form of hypnosis - using imagery and imagination to relax away from uncomfortable situations. You know the feeling you get when watching a mevie and after the show ends you have that total relaxed and slow motion feeling. That is it.

Conscious hypnosis - relaxing while being aware of the process is just breaking down the steps of relaxing your body in sections. The way I do mine is I imagine a ray of sunshine warming my hair, head face neck..... and just keep imaging that ray of sunshine moving down and through my body warming like on a summer day of laying on a beach. By the time I reach my toes I am completely relaxed. Then depending on why I am using this hypnosis technique I tell myself something - "its time to go to sleep" or "every time I get the muscle spasm I am going to relax that muscle instead of tighten up". Then if its time for me to sleep I go to sleep. If its at a time when I have other things to do I bring myself back by imagining that ray of sunshine is waking up each part of my body and I move that body part as the sunshine moves past it.

I also use this process to do memory work - locating my memorys that I have forgotten by telling myself when I have reached that total relaxed area (I call this my level one) I tell myself what situation I want to remember and that I am going to open a door and I will be in that memory. and it works at least for me. At first I kept the memory work to the happy stories that always get retold during family gatherings telling myself I will remember one thing that is not in the retelling of the storys. then after I checked with relatives by calling them and getting them to talk about old times and then say do you remember when did this happen and every time they told me yes and thought it was funny that I remembered something they didn't until I asked them. I think hypnosis is really cool. My therapist and I just made a relaxation tape with this technigue of relaxing my body and we will be using it to access the nightmare information that I can't remember when I wake up in panic attacks every night.

Hypnosis with a professional is the same process - they talk to you asking you to relax each part of your body then they give you an afirmation (something to do or say if the problem happens again outside of the session) and use it for memory work the same way that I do.

Examples of hypnotic relaxations can be found in Nancy J. Napier's books and tapes and in Belleruth Naparstak's books and tapes. Both have websites Belleruth is listed with healthjourneys.com and has sample players you can listen to on the website both links for Nancy J Napier and Belleruth Naparstak can be found in the thread - resources - pinned to the top of the Dissociative Disorders message board.

[greenfairy]

thanks to everyone for responding. i know i need to speak with pdoc about my fears and concerns, but it was really important to me to know how this therapy affected other people. i think the aspect of it that i've been most fearful of is the possibility of remembering something i don't want to remember. i'm not sure if thats even possible, especially after so much time has passed. my appt is tomorrow and i will certainly share any new info i learn. its been so many years and so much pain, i'm willing to give anything a try. again, thank you. i've been panicky all day and reading all the positive things made me feel better. i don't know if i'm ready for it yet, but i know that when i am it is a safe thing to do.

[pegasus]

Dear Greenfairy,

Your therapist (if he is any good) will not rush you into anything too quickly. It is your choice, what you do. I have been having therapy for many years now, mainly talking but including EMDR when I felt able to cope with it. EMDR is very good for severe trauma and it has helped me.