[Val12]

I've realized I have C-PTSD (in addition to my anxiety, depression and OCD). I've gotten recommendations on here to try EMDR or neurofeedback, but which one do I try? Which one will be most effective given my situation?

Here is what I am struggling with with the C-PTSD:

When I was a kid (over 20 years ago), I suffered two near-death health experiences. I was hospitalized for a long time and it left me with permanent physical disabilities. Plus, I have new health problems that pop up left and right to this day so it's almost like I am constantly being "re-traumatized" My life has been left limited due to my health alone. Ever since my second near-death trauma, I've been having C-PTSD symptoms. I can't sleep in the dark, only with lights on. I have nightmares at least once a week about bad, graphic, violent things happening to me to the point I stress about sleep. I am terrified of every little thing causing me to die and of someone coming to hurt me. I am unable to be alone at home because of my sheer terror. I am extremely jumpy at every noise, even the phone ringing. Everyone in my life for 20+ year told me to ignore it/"you'll grow out of it." I didn't. It got worse.

[Rive.]

This is something you ought to discuss with a mental health professional.

People here may be well-intentioned but not qualified to either diagnose or suggest a recommended treatment type, specifically for you.

Not to mention that effectiveness is also tricky i.e. even with similar 'symptoms', what works for one may be detrimental to another. You need a proper professional to address potential and/or optimal treatment plan(s) for your particular situation.

[Val12]

Originally Posted by Rive.

This is something you ought to discuss with a mental health professional.

People here may be well-intentioned but not qualified to either diagnose or suggest a recommended treatment type, specifically for you.

Not to mention that effectiveness is also tricky i.e. even with similar 'symptoms', what works for one may be detrimental to another. You need a proper professional to address potential and/or optimal treatment plan(s) for your particular situation.

I don't know what mental professional to ask. I have seen dozens of therapists (never EMDR or Neurofeedback though) and they all claim they are qualified to help with my problems, but then the therapy ends up being all talk or some CBT/DBT and it becomes clear they have no idea how to help.

[Shotokan]

I have done both treatments and have done extensive research on both treatments. I am also a scientist.

There is a lot of strong scientific research that supports EMDR. The research done on Neurofeedback is poor, although my former neurofeedback provider told me otherwise.

Anyway, the more traumatic the experience, the quicker EMDR helps. This is because the feelings are very accessible.

I found EMDR to be very helpful. Neurofeedback was a waste of time and money.

Neurofeedback is very expensive.

[nottrustin]

This is a hard question because what works best for one person may not work at all for somebody else. I have only done EMDR and we had to back off because we needed to work on emotional regulation first.

CBT for me is very difficult. It often makes me feel invalidated.

[koru_kiwi]

i did nuerofeedback to address my developmental trauma. it was very successful for me with calming my emotional dysregulation, anxiety, and severe dissociation where years of talk therapy never could. i did neurofeedback while i continued to work with my talk T. as the neurofeedback calmed my anxiety and dysregulation, it helped me to start making significant progress in talk therapy because i was not getting triggered or becoming dissociated as easily.

neurofeedback did take a bit of dedication on both my husbands and my part to learn about, because with my husbands help (under the guide of my neurofeedback practitioner) i was able to complete a majority of my sessions at home with the neurofeedback system that my neurofeedback T helped me to acquire. like shotokan said, neurofeedback can be expensive, so this arrangement with my practiioner not only saved me a lot of money, both on sessions and 90mins drive travel costs, but it was more convenient having the ability to do it at home, when i wanted and as often as i wanted. hubby and i actually read quite a few books on neurofeedback, my favourite being Sebern Fisher's Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Developmental Trauma Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Developmental Trauma | Sebern Fisher

it's been a few years since ending doing regular neurofeedback sessions, and i continue to have lasting positive effects from the neurofeedback. i no longer suffer from debilitating trauma symptoms and also ended years of talk therapy around that same time, with no need or desire to return. overall, i feel good and quite content about who i am and where i'm at in life.

i have no personal experience with EMDR so i can't really say too much about it, except i have heard of many with CPTSD having good results from doing it. like others have said, this is probably going to come down to personal choice for you and what is available in your area. depending where you reside, i have heard that in the States there are some neurofeedback practitioners who are able to work remotely with clients. they will loan the equipment and do the sessions with you via telehealth and this may be helpful during these covid times. another thing about neurofeedback to consider is that it can be used to address the symptoms from other disorders besides PTSD and anxiety: FAQ | Sebern Fisher