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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask your experience of EMDR

65 replies

PumpkinSpicedLatte · 08/03/2023 20:51

This isn’t an AIBU but I’m hoping for some success stories/advice.

I’ve been advised to try EMDR therapy for PTSD surrounding my daughters birth 2.5 years ago.
I suffered post natal mental illnesses but went into recovery after a lot of intervention. The one and only thing I haven’t made a recovery in is my PTSD.
i have read a lot about what EMDR involves but I’d love to hear of any experiences, and I know MN is a very honest platform.
Thank you

OP posts:
Sleepytimebear · 08/03/2023 21:25

I would recommend it. I was very sceptical but I did it for about 5-10 sessions and turned a massive corner in therapy that I had been going to for 9 months or so. After EMDR i stopped my sessions as I didn't feel I needed them any more. I wasn't diagnosed with ptsd or anything though so maybe results were quicker for me because the issues were less complex. I would definitely give it a shot.

MuggleMe · 08/03/2023 21:33

My brother raves about it for childhood trauma and my DH found it helpful for a car crash (he was diagnosed with PTSD).

Enthrallingstoryofstillness · 08/03/2023 21:34

It

nocoolnamesleft · 08/03/2023 21:34

I didn't expect it to work. But, somehow, it has. I would recommend.

Lovingtheglitter · 08/03/2023 21:36

I had ptsd from a traumatic event when I was a child. I had some counselling and my counsellor had trained in emdr so I had some sessions. It was honestly the best thing I could have done and really helped with letting go of the memories. I had felt stuck in re living the time over and over again. With the therapy it became much easier as I didn't have the fight or flight reaction to the memory and it released a lot of pain for me. So much so that when I do think of that time I can feel sad that it happened but the negative panicky response has gone. It wasn't easy but I couldn't live in that state any more and it freed me I am very thankful I had the therapy.

WomensLandArmy · 08/03/2023 21:36

I had it following pregnancy and birth related trauma, Around ten years ago. I was a complete sceptic but it was bloody marvellous and worked a treat. CBD not so much, but EMDR was wonderful. Also had sertraline for a while. But the EMDR really helped with the physical feelings of immediacy about the things that had happened. i haven't forgotten them, but they are much easier to digest and consider now, feel more detached from them.

QueenoftheNimbleFlyingCat · 08/03/2023 21:48

Amazing - helped cure me of chronic anxiety and depression. I can't tell you how much it worked for me or recommend it more highly.

Coffeeisnecessary · 08/03/2023 21:50

My friend had it after a car accident and said it worked wonders to detach the feelings from her memories if that makes sense?

Enthrallingstoryofstillness · 08/03/2023 21:52

Can someone explain how it works? I know I could Google but would be lovely to hear on here. I've tried CBT and hypnotherapy with some success but know nothing of this treatment

LK1972 · 08/03/2023 21:53

I had it for PTSD, it was brilliant. My therapist had it as part of CBT, some sessions were just therapy, some she used EMDR-the latter were the real breakthrough ones. Highly recommend.

jwills · 08/03/2023 21:57

I couldn’t recommend it more. I had it for a traumatic birth having been diagnosed with PTSD. Honestly I’d say it saved my life and my marriage. I’m now expecting no.2 and haven’t had any negative feelings about the birth.

Exibstudent · 08/03/2023 21:59

Utterly life changing. It can make you feel more unsettled during the process at points, like any therapy, but it is working amazingly for me

ArseInTheCoOpWindow · 08/03/2023 22:03

Best thing l ever had.
CBT? Pah, did nothing.

l remember walking out after the first session and something felt lighter and l couldn’t identify it. It was the weght gone from my shoulders. Really weird

HowdoIgetbacktothe80s · 08/03/2023 22:13

Can I ask if everyone had their sessions face to face? I had several sessions of EMDR via Zoom but sadly haven’t found it to be of any benefit to me. I wondered if it was due to the fact it wasn’t face to face.

Rummikub · 08/03/2023 22:22

I had it too for trauma after miscarriage years later. It just works somehow helping the stuckness from within.

CBT was always setting up a battle The techniques were fine but still stuck. Emdr v different.

Greenbeans123 · 08/03/2023 22:22

It's great to hear some positive outcomes I was put on the nhs waiting list 4 years ago (still waiting) but cant afford to go private. I'm hopeful when I do get treatment it will make a massive difference to my life. I sometimes think I shouldn't pin so much hope on treatment.

Sleepytimebear · 08/03/2023 22:30

@Enthrallingstoryofstillness I did mine over zoom. You follow a dot on the screen going side to side and think about the traumatic memory and just see where your mind goes. The therapist stops you from time to time to check in about what you are thinking then directs you to think about something specific, repeat for the session. My "dot" didn't work so I was told to tap my legs with my hands (left, right, left, right) and in person I think the therapist uses their finger to draw your eyes left to right. I think the theory is you are trying to make your brain move the traumatic memory from short term to long term memory where it has less impact on you when you remember it. The "right left" is helping your brain process the memory.

LK1972 · 08/03/2023 22:34

HowdoIgetbacktothe80s · 08/03/2023 22:13

Can I ask if everyone had their sessions face to face? I had several sessions of EMDR via Zoom but sadly haven’t found it to be of any benefit to me. I wondered if it was due to the fact it wasn’t face to face.

Zoom didn't work as well as face to face, but I was lucky to have initial sessions face to face, and I think it's then easier over zoom. According to my therapist it doesn't work for everyone, but it certainly did for me. And agree with others that CBT by itself was useless for PTSD, but interspersed with EMDR to analyze the effects etc was actually helpful.

Divebar2021 · 08/03/2023 22:38

I had 6 sessions given by my local health authority following repeated distressing dreams linked to my work in child protection. I had face to face therapy - it was great. At the end of the sessions the therapist also wrote a lovely letter about me which I’ve kept.

Enthrallingstoryofstillness · 08/03/2023 22:41

Sleepytimebear · 08/03/2023 22:30

@Enthrallingstoryofstillness I did mine over zoom. You follow a dot on the screen going side to side and think about the traumatic memory and just see where your mind goes. The therapist stops you from time to time to check in about what you are thinking then directs you to think about something specific, repeat for the session. My "dot" didn't work so I was told to tap my legs with my hands (left, right, left, right) and in person I think the therapist uses their finger to draw your eyes left to right. I think the theory is you are trying to make your brain move the traumatic memory from short term to long term memory where it has less impact on you when you remember it. The "right left" is helping your brain process the memory.

Thank you very much x

Rollingupahill · 08/03/2023 22:45

After a lifetime of fairly significant challenges around anxiety and general MH, EMDR was the first thing that made a significant difference (the second being ADHD diagnosis and medication). It removed the trauma from memories, enabling me to process and resolve them.

Ifulikepinacoladas · 08/03/2023 22:47

DS had this therapy for a traumatic event that kick started a major anxiety issue over going to the toilet. It took about 5 sessions for him to be 'cured'. We still refer to his therapist as Saint 'therapist name'. It was amazing.

Stopsnowing · 08/03/2023 22:48

I had it for ptsd after a traumatic birth. It worked brilliantly after only six sessions. So while the sessions were expensive the course was short and well worth paying for.

cortisolqueen · 08/03/2023 23:02

Would it work if you had many different traumatic events? Or would that take too many sessions?

Toetouchingtitties · 08/03/2023 23:05

My only advice is check with the practitioner if you’re taking medication. Some meds can prevent the EMDR from working / interfere with processing, and you might need to come off them first (speaking from personal experience here…).