EMDR therapy

[twiglet59]

I am having EMDR therapy next week and don't know much about it. I have goggled it and a lot of it sounds like it is for PTSD. I don't have that but suffer from social anxiety and low self esteem and generally feel I don't know my own mind most of the time.

Wondered if anyone had experience of EMDR with these types of symptoms. Am a bit nervous about it as it looks a bid odd from the films I have seen on You Tube.

sorry i dont know much about it, its been mentioned that i might have to try it if trauma therapy doesnt work- i have ptsd.
i do have agoraphobia and social phobia but theyre secondary,caused by the ptsd,

Have you been referred by somebody?

It is usually used for PTSD, and as wfrances says, it can help anxiety symptoms caused by trauma.

If you don't feel that your symptoms have been caused by trauma, CBT might be more effective for you.

It can help eradicate the emotions associated with memories. It can be used for phobias which is social anxiety.

It could help.

Thanks for all the replies. I have had traumatic events in my life and am sure that didn't help with the anxiety. I have been having counselling through work and she suggested I try it. I will give it a go. Anything is worth a try.

it sounds like it could be worth a go then. Hope you find it useful OP.

I have had EMDR and I found it really helpful, as life as been a bit traumatic again recently I am starting it again. I have complex PTSD. It helped me have a voice without dissociating and stay in the moment and face up to things. It kind of over rides unhelpful coping mechanisms. Anything is worth a go. I knew nothing about it beforehand but can recommend it - though guess everyone is different. I have had it with eye movement but some people use tapping. All the best.

Hello again, I had the EMDR therapy yesterday. She tried the tapping motion, but it didn't work with me. She said that I seem to block everything its like you can't access it (a brick wall).

Today, I feel terrible don't know if it might have anything to with it or just the therapy. I haven't been able to cry on my anti-depressants (Setraline) for nearly a year now. Thought I couldn't but was uncontrollable earlier. Just feel so low. It feels like its only my dd and ds keep me going. Messed up childhood, hardly speak to any of my family anymore because of various things and crap to sort out with dh. Also, work has become awful lately. Manager undermines me. I need to drag myself out of this!

Hi twiglet,

Sometimes the cognitive and emotional processing that the EMDR tapping is meant to facilitate happens after the session. This might be the case if you don't have many good experiences of being helped or soothed by other people, you know, if generally you expect other people to be difficult or unhelpful.

It certainly does sound like emotions that have been "frozen" for quite a while have become a bit more mobile. If I were working with you that would be a good sign - 'cos that puts you closer to the help and understanding that an other person could offer. Perhaps you could get in touch with your therapist and let her know what is happening? - she likely won't be so surprised, and she maybe won't expect you to do it on your own.

She will likely also have taught you some self soothing things to do?

best wishes