I tried to reply to your message, but it wouldn't go through because of your privacy options, so I'll just reply here.
Sorry for taking a bit to respond to your message. I've been neglecting LJ lately.
EMDR was *very* helpful for me. I worked with an EMDR therapist for almost 2 years, and she also used hypnotherapy and regular talk therapy--a combination I found very helpful. EMDR is incredibly intense, so it was good for me to have a balance. When the work was really hard, we'd slow down to just talk or to do relaxation via hypnosis. I did a lot of safe place work using hypnosis, too.
Doing EMDR let me come to terms with a lot of highly traumatic memories. It helped me learn to relax and feel safer with myself and other people. It helped me sleep better. The biggest benefit for me was being able to face the traumas--now I can talk about them and remember without being overwhelmed by it. I can look people in the eye and talk about what happened.
It's not a magic cure, though. My PTSD is still around, though it's a lot better controlled and I'm not so easily triggered. Part of that is, I think, that I have years and layers of trauma still to deal with. My EMDR therapist wasn't able to help as much as we both would have liked when my eating disorder flared up and got way out of control, so I'm in residential treatment for that now. Unfortunately, the program I'm in doesn't offer EMDR as part of their treatment package.
I would definitely recommend trying EMDR.
Did you have any specific-type questions I could help with? And if you just need to talk, that's cool too.
Yeah, I'm a pretty private person and have enabled most of the privacy shit for LJ. It seems we have quite a bit in common. My past is FILLED with stuff you can't really discuss at the dinner table.
I am just starting EMDR therapy. My PTSD is getting out of control...again. Had it dealt with for a while, then more shit happened in my life. Been to a shit ton of therapists. Tried so many meds that it's hard to remember all the names now. Nothing seems to be working now. Have struggled and clawed my way through life and am looking for even a small amount of relief.
Hard to find people who understand. The requirements are not your everyday experiences.
I understand the "stuff you can't say at the dinner table" history. Me too. I've also been through pretty much every psych med in the PDR and literally dozens of therapists and hospitalizations.
It seems PTSD is a cyclical thing, at least in my experience. I'll see improvements, and then something will trigger it to flare up again. But every time I have a flare-up, I'm better able to cope with it, you know? It's definitely less present and overwhelming for me now.
Is it all right if I friend you? I won't be offended if you say you'd rather I didn't--I understand the need for privacy and self-protection.
Sorry for taking a bit to respond to your message. I've been neglecting LJ lately.
EMDR was *very* helpful for me. I worked with an EMDR therapist for almost 2 years, and she also used hypnotherapy and regular talk therapy--a combination I found very helpful. EMDR is incredibly intense, so it was good for me to have a balance. When the work was really hard, we'd slow down to just talk or to do relaxation via hypnosis. I did a lot of safe place work using hypnosis, too.
Doing EMDR let me come to terms with a lot of highly traumatic memories. It helped me learn to relax and feel safer with myself and other people. It helped me sleep better. The biggest benefit for me was being able to face the traumas--now I can talk about them and remember without being overwhelmed by it. I can look people in the eye and talk about what happened.
It's not a magic cure, though. My PTSD is still around, though it's a lot better controlled and I'm not so easily triggered. Part of that is, I think, that I have years and layers of trauma still to deal with. My EMDR therapist wasn't able to help as much as we both would have liked when my eating disorder flared up and got way out of control, so I'm in residential treatment for that now. Unfortunately, the program I'm in doesn't offer EMDR as part of their treatment package.
I would definitely recommend trying EMDR.
Did you have any specific-type questions I could help with? And if you just need to talk, that's cool too.
Sara
Reply
I am just starting EMDR therapy. My PTSD is getting out of control...again. Had it dealt with for a while, then more shit happened in my life. Been to a shit ton of therapists. Tried so many meds that it's hard to remember all the names now. Nothing seems to be working now. Have struggled and clawed my way through life and am looking for even a small amount of relief.
Hard to find people who understand. The requirements are not your everyday experiences.
Reply
It seems PTSD is a cyclical thing, at least in my experience. I'll see improvements, and then something will trigger it to flare up again. But every time I have a flare-up, I'm better able to cope with it, you know? It's definitely less present and overwhelming for me now.
Is it all right if I friend you? I won't be offended if you say you'd rather I didn't--I understand the need for privacy and self-protection.
Reply
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