5 Reasons Why EMDR Is So Helpful
Treatment using eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, known as EMDR, can prove to be exceptionally helpful. That’s why so many psychotherapists have been known to use it to treat patients that are going through psychological distress. It is also widely regarded as a relatively effective therapy that remains safe. If you want to try emdr training online then get in touch but here are five reasons why it proves to be helpful.
Alleviating Intense Trauma
The American Psychiatric Association and the World Health Organization both recommend EMDR for those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Those with an intense form of trauma should see issues with the condition alleviated through EMDR.
This is largely down to how the treatment can treat those with traumatic memories as they are recalled while the patient moves their eyes back and forth. As the therapist directs the movement of the eyes, the aim is to allow the patient to process and then integrate those traumatic memories into the cache of their standard memories. Over time, those memories of intense trauma should alleviate and become less upsetting. The exposure to memories of that intense trauma should also lessen their effects.
Helping With Anxiety And Other Mental Health Issues
As EMDR can alleviate the effects of intense trauma, it can also be used to help with several other disorders. One of those is anxiety which is a mental health issue which can be a related symptom of intense trauma. If a patient suffers from post-traumatic stress then mental health issues including anxiety, but also depression, can also see some noted success.
Positive Effect With An Individual’s Self-Esteem
Low self-esteem can also be treated with EMDR, especially when it is linked to intense trauma. That could include bullying and by helping with the underlying issues causing the psychotic symptom, the treatment can be incredibly useful. The self-esteem may be linked to unhealed memories (more about that below) and by identifying those memories, the patient will know what needs to be addressed.
Specifically, the patient will decide upon an image that represents each memory and will note down any negative beliefs, and even physical sensations, which are associated with it. Eventually, the patient will tie a positive thought to that negative belief to effectively replace it.
Process Unhealed Memories
Unhealed and traumatic memories can linger in the subconscious mind and cause real damage over time. By healing and processing those memories, a patient can learn to approach them more positively. In turn, by dealing with those unhealed memories, a patient may experience an easing of chronic pain and even phobias.
Part of the process in EMDR is for the therapist to perform an evaluation of the patient’s case and background. This will include the patient’s tolerance to the exposure of unhealed and distressing memories. Over the course of the treatment, the therapist will lay down the framework to ensure a therapeutic relationship. The patient will learn techniques of self-control to deal with those unhealed memories when they arise.
One of those techniques is known as desensitization which reduces the patient’s prevalent disturbing reaction to an unhealed and traumatic memory. That will include their physical sensations which can include sweating, a rapid heart rate, and stomach problems. Desensitization is facilitated by directing the movements of the patient’s eyes as they focus on the traumatic material.
Integrate The Nervous System
Some notable science goes behind EMDR and that’s looking at what lies underneath. That could be the brain’s frontal cortex to aid coping strategies for traumatic memories or by integrating the nervous system. Those that have suffered from trauma typically find that it remains with them. A lot of that can be based in the nervous system which struggles to return to its natural resting state.
The trauma can be stored in the body and EMDR proves to be useful as it can allow a patient to deal with those sensations and emotions. The treatment can be exceptionally accurate for direct responses and to allow the body to process those experiences that are causing problems.
Summary
While there are many different types of therapy, EMDR does stand out, particularly for those suffering from traumatic memories. That could be in the form of post-traumatic stress and there are many associated benefits to the treatment. EMDR can integrate the nervous system, and process unhealed and traumatic memories. The treatment targets mental health issues associated with those memories so can alleviate the intense trauma as well as help with anxiety and raise an individual’s self-esteem.
