When Is EMDR Helpful?

Mental health is something quite important to many of us out there.  It’s hard to properly quantify just how impactful our mental well-being can be on our daily lives. Unfortunately, it’s easy to underestimate this, as well as how much therapy techniques can help us if we’re experiencing distress.

EMDR is one such technique that tends to get overlooked.  It’s an acronym that stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Processing, and it’s often used for patients who suffer from PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).  However, this is far from the only application, as you can read about on this page.

If you’d like to know more about how EMDR works, as well as why you might want to seek it out, then stick around.  Today we’ll be covering all of that and more, taking a deep dive into this therapeutic technique.

The Basics of EMDR

Naturally, our first step is to examine what this technique is and how it works.  Thankfully, it’s quite simple, at least on the surface.  It’s a type of structured therapy, for one thing.

How does it work, though?  Throughout the process, patients are asked to think about a traumatic memory that has been causing the stress.  They focus on that while they are also exposed to or introduced to external stimulation.  As you may have guessed, the main type of stimulation is rapid eye movement.

What’s the goal of this?  Well, the idea is that we are able to reduce the painful feelings that are brought up from those memories by instead being able to focus on the vividness of the rapid eye movements instead.  Some consider it a controversial treatment style, but it’s helped millions of people across the United States and the world.

Something important to bear in mind is that the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the World Health Organization, and many others have recognized this as an effective treatment option.  While it’s a relatively new style of treatment, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t give it a chance.

What Can Be Helpful in Treating It?

Now that we’ve established how it works, let’s delve into some of the things that EMDR can help treat.  Remember, though, that it’s not necessarily a cure for any of these disorders.  Rather, it’s a way to help mitigate harm caused as well as to manage symptoms, both of which can be very challenging on our own.

Anxiety Disorders

As you can read further about here: https://ecmentalhealth.com, anxiety disorders can be very challenging for anyone experiencing them.  Several things fall under this umbrella, but the one that most of us are familiar with is Generalized Anxiety Disorder, otherwise known as GAD.

It can be difficult to treat these disorders.  Medications can help, but not everyone wants to take them.  Additionally, while therapy can help, it may not always be effective.  EMDR can be utilized to help treat them, which can be helpful for those of us struggling.

PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)

This is perhaps what EMDR has been utilized for most, at least as things stand right now.  This disorder can develop after someone has witnessed or been a part of traumatic events.  Typically, we imagine a veteran when we think of PTSD, but there are other people who suffer each and every day.

The memories that can be evoked and the experiences that sufferers can relive are harrowing, to say the least.  Management of these symptoms is critical in most treatment plans, which is why EMDR is effective for many patients.

Chronic Pain

At first glance, it may seem strange that EMDR can help patients suffering from chronic pain.  However, considering the intent is to help with reducing symptoms, utilizing these techniques can help mediate the severity of pain that patients experience.  It will depend on individual circumstances, though, as it does with everything that we’ve mentioned thus far – just keep that in mind as you pursue treatment options.

OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)

Obviously, there are a lot of disorders that can be treated with this therapy technique. The final one that we’re discussing for now is OCD, but don’t take this list as an entirely comprehensive one. Talk to your psychiatrist or doctor to ask what might work for you if you’re interested in EMDR.

Obsessive compulsive disorder is a wide umbrella, and symptoms can manifest in a variety of ways.  The main symptoms that can be assuaged via EMDR are the obsessive and intrusive thoughts that can cause serious problems for victims of OCD on a regular basis.

Should We Give EMDR a Try?

With all of this information, you can now go into this process as a well-informed patient. It’s important that we find doctors and caregivers who can advocate for us and help us to discover what methodologies will work best for our specific needs. If eye movement desensitization and reprocessing sounds like something you’re interested in, then it’s worth trying to find a therapist or doctor who is experienced at providing that treatment.

There are a lot of options available to us on that front, thankfully. The resources that we’ve offered today may be a place to start, if you aren’t necessarily sure how to proceed with finding centers that provide these sorts of services. Likely, it will depend on where you live as well as how experimental you want to get with your treatment plan.

As we mentioned above, many of these centers have a lot of methodologies available. All it takes to tap into those resources is to talk to them about it and to ask if there are therapists at their center who can offer what you’re looking for.

Remember that you aren’t suffering alone through your symptoms, or at least, you don’t have to be alone for it. There are teams of helpful and compassionate healthcare professionals who can assist you through the process, whether you want to have a mix of medication and therapy or just want one or the other.