Remembering More Details After Emdr?

[Panda Bear]

Does it happen?

Did some EMDR work last Tuesday that after the initial down/tired feeling, left me feeling pretty darn good. My head was clear and life was nice and calm.

Tonight something stirred up a memory about some of the sexual abuse(that we covered with the EMDR) and what seemed like more in depth details were coming to front of my mind. But it's hard to tell if it's true?

Maybe I'm crazy....I want to be crazy as I've always had the same set of core memories and nothing more until today. I'd rather be nuts that have more details m

 

[Deleted member 33052]

Hello, panda bear! I've experienced the same thing, and wondered if I was embellishing the bits that I could remember. I aasked my therapist, and he said that whatever comes is part of the trauma. Even if it didn't actually happen, it represents something that did.

Now I'm curious to know what your therapist has to say about it... :)

 

[Deleted member 34328]

Isn't that one of the hardest parts of all this? You're right. Sometimes it seems like staying underground or creating a hole to bury everything in would be so much easier. Then pile cement on top of it.

I know it's hard work to go through the therapy, and the job of the therapist to dig down and uncover the roots, but so often, I'd rather not go there. Have to if I want to heal, but it's so painful to have the memories surface. Sounds like you're really working hard. Good for you!

My therapist asks me all the time about any dreams I've had or ideas that seem to pop into my head... triggers or sensors that have caught my attention. He says that even if the scenario is not the trauma itself, the topic or idea is definitely representative of the trauma. Gives him the insight as to what issues are still floating around even in my subconscious form at night.

 

[Enaila]

Does EMDR lesson nightmares then? I've never had EMDR therapy, but am interested in it. My flashbacks have lessened in intensity and frequency, but the nightmares still plaguing sleep.

 

[Panda Bear]

@Enaila The emdr I've done has been limited thus far because I wasn't ready till spring and then my kids were home all summer. No EMDR when they're home. Too risky.

So, I take Prazosin for nightmares and I don't have many these days. Flashbacks still happen. The EMDR this time around gave me a sense of peace and calm. My mind was free from intrusive thoughts for almost a week, until yesterday/today. I have been able to lower my Prazosin dose by 2mg and I'm still okay In the Nighttmare department.

EMDR can cause upset overall across all areas after you do it, though. But it seems to get better over time. I've had some sessions that rocked my world and left me pretty messy and needing help. But I find that if I don't fight the flow and let the process take hold and work, I have less residual effects.

 

[Panda Bear]

@Mal Content

He told me:
Yes oftentimes you do remember more.
We remember in order to truly forget.
You get used to it.

We'll get through it, I'm not alone and it'll be hard, but good when it's all over. Whatever my brain remembers, true or not, is what we believe. We know that the actual abuse took place. More EMDR!

His view is that when the details become more clearly, it's a good thing. My brain and body are trying to get all this garbage out of me so that I don't have to carry it around anymore. We want it to loose its power over me, and by remembering and handling it all, it'll loose its power over me and hold on my life.

 

[Deleted member 33052]

@Mal Content

He told me:
Yes oftentimes you do remember more.
We remember in...

Yes! :hug: