Anxiety Triggered By A Scenario Not Involving Me At All.

[Ejectionseatfixr-ESF]

I just started therapy, 6 visits so far and two EMDR sessions, but its making me more aware of what activates things for different events. One was a couple nights ago, didn't involve me at all, in fact, it was 600 miles away. My wifes ex-boyfriend (odd sounding, but were all friends) who can be very hostile at times depending, got into it with their landlord of the mobile home park he and my wifes daughter live in separate homes. Apparently it got heated and the guy tried to kick them both out of the park. Just the whole perception of a shouting match got my anxiety going. It got even worse when my wife suggested they both come here where we are to live. I ask myself where it comes from, but all I know is I hate it.

 

[FindingMyself88]

Wow you just started therapy with this therapist and already doing EMDR? I'm sorry but this seems WAY too quick. EMDR is a great therapy but it's also a very intense therapy that requires being stable before starting and having a LOT of coping skills.

The thing with EMDR is it activates both sides of the brain to process the trauma. Because of this- it doesn't just stop when you leave the office. Often times more memories would come up for me between sessions and I had to know how to cope with them.

I did EMDR with my second therapist. I had been in therapy with a previous therapist for 2.5 years and group therapy for 6 months. I had learned extensive coping skills. Even then when I started therapy with my last T we spent 4-5 months building trust and making sure I had adequate coping skills. The only reason we started that soon was because I was having severe flashbacks of a trauma that had happened just 10 months earlier and she wanted to help me process it before it got worse.

Please listen to yourself and don't push too fast. EMDR can be amazing and it helped me with several of my traumas. But on my last one where the trauma was WAYYYY more complex than either of us knew we had to stop because it was making me worse instead of better.

Talk to your therapist if your unsure and see why he/she wanted to start so quickly.

 

[Ejectionseatfixr-ESF]

Wow you just started therapy with this therapist and already doing EMDR? I'm sorry but this seem...

Thank you- I'll do that. It may have something to do with my insurance, I'll certainly find out. My therapist sure seems spot on with everything so far, and he's helped a whole lot of people- police, EMTS, all over the east coast, not that that means anything. I will certainly take your advice.