Anxious and flashback feelings after emdr - is this normal?

[Shirley]

I had my third emdr session on Wednesday to deal with some of the hardest and most terrifying things that happened to me and I'm still feeling very anxious and am experiencing horrible flasback feelings in my body. Is this normal or a sign that it's too much or too soon?

 

[Sweetleaf]

Honestly it can get pretty bad after sessions, but I think it's pretty normal to have those things happen after EMDR. All part of the process. I've had the same things happen to myself.

If you're ever feeling like it's too much during a session though remember you can always have your therapist stop.

 

[Esterio]

I only had 2 sessions with EMDR after the first session I was a mess for a few weeks anxiety, flashbacks and dissociating. By the time I got to the next session he told me I was blocking him. I had lost my confidence in my T by this point he was missing more sessions than he made it through. I should have had support between session.
Peace be safe

 

[Mytime]

Everyone has a different reaction to EMDR. Have you talked to your therapist about how your feeling? Have you tried to ground yourself, sit in your happy place? Or has your therapists showed you how to tap it out?

 

[Emotional girl]

When I had EMDR I felt like I had been hit by a bus and body ached all over.I agree with @Mytime in that affects different people in different ways.I would discuss your concerns with you therapist and see if they can come up with a plan to help you with your difficulties.

 

[Freida]

Yep - it can bring up all sorts of crapola. I'm usually down for at least 24 hours afterwards, exhausted and sometimes in pretty significant pain from the body memories. As the others said - let your T know so she can adjust the treatment and slow down a bit if necessary. You have to be an active (vocal) partner in EMDR therapy because you are the one in control. It may take some tweaks along the way.

 

[Shirley]

Thank you for the replies, which were encouraging. I'll definitely talk to my T and see what she says. I don't want to run away or leave it, (which I won't), but I think I need to be able to settle down a bit. Having therapy once a week at the moment. Did anyone else feel that the aftereffects were almost sabotaging progress, that they'd 'gone back'

somewhat in that sense?

 

[Sweetleaf]

Did anyone else feel that the aftereffects were almost sabotaging progress, that they'd 'gone back'

somewhat in that sense?

Yeah, when I first started, it felt like my symptoms were increasing and I was regressing in progress, that's a normal feeling I think.

It feels like you're regressing but it's just a part of the process. Hang in there.

 

[recoveringfromptsd]

After only 4 sessions I ended up having lots of body memories with flashbacks and disassociation.
2 months of this changed my brain chemistry and landed me in the hospital.

 

[Overcoming]

EMDR brought up some tough stuff and I experienced bodily responses, emotions I'd never tapped into, and crazy dissociation. The initial memory that I worked on with the T is now a part of my memory bank that doesn't overwhelm me with shame anymore. I don't go right back into the painful scene feeling every physical touch and/or blank dissociation that I had when I was really there. It was hard work but worth it. I have more to go and am in round 2 with a new memory and new T. I'm scared, but hope to have good results again. It's a process.