So When You Are Done With Emdr Are You Healed?

[Jeno]

So, I started emdr a little while back. I am not far enough along to have processed anything yet, however I wondered what happens after you have a resolve and that trauma is processed. Are you healed? Do you feel like everything is just fine and life goes on? Or, do you have to kind of go back and relearn things? My stuff happened at a very young age so I don't know if that matters or not. I guess I wonder if when it is resolved do you just think to yourself "yeah, he beat me and raped me but that's ok and I'm ok and life is good" or are there still things you have to see a therapist for? I probably don't need to ask this, or know, but I have trouble not knowing what to expect with things....

 

[Iwuric]

IME once traumatic memories are processed they don't pack a punch, but you're not "healed" in the sense that everything is fine and life is back to normal. If you experience the physical/neurological effects of PTSD, they will still be with you as the nervous system doesn't "heal" through therapy. Processing will help reduce triggers which in turn can reduce those physical feelings, but it won't automatically heal this aspect of PTSD (if you experience that). This type of healing is slower and takes much time. I don't know if my nervous system will ever fully heal, even if I live to a very old age.

 

[Unac]

I read that regular, normal, minimal (if such a thing existed!) adult-onset PTSD typically pans out after 15 years max after treatment, sometimes 5 years of it is the mode.

But if you have had it longer than 15 and it's still kicking, then plan to always have it.

 

[Duziber]

Sometimes I wonder if EMDR is like inducing a baby to be born in order to make healing happen faster or when convenient. I don't know from personal experience.

Sometimes I think that allowing healing to happen when it happens has a beauty to it that is holistic and avoid overintention, leading to truer healing of some kind, albeit not a release from PTSD.

 

[Ila]

Duziber are you suggesting that PTSD healing happens on its own in its own time?

I don't personally find this to be true. That is, I think we need to battle this with all we've got, therapy, medications when needed, and so on. EMDR is just one type of therapy to aid in healing. It's not a cure-all and I don't think it forces healing before one is ready.

 

[Jeno]

So, once you have processed the memories through emdr you then are just left with risidual feelings outside of the actual trauma? Can you talk about the trauma like it isn't a big deal? Are you emotional about it or is it like you just went to see a movie and it's no big deal? I am very confused and nervous right now bc I did emir but haven't processed anything yet and I feel like I am completely turned inside out. I was hoping it was just over when you processed and boom you are healed. Good lord this is a lot of work.... Crazy...

 

[Ramuc]

Jeno, I have to say that your description of 'turned inside out' is a great one. It certainly describes my experience of emdr.

It's not the easy option (sorry, not implying that anything else is). I experienced, carefully, the trauma with my T. Afterwards, yes the sting had gone, the 'omg that's too awful to even acknowledge let alone think about and deal with'. My T and I worked with the saying 'it's just a memory, you're safe now', which was extremely helpful.

The trauma changed from being a razor blade with no safe way to hold it, to a heavy metal rod if you like.

It was a double edged sword though in some ways. I got back much more of the 'experience(s)' not just the flashback bit. But what was helpful for afterwards was that I experienced me as I was then. Helpless and hurt. It made it clear that I was a complete victim and not complicit. Important.

Of course afterwards I then had to live with having been a complete victim. To find the acceptance of that.

The trauma changes but it doesn't go away. But there's space to see that as a memory, and lose that constant fear and victim feeling.

Not sure if that helps at all, it's use how I found it.

 

[jeno]

@ramuc
That really helps and makes me feel like it will be more manageable in the end. Right now it still feels like churned up chaos. Knowing it will be more like clutter when it is all said and done feels promising. I can handle clutter, chaos is an entirely different experience however.
I, too, feel like things/stories have become more "emotional" if you will. They seem to have come out of black and white and are playing in High Definition 3D!! Crazy!!