• We are a multilingual website again. Read the notice about this.
  • Understand AI use at MyPTSD: all AI use is explained in our AI help page. AI use is by choice here. It exists if you want it, but does nothing unless you choose to use it.

Somatoform Dissociation

Status
Not open for further replies.

Maggiemay

Gold Member
I was looking something else up the other day and found questionnaire about it. It's me to a T. But, I can't find any info apart from research projects online that are too wordy. Wondering if anyone knows anything about it/has experience of it?

I suffer a lot with somatisiation and cripplingly painful body memories. Going to a talk about it in a month or so - am hoping to get answers. Although I was going with my therapist, now she can't make it - I've made up my mind I'm still going despite the fear...
 
Hi Maggiemay! I have also suffered with the body memories and found the only way to get rid of them were through EMDR. I hope you find what you need at the talk. Let us know if there is anything new to help. Good luck on your journey.

tb
 
Thanks :)

I'm starting EMDR next Tuesday - feeling a tad nervous. I've arranged to meet mates after but worried about how I feel afterwards. Are there any lingering after effects?
 
EMDR, like all therapies, affects everyone differently and so it's impossible to know how you will feel afterwards or if social catchups will be what you need at the time. In my experience, EMDR can have a fairly profound impact for a while and can sometimes leave you feeling pretty tired, a little disorientated and in need of some down time and rest. the processing can and often does continue for a time after the session and it can take a while to get used to that feeling.

That said, I think it's also important to have some positive structure and routine to help you to become and remain grounded and to give you a break from the heavy processing of EMDR. I'm not sure of the relationship you have with your mates, or to what extent they understand what you're going through with therapy, but it might be a good idea, if possible, to let them know that you're going to be working on some fairly heavy duty therapy beforehand and you can't quite be sure how you'll be afterwards. So if you could maybe keep your plans flexible, so that you can change them to do something quieter and more low key if necessary, or even postpone for a little while if you need to rest for a while first, then this might give you the advantage of having something positive to look forward to without the pressure of having to front up and socialise straight away if you need some down time first.

EMDR has been a really positive, though challenging, experience for me that has probably taken me further through trauma processing than any other individual intervention. I wish you the best with it and hope you too have a positive experience.

Maddog
 
Thanks for all the information mad dog ;)

I've been with this therapist on & off since April last year and trust her a lot. She has been my rock. She has only just done the emdr training, but I have faith that she'll be able to help. I've done a lot of work on understanding my traumas and their impact on my body especially.
 
Maggiemay, I am sorry you have this along with PTSD.

I think I have somatization also. Since I have grown up PTSD I never have had a time without inexplicable pain. But I have noticed it gets worse during stress, PMDD (PMS) and during PTSD symptomatic times.

If EMDR is helpful, I'd be interested in how you feel about that. I hope you find it helpful and other benefits, too.

Muse
 
Thanks for your reply :)

My symptoms definitely get worse when my PTSD is at its worst :(

First session of EMDR was a lot harder than I expected *sigh* I guess I'm just going to have to preserve! :(
 
Huh.

I've never heard of it before, I don't have it that bad, but I do know with certain bad days I seem to be in constant pain.

Other times, if certain part of my body is touched and/or memory is brought up, it can bring up previous physical experiences or pain.

Does that sound familiar?
 
Yep, very familiar...

I swing between hypersensitivity, where I am incredibly fearful of touch and ever the softest touch is agony and I'm in a lot of pain, to being completely physically numb. My body is incredibly strange and annoying. I'm working on it in therapy, but it's going to take time to re connect my mind and body which are very detached from one another....
 
I relate a bit. But my physical symptoms are not as severe as yours. But I do have some problems with it still. (I'm better after the help I've received.) All kinds of physiotherapies might help you(there are a lot of different ones), if you can handle them that is. I have gotten a lot of help from a physiotherapist who uses the Feldenkrais method to help her patients. Before that I couldn't connect much at all with my body(and then I had tried A LOT of different kinds of methods and none of them worked well for me then; but now I can use them and benefit from them), and I had a lot of pain and inflammations and stuff like that all the time. After her help I don't have as much pain as before, and I can connect more to my body. Though I had to quit going to her for now since it makes to much memories come at once: so I have to work my way through those with EMDR and therapy in a pace I can handle. Yoga helps me a lot on a daily basis. It's not therapy, but helps to make me connect to the body and eases some of the symptoms.

How is it going with the EMDR?
 
Thanks :)

I hadn't thought at all about physiotherapy route, so definitely worth bearing in mind :)

My depersonalisation has been horrendous this week - I've burnt myself as put hand under boiling tap without realising.; burst blood vessels in finger so it was swollen and badly bruised with no recollection; fell and twisted ankle; and cut skin very badly shaving (sadly it wasn't intentional self harm...). My body has also been a lot more numb this week than it's been in a long time... All worrying me a lot. Made appointment to see doctor, but not til 17th :(

EMDR not happened... After failed 1st session we didn't re try :'( She just spent the next session lecturing me why I need to tell my bloke about my self harm and abuse and invite him to sessions, when I'm adamant I won't. All pointless. And she's on holiday this week... :( Boo!
 
Maggie can I ask you why you think the EMDR failed the first time? I am sorry if this is true. When I started it was intense and we did break to do more uploading for amnesia memories that came up. In that case I understand you therapist not doing in again until you can be better prepared.

Tb
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Donation drives

2026 Donation Goal

Goal
$1,800.00
Earned
$910.00
This donation drive ends in
0 hours, 0 minutes, 0 seconds
  50.6%

Trending content

Featured content

Back
Top Bottom