EMDR Therapy, whose abbreviation in English refers to: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, which translated means Desensitization and Reprocessing through Eye Movement, is a type of psychotherapeutic treatment that aims to unblock painful memories through bilateral stimulation of the brain. The technique was developed in the late 1980s by the American psychologist Francine Shapiro, who realized that the eyes played an important role in reacting to negative emotions, in which movements seemed to decrease in the face of these events. She then used natural eye movements to develop some elements of cognitive treatment, taking advantage of these therapeutic effects, in order to identify the triggers of the trauma and lessen its effects on the patient’s life. In this article you wil get knowledge about emdr therapy in London. How it is being performed and what is it.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing
Painful memories are usually associated with some traumatic event, in which the individual involuntarily relives the experience of that moment, with the same level of intensity, which presents itself as flashbacks and nightmares, for example.
According to doctors, this possibly happens due to the mind being in a state of overload, a consequence of this traumatic event in which the person was unable to process so much information about what was happening.
The result of this situation is aggressively processed memories, sights, sounds, thoughts and even feelings in the brain, where current experiences trigger these memories.
EMDR therapy then helps to release the brain from this excess of information, helping the patient to manage all the actions that triggered the trauma, since it is not possible to erase the memories, it becomes a satisfactory alternative, especially violent episodes and large proportions such as in cases of robberies, rapes and catastrophes
In addition, scientific studies on EMDR therapy have shown improvement results for the treatment of chronic pain, disorders such as anxiety and depression, grief, chemical dependency, bipolar disorder, among other psychosomatic illnesses.
Why Choose EMDR Therapy
Unlike other psychotherapies, EMDR therapy does not address the moments that cause the trauma with the patient in an intense and frequent way, in addition to not having other activities as a method other than sessions, in which the patient needs to do the requested extra “tasks” alone by the doctor.
Therefore, the focus is to stimulate the change of thoughts and emotions in the face of present situations, which previously resulted in memories of the trauma, acting on the brain parts responsible for such storage, providing a process of “natural healing”.
However, only a psychiatrist can advise you if EMDR therapy will be unique or if it will be a complement to other approaches that, together, will restore your well-being.
How does EMDR Therapy work?
Considering that there are parts of the brain responsible for storing memories, including traumatic events, the therapy works in these areas, starting with the amygdala, which emits alarm signals for stressful events, the hippocampus, which is responsible for learning, associated with registered memories of safety and danger. , finally, the prefrontal cortex that checks and moderates behavior and emotion.
Of course, everyone carries a natural instinct, known as fight, freeze or escape in potentially traumatic situations that generate anguish in the individual, but which in a natural way can also recover, thanks to the function of the brain in managing such events independently. , without outside help or stimulation.
When the individual faces disturbing moments of high stress, it generates a kind of residue, which remains “surfaced” and which can manifest itself at any time, when the person is faced with something that for him is similar to the traumatic moment.
Then, EMDR therapy helps the brain complete this memory processing that was not done naturally, through a structured approach composed of eight phases:
- First phase: History of the traumatic event;
- Second phase: Preparing the patient for treatment;
- Third phase: Analysis of the target memory;
- Fourth to seventh phase: Memory processing for adaptive resolution;
- Last phase: Evaluation of the results obtained.
When EMDR therapy is indicated
There are many factors that may or may not indicate EMDR therapy as an alternative to improve the patient’s quality of life, where the most common situations are:
- Disorders such as: Post-Traumatic Stress, Obsessive-Compulsive, Generalized Anxiety;
- Assistance in times of mourning;
- People who are victims of sexual violence;
- Psychological support in cases of disasters caused by man or nature;
- Sexual dysfunctions such as male sexual impotence;
- Use and addiction to chemical substances;
- Anxiety in public presentations.
- Chronic pains;
- Depression.
Symptoms related to traumatic events:
- Frequent memories attributed to the disturbing event;
- Acting or intensely feeling the previous trauma in the present moment;
- Recurring nightmares associated with the event;
- Total or partial memory loss (amnesia) of the incident;
- Feelings of detachment;
- Social distancing;
- Loss of ability to love and feel emotions;
- Mood changes, including fits of anger;
- Sleeping problems, such as insomnia;
- Drop in concentration;
- Emotional imbalance;
- Hyperalert state.
It is common for life situations to generate a very intense emotional burden, in which the person himself cannot recover without help.
In order to prevent everyday life from turning into moments of anxiety, for fear of being afraid of feeling negative emotions again, which can harm the entire health of the body, not just the mind, it is recommended to see a health doctor mind as soon as possible.
Benefits of EMDR Therapy
The benefits of EMDR therapy are attributed to the brain’s healing mechanisms, which, when activated during the treatment stages, transform the disturbing experience into positive thoughts, reducing habits that harm mental health and disrupt the patient’s life.
Learn more about EMDR therapy
EMDR therapy is a mental health intervention. Therefore, only trained and licensed professional doctors in the area can perform the treatment.
In the psychiatric office of Dr. Giuliana Cividanes, you will find EMDR therapy, among others that aim to provide a life free of mental limitations, allowing the patient to move towards their life goals, which bring personal satisfaction.