EMDR is one of the most popular and effective approaches for helping people heal from trauma. In fact, that is the reason why EMDR was founded in the 1980s. While EMDR's beginnings were humble, it has since become a widely recognized approach to treat a variety of mental health concerns.
When someone decides to go to therapy for their anxiety, they often start with either talk therapy or modalities such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). While both of those can and are effective at helping with anxiety, EMDR is another fantastic option.
There are never any right or wrong answers to treating mental health issues. What it boils down to is what is right for each individual person and the issues they are facing. Let's dive in and talk about treating anxiety with EMDR.
How Does EMDR Work for Anxiety?
The Basics of EMDR
After a traumatic experience, it's normal for someone to experience anxiety or to develop an anxiety disorder as a result.
In a session, your therapist will ask you to recall a certain aspect of the traumatic memory. As you think about this memory, they will guide your eyes using bilateral eye movements in a specific pattern.
These eye movements are based on scientific evidence. When we dream, our bodies enter a sleep state known as REM. During REM, our eyes dart back and forth rapidly as we dream and process memories.
EMDR and Anxiety
Anxiety is characterized by uncontrollable/negative thoughts as well as excessive worries. Additionally, someone who suffers from an anxiety disorder will also have a range of physical symptoms as well. These symptoms can range from:
Racing heart
Shallow/rapid breathing
Muscle tension
Stomach aches
Headaches
Insomnia
...and many more.
Unfortunately, anxiety can become so out of control that it begins to impact every area of a person's life. From work to home and relationships, anxiety has a profound way of causing someone to feel as if they are barely staying above water.
Just like EMDR lessens the impact of a traumatic memory, it can lessen the impact of anxiety symptoms. During sessions, you will be asked to focus on anything that makes you especially anxious, whether that is the idea of something or more focused, such as an emotion.
EMDR can provide long-term and immediate relief from anxiety.
Benefits of EMDR for Anxiety
There are many benefits to treating anxiety with EMDR besides helping someone find immediate relief from anxiety.
EMDR is useful because it helps to reduce the impact that unwanted thoughts and worries have on your mind. In turn, this can help you take back control over your own thoughts and emotions, thus reducing anxiety symptoms overall.
It's hard not to dwell on the negative aspects of what is going on when anxiety is trying to convince you that something is not right or that something bad will happen. EMDR also helps to gain control by shifting the focus from a negative to a positive light.
Anxiety also has ways of causing someone to believe that the absolute worst will happen. Instead of jumping to these conclusions, EMDR for anxiety helps someone to reframe things to reflect the reality of the situation and not jump to the worst possible conclusion.
Next Steps
Therapy can be overwhelming for many people, especially when there are so many different methods to treat the same issues. However, even though the approaches will vary, what's right for one person might not be appropriate for another person.
Working with a licensed therapist can help you and them determine what the best path towards healing will look like for you. Whether that is through EMDR therapy or traditional anxiety therapy, I am happy to talk with you to discuss your situation further.
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