As many as 9 out of 10 doctor’s visits are related to anxiety and stress. It comes as no surprise that anxiety disorders are the most common mental health condition in the world. The next time you’re in a crowd, take a good look around. The odds are that almost everyone around you is coping with anxiety. This reality has spurred a wide range of treatment options, including eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).
While most folks associate EMDR with treating trauma, it’s actually far more versatile than that. And yes, anxiety is an issue for which EMDR has a stellar track record.
How is EMDR Helpful For Anxiety?
The answer to this query couldn’t be more simple. Whatever the cause of anxiety — including, of course, trauma — the basic principles of EMDR can be applied. Anxious thoughts are so often rooted in past experiences being imposed upon one’s present and future. As a result, the same premise that addresses something like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is also effective for a full array of anxiety disorders.
What is EMDR and How Does It Work?
EMDR is not talk therapy. It doesn’t involve medication or hypnosis. And it requires far fewer sessions than almost any other form of therapy. Though, I have to say it isn’t always quick depending on what you want to work on. But perhaps the most fascinating aspect of this modality is the hand and eye movements.
A specialized practitioner will have you focus on a particular memory or feeling that is distressing and problematic. As that happens, the therapist will rapidly move their hands and/or fingers in front of the client’s face. The client (still focusing on the predetermined thought) follows these movements with their eyes to induce a state similar to rapid eye movement (REM).
In this state, most people find themselves able to confront negative emotions without being triggered too much. They can resolve the issue while “replacing” the distressing memory with a positive replacement. All of this happens over eight phases of treatment, not necessarily eight sessions.
The Eight Phases of EMDR
Phase 1: It all starts with the therapist taking a detailed history. Using this information, along with observation and conversation, the client can be assessed. In this first phase, the process of choosing what to focus on will begin.
Phase 2: Since it can be daunting to face up to thoughts and images that provoke anxiety, phase 2 is where the therapist introduces some valuable stress reduction skills.
Phases 3-6: In the heart of the process comes some deeper work on your targeted issues. For example, before addressing the problem at hand, the client will want to identify some variables. These will typically include a visual image related to the target, a negative belief associated with the memory, and whatever body sensations have become connected to the situation.
Phase 7: As the treatment process nears completion, the client will be asked to maintain a journal to self-monitor progress.
Phase 8: Client and therapist move toward closure by discussing the journal entries and discussing the progress that has been made.
Are There Side Effects Associated With EMDR?
Unlike a medication that has side effects and must be used continually, EMDR offers sustained benefits without any serious or long-term side effects. Sure, during the initial phases of treatment, the client will likely experience an increase in challenging memories. But that’s the idea and, thus, not exactly a “side effect.” In addition, as the client gets used to the EMDR process, they could feel lightheaded and/or have vivid dreams which decrease as the sessions advance.
EMDR is a proven, effective form of treatment for people of all ages. To learn more about rapid eye movement therapy please click on the link. If you want to get started, I urge you to reach out and contact me soon.