Anxiety is the most common mental health issue in the world. Countless treatment approaches have been developed to address it — with varying degrees of success. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) just might be the most unusual — and most researched — of these approaches.
Developed in 1987, EMDR is now offered by tens of thousands of specially-trained mental health practitioners. Its record is stellar for anxiety but also for issues like trauma and depression. No one is exactly sure why or how EMDR works. But an increasing number of people are convinced that it does work. Let’s take a closer look.
A Few EMDR Basics
It all began when psychologist Francine Shapiro noticed a decrease in anxiety when, on a hike, she let her eyes follow a branch as it moved from right to left. It’s now believed that this type of bilateral stimulation induces a state similar to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. In this state, it appears that problems and negative memories can be faced without the person being triggered.
Today, EMDR is a sought-after treatment that typically required far fewer sessions than traditional talk therapy. And yes, it’s an effective choice for anyone seeking to manage and alleviate anxiety.
A Few Anxiety Basics
We’re talking about much more than standard nervousness or worry. It’s normal to feel stressed before a job interview or first date. When you have an anxiety disorder, however, being stressed is your default setting. Your fight-or-flight reaction can be triggered even when no threat is present.
Chronic anxiety can lead to difficulty managing daily functioning. You wind up missing out on so much in your life due to fear and dread. Fortunately, you can recover and thrive again. EMDR is a powerful step in that direction.
How EMDR Can Help You With Anxiety
In short, it connects with Francine Shapiro’s experience with the moving branch. Once your therapist has taken a history and learned more about your situation, you will be asked to choose a particular emotion or memory to focus on. You maintain this focus as the therapist introduces a similar kind of eye movement.
You’ll be asked to track the hand or finger movements with your eyes ( or use tappers so you can keep your eyes closed) as you begin processing negative sensations. Think of it like this: Something bad happened that’s impacted you ever since. You avoid thinking about it for fear of being triggered, but this leaves the memory unresolved.
During EMDR, you can address the memory in a more detached way. Imagine that! Without talking about events that scarred you, you’re able to work through them in a productive and rapid way. This leaves room for you to do more than process it. You will always be guided to shift your focus from negative emotions to positive thoughts, beliefs, and images. The anxiety trigger literally gets replaced by something that does not lead to a stress response.
EMDR helps someone with anxiety:
Reduce the power that stressful thoughts have over their state of mind
Take back control of their emotions
Focus on the positive and discern more uplifting possibilities in a situation
Eliminate related physical symptoms like aches and pains, palpitations, sweating, trailing, and more
Re-connect with parts of your personality that you’ve been suppressing
Access core beliefs and needs far more quickly than during talk therapy
The Next Step
If anxiety affects your daily life, you can take healthy steps to change that. One of those steps could be Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). It offers relief from the side effects of medication and/or the long-term commitment to talk therapy. Let’s schedule you for a free and confidential consultation so you can learn more about anxiety therapy.