Posted by Toby on June 9, 1999, at 11:57:22
In reply to Re: Sleep, posted by DL on June 6, 1999, at 23:55:31
> I have seen people talk about Naltrexone (?) for addictive leanings and to counteract apathy. I haven't read up on it, how is it used and when? Would this be like adding Cylert (which you suggested last winter?)
I am not familiar with Naltrexone (trade name Revia) being used for energy but I have seen it used for addictions besides drugs, like food addictions. However, I wonder if the eating is not only a side effect of the Remeron but also a component of the depression (some people lose their appetite when depressed, others get a massive appetite). You also mentioned the floating feeling during the EMDR and Revia has been found to help stop that kind of dissociation during stress. However, I am not sure I would recommend that right now as you are trying to really face the past and need to be aware of all your body's defenses and reactions to those memories.
> QUESTIONS
> 1. I used eye movements this time. Right off I sensed that if I allowed my self, or if the therapist didn't stop periodically, I would float right off with the eye movements. This was similar to when I was young and thought I could float up by the ceiling. The therapist sensed this and altered the pace/timing. Is this just me or does this happen to other people?This does happen sometimes in EMDR when there is a really stressful memory and the brain is trying to protect you from it. It especially occurs when it is a defense that has been present since childhood. It is something to be aware of when it occurs and just to notice it. Don't fight it or anything, just notice it and let your therapist be aware of it.
> 2. The therapist always reminds me to breathe when she stops the eye movements because I tend to get tense. At one point she changed the direction of the finger movements for a short time (sort of up and down or diagonal up and down) and suddenly I relaxed in the shoulder area. Was this just coincidence? Or is this a technique?
Some people do forget to breathe during the first part of EMDR because of anxious memories. I just quietly say, "Breathe," during the sets of eye movements to remind them and it doesn't seem to interrupt any processing. Also, changing directions does seem to access different aspects of memories or body sensations. It is a kind of "technique" but it isn't a "trick," it really does seem to trigger different reactions.
> 3. I came to some pictures/places where there were no words to describe the pain, grief, sadness, aloneness, anger (yes I sometimes to recognize it there!) and I was silent. I think there was guilt somewhere below it all-I just couldn't talk, even though I think I wanted to. Why is this?I couldn't really give an accurate answer to the why of it, but I have seen that happen pretty frequently, where there are images or just feelings, but no words or thoughts. These are just things to notice. Your brain will process it and if there is something to say or think about it, those words will come. If, however, your brain processes it and just wants to leave it behind without comment, let it do so.
> 4. This therapist is very perceptive at picking up my physical sensations even when I am blocking them. Why is it so hard for me to tune into how I am feeling, and how emotions affect me physically? If these affects are so easy to see, why don't I recognize them?
For one thing, she has a lot of experience at noticing emotional reactions and responding to them. It's not that these affects are so easy to see, it's that she knows what to look for. You, however, have been taught from early childhood to block your feelings, do your duty, tolerate everyone else's emotions and work to make them feel better. How on earth could you expect yourself to recognize what you are feeling and then validate it or acknowledge that it's OK to feel it or that something needs to be done for you to help make it better? That is what you are doing now: working to make it OK to let out your feelings and recognize them and come to realize that if you do let them out they won't overwhelm you, the bad feelings will end (i.e., some people worry that if they start crying or anything that they won't be able to stop), and they serve a purpose (i.e., warn of danger etc, and that they can be useful to you if you listen to them and make the choices you think are best for you... you do have choices now, not like when you were a child).
> 5. I did not have as long an after affect with this session as the first. The rambling pictures stopped after a few hours. I'm thinking it's because I hit those areas where I just couldn't share--and that I blocked at that point. I seemed to move out of myself and away from the emotions so they were not accessible to me (during that part of the EMDR). What does this mean?That's also hard to answer because I'm not sure if you really did block the emotions or if they just resolved and you aren't familiar with that kind of feeling (sometimes resolution causes a big empty feeling for awhile until a person learns to fill it in with good stuff). If you are pretty sure you were blocking, make sure you let your therapist know when it is happening so she can make some adjustments (like with directions of the eye movements). Also, try not to block. When it gets painful, try to focus specifically on that feeling even more intently, remembering that it will not last forever, and just notice what happens. I am betting that feeling will start to change on its own, without you trying to block it and that you will notice other changes along with that.
> There should be more cities listed for NH. My last list had Portsmouth and Dover and Durham listed. Of the ones you listed, Exeter is closest (25 min), Manchester and Concord are both about 45 min drive. Nashua about an hour.
Sheryl Kamman-Russman, Psy.D. of Exeter Psychological Assoc., 14 Hampton Rd, Exeter, NH 03833, (603) 772-2187 and she specializes in PTSD and Sexual Abuse. Don't have info on insurance, etc.
Let me know how the session went yesterday.
poster:Toby
thread:4833
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990601/msgs/7209.html