Trauma & Therapies #GetBackToLife @henmorehealth
Trauma The impact of trauma occurs on various levels and can interfere with a person s ability to function in daily life, affecting relationships, work, physical and mental health as well as personal development. How a person responds to trauma is dependent on so many things, including how pervasive and prolonged the trauma was, the context in which it took place (war, family setting, school, work etc.) and type of life experiences before and after the trauma was experienced, particularly in regard to the amount of appropriate care and support the person received. Traumatic Events Traumatic events can happen to anyone. They can cause a range of reactions, some of which are normal, involving distress but for some people the reactions may last longer or be more severe leading to a range of reactions such as hypervigilance, they may experience flashbacks, a sense of reliving the traumatic event, hypervigilance to reminders of the trauma, sleep problems, loss of appetite, irritability, anxiety, nightmares, difficulty concentrating, avoidance of triggers that remind them of the trauma, feeling detached from and not trusting others, anger problems and other symptoms not mentioned here. Any person who has experienced a traumatic event or events will know how debilitating it can be, including negatively impacting upon the ability to function in daily life, affecting relationships, work, physical and mental health as well as personal development.
Trauma can cause a variety of problems including depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance misuse, risk taking behaviours, anger management difficulties, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and dissociative disorders. Whilst this list is not meant to be exhaustive it helps to show that each person responds to trauma differently and at Henmore Health our individualised clinical treatment plans reflect this. Experiencing a Traumatic Event When people experience a trauma, they automatically attempt to survive it by using their natural, survival instincts which are body led, rather than conscious decisions made by a thinking brain. What this means is that behaviours during a trauma will be guided by the need to fight, run away (flight) or freeze. However, in order to engage these behaviours, the thinking brain (controls executive functioning) shuts-down in order to allow the body to respond appropriately; as a consequence, although the trauma is survived there will be little or no memory of the event, although body sensations connected to the experience can remain. Thus, after the traumatic event is over, people continue to experience frightening, somatic (or body) disturbances such as increased heart rate, rapid breathing, heart palpitations, cold sweating, jumpiness or hypervigilance without knowing the reasons why, or that they are responding to events and feelings from the past. This can then lead to symptoms as described above. If not treated appropriately, long-term experiencing of the somatic disturbance and above symptoms can lead to fatigue, exhaustion, sense of hopelessness and the sensation of constant threat and danger, including the desire to run, fight or freeze as an instinctive response a stressful situation is experienced.
Psychological Therapies Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) EMDR is an innovative clinical treatment, which has successfully helped over one million people who have experienced psychological difficulties which originate from some kind of traumatic experience, such as sexual abuse, childhood neglect, road traffic accidents and violence. EMDR is also successful in treating other complaints such as performance anxiety, self-esteem issues, phobias, and other trauma related anxiety disorders. During times of mental distress the way the person sees and judges themselves and the things that happens to them alters. Things tend to become more extreme and unhelpful. This can worsen how the person feels and causes them to act in ways that keep their distress going. Therapists will aim to work jointly with the person to help them begin to identify and then change their extreme thinking and unhelpful behaviour. By doing this, the result is a significant improvement in how the person feels and lives their day to day life.
Treatment with EMDR EMDR is a remarkable treatment method used to heal the symptoms of trauma, as well as other emotional conditions. EMDR is the most effective and rapid method for healing PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) as shown by extensive scientific research studies. EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation, right/left eye movement, or tactile stimulation, or sound, which repeatedly activates the opposite sides of the brain releasing emotional experiences that are "trapped" in the nervous system. This assists the neurophysiological system, the basis of the mind/body connection, to free itself of blockages and reconnect itself. EMDR allows a client to process an emotional experience that he/she cannot yet talk about, yet following an EMDR session find an ability to talk about it freely. Most importantly, it can eliminate stress surrounding the traumatic event, with the purpose of allowing new life into the once traumatized and emotionally difficult memory. How Does EMDR Work? When disturbing experiences happen, they are stored in the brain, with all the sights, sounds, thoughts, and feelings that accompany them. When a person is very upset, the brain seems to be unable to process the experience as it would normally. Therefore, the negative thoughts and feelings of the traumatic event are "trapped" in the nervous system. Since the brain cannot process these emotions, the experience and/or its accompanying feelings are often suppressed from consciousness.
However, the distress lives on in the nervous system where it causes disturbances in the emotional functioning of the person (nightmares, vigilance, emotional numbness, avoidance of things that remind one of the trauma or traumas. EMDR Techniques The EMDR technique does two very important things. First, it "unlocks" the negative memories and emotions stored in the nervous system, and second, it helps the brain to successfully process the experience. The therapist works gently with the client, guiding him or her to revisit the traumatic incident. When the memory is brought to mind, the feelings are re-experienced in a new way. EMDR makes it possible to gain the self-knowledge and perspective that will enable the client to choose their actions, rather than feeling powerless over their re-actions. This process can be complex if there are many experiences connected to the negative feelings. The EMDR therapy sessions continue until the traumatic memories and emotions are relieved. If you have any questions about Trauma & Therapies or you wish to discuss our Services with a Practitioner before you attend your first appointment do get in touch and we can arrange a telephone consultation Free of charge.
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