Many people struggle with unresolved trauma. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, most people experience a traumatic event at some point in their lives. Left untreated, lingering trauma can harm virtually all areas of your life for the worse. From negatively impacting your physical and mental health to interfering with your relationships, and more. This is why it’s crucial if you suspect you may be struggling with unresolved trauma to seek professional treatment.
There are a variety of treatment options available to help address unresolved trauma, including EMDR. Because trauma treatment involves thinking about traumatic events of your past, inevitably this can lead some to wonder how taxing trauma therapies, like EMDR, can be on your mind and body. In this article, you’ll learn more about what EMDR is, does EMDR make you tired, and more below.
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What is EMDR?
Before diving into the question “does EMDR make you tired”, it’s important to understand what EMDR is. EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) is a type of psychotherapy that helps patients process traumatic memories and events of the past. Specifically, EMDR involves a therapist asking you to recall certain traumatic memories of your past while you are guided through a series of eye movements aimed at reprocessing your trauma. The ultimate aim of EMDR is to address and reprocess your trauma so you feel little (if any) negative symptoms or emotional sensitivity to the traumatic event.
Does EMDR Make You Tired?
A common question that can arise when learning about EMDR is “does EMDR make you tired”. While inevitably different patients may have varying experiences with EMDR than others, it’s important to keep in mind that EMDR can make you feel tired to a certain extent.
- Emotional Intensity and Reprocessing Can Be Exhausting
First, EMDR can be tiring as recalling and reprocessing trauma can be emotionally intense, and therefore be exhausting. Many may experience mental exhaustion after EMDR as they are being asked to recall traumatic events that they’ve likely pushed down or repressed for long periods of time. And, when being asked to recall these traumatic events, they can inevitably bring up intense emotional responses, which can make you feel tired after an EMDR session.
- Release of Stress Can Be Tiring
Addressing trauma and reprocessing traumatic memories can be stressful. While EMDR is effective and establishes a safe space to address your trauma, the act of thinking about and taking strides toward reprocessing your trauma can inevitably bring up feelings of stress which can make you physically and mentally tired.
- The Healing Process Takes Time and Energy
Finally, in general, addressing and healing from unresolved trauma, whether through EMDR or a combination of trauma therapies, takes time and energy. And, typically patients take multiple sessions to start seeing improvements when it comes to addressing their trauma symptoms and healing from past trauma.
Help Is Available
Now you know more about EMDR and about the question “does EMDR make you tired” below. While EMDR can make you feel tired as it requires you to think about difficult, traumatic moments of your past, it’s important to understand that EMDR is a safe and effective treatment option that can help reprocess trauma from your past.
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