Why do some people experience P.T.S.D. after a traumatic event, while others do not?
The information processing system of the brain naturally processes disturbing events by eliminating negative thoughts, emotions and body sensations maladaptive to our present day functioning and P.T.S.D. occurs when an incident is so disturbing that it interferes with the adaptive information processing system of the brain. In P.T.S.D, the memory networks encapsulate negative thoughts, emotions, body sensations and beliefs and which color our perceptions of current life circumstances.
The quality of earlier life experiences often set the ground-work for P.T.S.D. Positive early life experiences tend to create more resiliency and less susceptibility to the feelings of lack of self worth which may lead to P.T.S.D. Hurtful childhood experiences with significant figures, parents and peers are events which may set the ground work for P.T.S.D later in life.
Research indicates that the longer the exposure to disturbance, the more severe the circumstances are and the younger one is, the greater the impact will be.
E.M.D.R. targets the way negative beliefs, such as, “I’m not good enough,” “It’s not O.K. to ask for what I want” and “I’m powerless to protect myself”, are stored in the brain.
The pain associated with traumatic memories from childhood are reprocessed with E.M.D.R. as root targets, and as these are systematically cleared, present day situations are then targeted and cleared.
What we have observed as E.M.D.R. therapists is that at the brain has an inherent ability to heal through the information processing system and given the opportunity will move us towards health and wholeness.