Re:EMDR, DID, and Tapes

I can't comment here on specific cases, but I'll make some general comments about "tapes" and EMDR. The use of that word "tapes" telegraphs quite a bit of information here.

Plus, you have posted here before at times, and I recognize the implications of those prior postings and questions, so I have reason to believe the following comments are not a leaping inference on my part. I'll proceed with some general comments for the readership.

"Tapes" or classically conditioned internal messages, often for self-destructive behavior, are sometimes reported in individuals with apparent histories of sadistic and ritualized abuse. There are sources on this subject such as David Sakheim's book and Colin Ross's book among others.

Such classically conditioned responses are most often found in individuals who also meet criteria for dissociative identity disorder (I mean, in addition to their SRA histories). These "tapes" can be very difficult to address clinically, and EMDR on another target can "kick up" or "trip" such an internal message(s), increasing internal discomfort of the client and potentiating risk of suicide or other self destructive behavior. That risk is decreased if the client realizes that they don't have to do what the tape seems to demand that they do.

Indeed, as the questioner suggests, such classically conditioned responses are held in a part of the self (since they follow the client from room to room, we can tell they are part of the client), though to the client they often feel as if they are external or not part of the themselves. We can say they are more completely ego-dystonic than many other internal experiences, meaning, "It's not me, it's outside me".

But it has to be held in a part of the self. The most important thing is for stronger, older parts of the self to remember that it is not happening now and that they have powerful positive internal resources that are stronger than any negative messages from inside. The challenge is to get the part of the self holding the conditioned response and its associated history to "look through the eyes" during EMDR. Looking through the eyes means to be present in the first person "I" during EMDR processing, which means the rest of the self has to permit it and the part holding the "tape" has to be willing.

There is much more to it than this and the procedure is risky so it should only be approached by therapists trained in 1) EMDR, 2) DID and with knowledge of 3) SRA issues.

Again, I can't comment on whether any of the above applies in your specific case, so you should talk to your therapist to see if it does.

Replies:

There are no replies to this message.

| Behavior OnLine Home Page | Disclaimer |

Copyright © 1996-2004 Behavior OnLine, Inc. All rights reserved.