u/harlowe_hello

Lately I've been getting these diaphragm spasms that cause air to move quickly through me. At first it was at the diaphragm and the nose, but then it would move to other parts of the body like the stomach, chest, different parts of the throat, the mouth, etc.

I don't feel panicked or afraid while it's happening, and actually feel much calmer after (if a little light-headed). This pattern seems to first be brought on by crying, when I am feeling emotion.

Has anyone else had these diaphragm movements and rapid breathing? It feels like it's helping the blocked feeling and pain around my solar plexus and the pit of my throat. Like the whole area is looser afterwards. Less constricted, flow of breath is easier.

Does anyone else experience this pattern? I've noticed it more over the last couple cycles.

This cycle, which is a little hard to tell because I've also been doing EMDR which is dysregulating, I think the after-ovulation low/irritability/fatigue lasted about 7 days.

Now I'm in a bit of a boost again, more energy, not as irritable or low.

And I'll probably get hit by symptoms again 2-3 days out from my period.

But this "boost" mid-luteal has always made me gaslight myself lol. I assume this is due to the sensitivity of the estrogen drop with ovulation then again before period with a relatively stable period in between?

Interested if anyone has any further insight to provide or if anyone else experiences this pattern.

I have a lot of tension in my face, jaw, neck, shoulders, chest, and back, so I guess this makes sense.

My tongue will want to stick out as far as it can, sometimes moving side to side. Not so much shaking but holding in a position, like pointing up or down or straight out but flexed so it's concave in the middle. I can sometimes feel the back part of my head/neck being activated as a result.

If it's more of an anger release, I can sometimes get this "silent scream" face, eyes wide and fixed, snarl expression, tongue pushed out and down, neck muscles also tensed. It also comes out when I'm feeling disgust in my solar plexus, like the feeling moves up through me and out through my tongue.

It's really interesting. I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this pattern of movement. I'm still very tight in this whole area so it makes sense, but it especially comes out when there's an emotion attached to the movement that wants to be discharged.

So since starting EMDR, I've not only started remembering regular dreams when I wake up (something I haven't done much of since I was a kid), but I'm also having waaaay more scary dreams/nightmares and waking up from them.

But they're not usually related to any trauma material. In fact they're usually supernatural/about ghosts or have an atmosphere of dread and danger. I had one that was trauma-related, but it's mostly just been scary themes.

Last night, a couple days after my latest session, I had back to back nightmares. Wake up, fall asleep into one, wake up, repeat.

Is this normal? Has anyone else experienced an increase in being able to remember dreams, and also an increase in nightmares that aren't directly about trauma? I'm at least hopeful it means my REM sleep is improving. Maybe my memory and energy will too!

Hi there!

I'm wondering if anyone has had success with processing shame/narcissistic defenses with EMDR.

Things like contempt, jealousy/envy/resentment, need for external validation/approval, intense humiliation/shame whenever something "true" about me is seen (like that exposed feeling), need to compare myself to others, needing to feel special or better than others, taking things personally/feeling easily hurt, self-hatred, struggle to be vulnerable or honest etc.

I feel absolutely tortured by the way my mind goes on like this and it's impossible for me to be around people or really engage in life at the moment.

So I'd like to know if EMDR helped anyone who struggled with this and what the other side is like? Would love to know if healing from this is possible from people who have been there. Because I can't imagine not feeling constant shame. I can't even imagine what that would be like. I've maybe got glimpses?? And that was really nice. It was like I could just exist. I would love to be there more often.

Thanks for any help <3