Vocab
What does EMDR stand for
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
This happens when the brain mistakes an imagined possibility for a real threat despite a lack of supporting evidence in the present.
Inferential Confusion
Example of Rumination:
Alyssa cheated on her MCAT to get into med school. She just found out that she got accepted. She feels awful for cheating and can’t believe she did something so out of character. She feels like an imposter now. She can’t stop thinking about what she did and now feels she got into med school based on a lie.
Is this OCD, GAD, Depression, Appropriate Guilt, or Toxic Shame?
Appropriate Guilt
This term describes a thought that clashes with a person’s actual identity or values.
Ego-dystonic
Eye movements and tapping are two examples of this technique used during EMDR.
What is bilateral stimulation?
Mateo’s teacher got upset today when Mateo got excited about something and blurted out in class. His teacher raised his voice at Mateo and told him that Mateo has no respect for the classroom or his education and then kept him in for recess. Mateo can’t stop thinking about how stupid he was to share his thoughts in that way. He must be an idiot and a bad kid.
Is this OCD, GAD, Depression, Appropriate Guilt, or Toxic Shame?
Toxic Shame
Example of Rumination:
Will cannot stop thinking about what this world is going to look like for his kids and grandkids. He worries about politics, the economy, climate change, and tech. It’s hard for him to stop thinking about all of the ways that the world could go wrong. Sometimes he can’t sleep because of this.
Is this OCD, GAD, Depression, Appropriate Guilt, or Toxic Shame?
GAD - Generalized Anxiety Disorder
This is one of the models ERP is based on. It involves how the brain processes fear and anxiety. Instead of erasing an old fear memory, the brain creates a new, safe memory that competes with and blocks (inhibits) the old fear response. This concept updates traditional exposure therapy by focusing on safety learning rather than just waiting for fear to fade.
Inhibitory Learning
Molly feels like life is one, continuous experience of loneliness and dread. She can’t stop thinking “what’s the point of all of this?” Everything feels heavy and pointless. When she tries to put her attention on her work, she just ruminates about how her work has no meaning. And when she is around others or even just trying to watch TV, nothing brings her joy. It’s just an endless loop of thinking about how life just doesn’t seem worth living.
Is this OCD, GAD, Depression, Appropriate Guilt, or Toxic Shame?
Depression
Jenae has a busy life and is a good mom. She can’t stop thinking about whether or not she really wants to be a mom. The thoughts come day and night. She loves her kids and she laughs with them and enjoys being around them, but maybe she secretly doesn’t want to be a mom. This thought circles in mind all of the time as she tries to examine it.
Is this OCD, GAD, Depression, Appropriate Guilt, or Toxic Shame?
OCD