# TRE experience



## thy (Oct 7, 2015)

I'd like to make a post here about what happened to me last night. I was trying these Trauma Release Exercises last night:

http://www.4shared.com/video/lir1J5Jc/David_Berceli_-_Trauma_Releasi.htm (go to 24:30 for a demonstration of the exercises, you might need to pause the video when you complete each exercise)

http://traumaprevention.com

This was the 3rd time I have tried them. I had looked at people doing these exercises on YouTube about 2 months ago, and I completely dismissed them. To me it looked like the people were just pretending to shake. But anyway I decided to try it.

The first time, to my amazement, I got to the last exercise (the one where you are actually meant to properly shake) and my legs started shaking, as well as my pelvis, quite vigorously. This amazed and intrigued me.

The second time I did them nothing really happened to me. But the third time, holy shittttt.

After about 30 minutes of gentle/moderate shaking in my legs/pelvis area, I started to let my mind become really relaxed. I imagined myself lying on the grass and looking at the stars. I stopped constantly checking if I was shaking or not and I just let it happen. The shaking become more intense, my breaths became much deeper and much longer. Then it started to get really insane.

My legs started moving like they were running movements. More like running movements than just shaking. In my mind I started to pretend I was being chased by a man in a dark field and I had to get away. The shaking moved up my body, up my spine. I started to get pins and needles in my arms and legs, a wave of heat travelled up the top part of my body, heat all over my face, like I was possessed. My face was tingling. It felt like my brain was burning with sensations. My face was being forced towards the top of my head, I thought I was having some kind of seizure of something. The thumb and fingers on my hands came together like pincers. I was in a kind of heightened state of fear, shaking over my whole body. My teeth started chattering together. I was worried I would stop breathing or I wouldnt be able to stop it, but I let it carry on. Weirdest experience of my life.

I was getting scared so I decided to sit up and try to stop it, worried I wouldnt be able to. It calmed things down a bit, but my whole body was still shaking and I was having pins and needles in my right leg. This was the most real thing I have ever experienced. I decided to try to come out of it so I stood up and the feeling slowly went.

At least at the moment, I feel this experience has improved my DP symptoms by about 25%. Changes I felt last night and still feel now.

- Things look more alive, less dead.

- Things make more sense, e.g I used to be driving and looking at cars and the concept of a car didnt make sense to me. Now I look at a car and it feels more normal, I feel less of a reason to question things.

- I feel more present by about 30%, I having more of a feeling of being a person and knowing who I am.

- I have more of a context of where I am. Me being in my house and in our village has more of a feel to it. I can locate myself better spacially in relation to other things. The world outside my house has more of a feel to it.

- I feel more in my body, rather than watching it, I have more agency over my movements. Its feels more like its actually ME walking rather than watching my legs walk.

- I went to a cafe this morning and I was actually able to talk briefly to the waitress and I felt like my social skills were better, I understood the social interaction better. I felt things more when I looked at her face and could read her better.

- I feel less fear generally

- I am thinking (a bit) less

- I also played tennis today and I feel like I had things to say to people, I had opinions about things.

- I was less scared to make eye contact with people, I was less socially awkward. Less worrying what people think, I could read situations better.

- peoples voices feel closer and less far away, the world looks less distant, less like a dream.

- I feel more of a connection to the feelings in my stomach, I have more of a "gut" feeling about things.

I still feel all the other classic DP symptoms, but I would say the above have improved by about 25% on average. I don't know if this is a permanent change or if my DP will revert to its previous state. Ive had DP for 8 months now with absolutely no change in symptoms.

I believe I got DP from chronic stress for 4 months and then about a month later I had a panic attack after which it started. I urge anyone who got DP from stress or a panic attack to try these exercises. Or just try them anyway, however you think you got DP, to see what happens. I had to wait a long time before this intense experience came, I was lying down for almost 45 minutes doing the moderate shaking before this happened. Usually I think people do the last exercise for about 15 minutes. I'm going to be talking to my therapist and psychiatrist about what the fuck actually happened to me. It was more than the usual shaking I believe you are meant to get from these exercises.


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## Allez (Apr 10, 2013)

I'm glad these were able to help somewhat.


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## thy (Oct 7, 2015)

King Elliott said:


> I'll be trying out these exercises post-haste.


Do it, nothing to lose! Worst case scenario your body will feel very calm/relaxed. This is how I felt after the first time.


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## truffle (Dec 8, 2015)

Very intriguing what you have explain. I will sit through these and try. I am a very strong believer in these types of exercises. I believe Dp/Dr (chronic) is an intense build up of so many deep, suppressed issues that must be brought forward - we must come to terms with our past. ¡muchas gracias!


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## truffle (Dec 8, 2015)

I found a lot of this was physical exercises, maybe shaking from not being used to the use of those muscles?


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## thy (Oct 7, 2015)

truffle said:


> I found a lot of this was physical exercises, maybe shaking from not being used to the use of those muscles?


Yes the first 2 times to me felt more like a work out, more like normal exercise, although involuntary shaking is clearly different to normal exercise. The 3rd time was definitely more than just shaking from not being used to using certain muscles, this was something much more primitive and intense.


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## Cotillion (Oct 23, 2012)

I don't really want to sound like a dick, but I am, so I just have to point it out that this whole trauma release technique is awfully akin to new age pseudoscience.

Something like that:


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## thy (Oct 7, 2015)

Cotillion said:


> I don't really want to sound like a dick, but I am, so I just have to point it out that this whole trauma release technique is awfully akin to new age pseudoscience.
> 
> Something like that:


Hahah dude what these people are doing appears to be bullshit.

I was as skeptical as you. I am a sceptic, an atheist (I suppose officially an agnostic), I don't believe in spirits, life force, or any of that bullshit. I am as scientific and rational in my thinking as you can be. But what I have described above was very real and happened to me. I still don't know what it actually was, I would like to have a full explanation. The closest thing to an explanation I have found has come from two books by Peter Levine called Waking The Tiger and In an Unspoken Voice. Even when I read these I was sceptical and thought it sounded like bullshit until this happened to me. I suggest you watch the video I linked and try the exercises, you will most likely experience at least some shaking, which might be of interest to you. But make sure you do them properly. Im not saying this is a cure at all, I'm just saying this phenomenon happened to me and now I feel slightly better. I am assuming there must be a connection between the fact that I have DP, and the fact that I had this extreme reaction, and also a connection between the extreme reaction and me feeling slightly better. I have been deep in hell for the last 8 months and now I feel like I have half a foot in normality.


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## tomenko (Jun 9, 2015)

thyRUY said:


> Hahah dude what these people are doing appears to be bullshit.
> 
> I was as skeptical as you. I am a sceptic, an atheist (I suppose officially an agnostic), I don't believe in spirits, life force, or any of that bullshit. I have a masters degree in physics from a top 5 university in the UK. I am as scientific and rational in my thinking as you can be. But what I have described above was very real and happened to me. I still done know what it actually was, I would like to have a full explanation. The closest thing to an explanation I have found has come from two books by Peter Levine called Waking The Tiger and In an Unspoken Voice. Even when I read these I was sceptical and thought it sounded like bullshit until this happened to me. I suggest you watch the video I linked and try the exercises, you will most likely experience at least some shaking, which might be of interest to you. But make sure you do them properly. Im not saying this is a cure at all, I'm just saying this phenomenon happened to me and now I feel slightly better, I am assuming there must be a connection between the fact that I have DP, and the fact that I had this extreme reaction, and also a connection between the extreme reaction and me feeling slightly better. I have been deep in hell for the last 8 months and now I feel like I have half a foot in normality.





Cotillion said:


> I don't really want to sound like a dick, but I am, so I just have to point it out that this whole trauma release technique is awfully akin to new age pseudoscience.
> 
> Something like that:


Actually TRE exercises seems to have strong scientifical foundations in neurophysiology, biology and psychology.

These are called bottom-up techniques that affect psychology (and consequently hormones balance,etc.) form a body (and not a talkative) perspective.

You can find a lot of interesting info on TRE, sensorimotor therapy, etc..reading books from Van der Kolk, Porges, Lanius, etc..

I've done just two sessions and i agree with thyRuy. They works really great, at least for me too.

The first was ok. But the shaking just remain in the legs, pelvic area and abdominals

The second was much more powerful: they reach the chest, the upper body and arms. In some moments i feel possessed by my body and i sweated a lot for the shaking power.

At the end i feel the perception of being restoring my homeostasis. AS i never feel since long time. Unfortunately i had to stop because there were people in the rooms next to mine and i was making too much noise (i suggest everybody who wanna try to find a place which you can relax - i think it's fundamental to let the body "play its healing party")

Today i'm gonna do the third sessions and see what happen (hope i'll have what thyRUY had. hehe).

I'll then write my feedbacks.


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## Cotillion (Oct 23, 2012)

Alright, fuckers, you got me intrigued. I'll give it a shot.


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## tomenko (Jun 9, 2015)

Great!

Hey thyR, i can't send you a PM (don't know why), can you?

I would like to ask a few things more about your TRE experience (e.g.: during the stretching phase i feel some asthma - eventhough i'm not asthmatic at all- , but i've read is a way the stress hormone "speak". Do you have it too?)


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## TDX (Jul 12, 2014)

Interesting. Maybe I try this when I don't take any medication.


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## aworthycause (Mar 22, 2010)

TDX said:


> Interesting. Maybe I try this when I don't take any medication.


Why wait?


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## thy (Oct 7, 2015)

tomenko said:


> Porges, Lanius, etc..


Interesting I've not heard of these authors, I'm going to check them out.



tomenko said:


> The second was much more powerful: they reach the chest, the upper body and arms. In some moments i feel possessed by my body and i sweated a lot for the shaking power.


Just how I felt the 3rd time I did it.



tomenko said:


> Unfortunately i had to stop because there were people in the rooms next to mine and i was making too much noise (i suggest everybody who wanna try to find a place which you can relax - i think it's fundamental to let the body "play its healing party")


Yes important to do it in a quiet place with enough space and where you feel safe.



tomenko said:


> Today i'm gonna do the third sessions and see what happen (hope i'll have what thyRUY had. hehe).
> 
> I'll then write my feedbacks.


Would be interested to hear how it goes!


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## thy (Oct 7, 2015)

tomenko said:


> Great!
> 
> Hey thyR, i can't send you a PM (don't know why), can you?
> 
> I would like to ask a few things more about your TRE experience (e.g.: during the stretching phase i feel some asthma - eventhough i'm not asthmatic at all- , but i've read is a way the stress hormone "speak". Do you have it too?)


Yeah my account was banned a couple of weeks ago and since it was unbanned I haven't been able to receive PMs. Ive asked Elliott to look into it and I think he's trying to sort it.

I haven't experienced that, could you describe in a bit more detail what you mean? Im really not an expert in this stuff at all, I just had this experience, and you may know more about this stuff than me, but Ill certainly try to answer any questions you have!


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## TDX (Jul 12, 2014)

> Why wait?


I don't know how it might interact with such a powerful drug like Clozapine. If seizure activity is involved in this it might be of relevance, because Clozapine is known to lower the seizures threshold, possibly by increased glutamatergic activity.

I will use the time and see how it works on other members and whether thyRUY can increase the effect by performing more exercises.


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## thy (Oct 7, 2015)

TDX said:


> If seizure activity is involved in this it might be of relevance, because Clozapine is known to lower the seizures threshold, possibly by increased glutamatergic activity.


Is glutamatergic activity involved in seizures?


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## thy (Oct 7, 2015)

Im going to try these exercises again tomorrow. Anyone else who has any interesting experiences from doing these exercises please post on this thread.


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## TDX (Jul 12, 2014)

> Is glutamatergic activity involved in seizures?


Yes. That's why Lamotrigine, which decreases glutamate release, works against seizures.



> Im going to try these exercises again tomorrow.


Good luck.


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## thy (Oct 7, 2015)

I've just done this exercise again, and the same thing happened but slightly less dramatic. I believe it was less dramatic because this time I tried to control it, and not let it get insane. I can now describe the process in more detail. I have no fucking idea what this is or if its relevant to DP but I will describe exactly what happened.

You do all the exercises. You get to the last one. I had the shaking as usual, in my legs and pelvis and abdominal area. The shaking in the legs becomes more like running movements, making the legs move up and down slightly. Then I feel like I want to start breathing more heavily, I allow this to happen. But this time I tried to keep my breathing under control more. I then get tingling sensations in my face, it feels like my mouth is being pushed upwards a bit. The tingling sensations become much stronger in the face, it feels like they are acting in such a way as to pull the face together towards the centre, centred on the mouth. I start to feel tingling in my arms. After a while the tingling in my arms becomes stronger and then it starts in my hands. It makes my fingers go into certain positions. My arms upto my elbow move up towards my shoulders and stay there. My arms from my elbow to my hands are now perpendicular to my body and are in a trance like state. The tingling in my face dies away. Now I am in this position and I feel like I am in some kind of trance, very relaxed state. I stay in this state for about five minutes and it feels like my body is kind of like a statue. I have a feeling of utter relaxation, I feel like I want to let out long low noises from my mouth, I feel like stuff is being released from my brain stem (maybe this is hoping, but this is how it feels). I feel so relaxed, like you feel just after you have an orgasm. After 5 minutes of this I decide to get up. All the feelings are gone, and I feel very relaxed. I am now typing these words. I have some tingling still in my legs and thats it. I have no idea what this is. The fact that I feel strong tingling sensations in my face, and one of my DP symtoms is that I feel like I have no face, seems like too much of a coincidence, there must be a link? This time my teeth chattered only a tiny bit, and my upper body shook less. I feel intensely relaxed at this moment. And strange, I really dont know what this is.

I really want to know what the hell this phenomenon is. I hope to fuck its related to DP. Does this happen to anyone else?

I guess I just keep doing this exercise once a day and see how long this keeps happening and see if it has an effect on my DP.


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## luctor et emergo (May 22, 2015)

This was pure energy it felt like coming from deep in my brain, it was fucking insane. The most powerful experience of my life.

*At least at the moment, I feel this experience has improved my DP symptoms by about 25%. Changes I felt last night and still feel now.*

- Things look more alive, less dead.

- Things make more sense, e.g I used to be driving and looking at cars and the concept of a car didnt make sense to me. Now I look at a car and it feels more normal, I feel less of a reason to question things.

- I feel more present by about 30%, I having more of a feeling of being a person and knowing who I am.

- I have more of a context of where I am. Me being in my house and in our village has more of a feel to it. I can locate myself better spacially in relation to other things. The world outside my house has more of a feel to it.

- I feel more in my body, rather than watching it, I have more agency over my movements. Its feels more like its actually ME walking rather than watching my legs walk.

- I went to a cafe this morning and I was actually able to talk briefly to the waitress and I felt like my social skills were better, I understood the social interaction better. I felt things more when I looked at her face and could read her better.

- I feel less fear generally

- I am thinking (a bit) less

- I also played tennis today and I feel like I had things to say to people, I had opinions about things.

- I was less scared to make eye contact with people, I was less socially awkward. Less worrying what people think, I could read situations better.

- peoples voices feel closer and less far away, the world looks less distant, less like a dream.

- I feel more of a connection to the feelings in my stomach, I have more of a "gut" feeling about things.

Amazing news, will definitly try TRE again. 

I have practiced one session about a month ago, the results were a lot less spectacular, but this post

along with the background theory by van der Kolk and others sure is promising that TRE can have a positive effect on dpd, drd.

Keep us updated!


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## aworthycause (Mar 22, 2010)

Great news thyRUY and luctor et emergo 

I've had some good experiences with somatic experiencing, and various trauma release-related stretches and deep breathing techniques before. The pelvic shake is real 

However, I'd recommend setting aside some time to complete the exercises and then relaxing/meditating afterwards and taking note of what comes up.

I did 15-20 minutes of David Berceli's TRE before running out the door to catch a bus, and apparently I'd triggered something very sensitive during the exercise. I spent the next hour in panic attacks and DP/dissociation before I could get home again. Not a good idea.

I'll try again when I have more time for the exercises + relaxing after doing them.


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## bubniakz (Jun 3, 2008)

A more recent report of the use of abreaction in depersonalization was the case
of a 55-year-old woman with a 35-year history of chronic, primary depersonalization,
and a number of failed trials with antidepressants, antipsychotics and
stimulants as well as ECT (Ballard et al., 1992). During the course of a brief,
psychoanalytically orientated therapy, it became clear that she harboured anger
and destructive feelings towards her mother. It seemed, however, that the attainment
of that insight made no difference to her depersonalization symptoms. She
then underwent a session of abreactive therapy: "After intravenously receiving
10mg of diazepam in 20 ml water she initially appeared relaxed, but suddenly
became angry and hostile when hermother was introduced into the conversation.
She vehemently protested her hatred for her mother and expressed a wish for her
mother to die. This phase lasted about 2 to 3 minutes before she started becoming
drowsy and eventually fell asleep" (Ballard et al., 1992, p. 124). During the
following session the patient reported feeling anxious and panicky but claimed
not to feel depersonalized any more. Subsequent follow-up sessions showed the
remission of depersonalization to be stable, and her residual anxiety was successfully
treatedwith anxiety management techniques. In view of the promising results
reported from the use of abreactive techniques, it is surprising that no further
studies have been carried out. Although rarely used as originally described,
abreactive techniques are still in use, not only to aid the recovery and integration
of dissociated traumatic material, but also in the reintegration of emotions when
they have become dissociated from thoughts of perceptions as is the case of
depersonalization. Currently, hypnosis is the method of choice to facilitate abreaction,
and a range of techniques have been described for its induction and
management (Putnam, 1992).
Although there are no recent systematic studies on the use of abreactive
techniques on patients with depersonalization disorder, in the author's experience
the use of imagery-driven techniques (Smucker et al., 1995; Holmer et al.,
2007) can allow managed, therapeutic abreaction in depersonalization disorder
patients with a history of emotional abuse. Such abreactive experiences can
produce a lasting amelioration of symptoms in some patients. In those with
severe emotional numbing, the use of hypnotic regression to a time before the
onset of symptoms can sometimes allow patients to transiently re-experience
emotional feelings. Such instances can act as a powerful experiential challenge
to strong held assumptions about the irreversibility of emotional numbing, and

can catalyse further therapeutic gains. To conclude, sporadic, anecdotal observations
suggest that the use of abreactive techniques may have a promising role
in the treatment of depersonalization. It is clear that this is an area in need of
much systematic research.


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## aworthycause (Mar 22, 2010)

^

That's great, and interesting, bubniakz, but I'm not sure whether it's related to this topic exactly?


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## TDX (Jul 12, 2014)

He copied it from Sierras book.


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## thy (Oct 7, 2015)

Yes I'm not sure how TRE is related to abreaction therapy.

Also, an update on this. Ive been doing these exercises about every 3 days, and I haven't had a reaction nearly as extreme as the two times that I describe on this thread. I just experience mild shaking in my legs and pelvic area. However, even when I only experience mild shaking I do believe these exercises help my DP very slightly. Mainly they seem to stop the intense rumination and thinking you get with DP, which can be hell. They also make me feel very relaxed, particularly in my body, and reality seems closer, more like something I can see but its just out of my reach, rather than something that makes no sense to me at all. Even if all you get from these is relaxation I recommend doing them. Feeling relaxed is one of the main struggles for people with DP and I believe its a foundation for recovery.


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## LostTheRealness (Jun 7, 2015)

I think I have DP from Cannabis. Over 1 year now. But i have done this exercises now for the fourth day and my dp is better. I cant believe it. Please make it guys, even when you have anxiety disorder! It can help and it is even against anxiety, not only trauma!!!


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## sisterkeyz (Feb 19, 2013)

Hi there, I did the TRE exercises for the first time last night. I don't think I had my legs in the right position because I didn't tremor much so I have another apt with the TRE counsellor next week so will have another go then. I will try it on my own in the meantime. Here's hoping it reduces DP!!!!


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## Flavius (Jun 11, 2016)

I'm also excited about TRE, there is practitioner in my certified country but since I dont work (cant work) I cant easily afford it.

I tried little exercise from David Berceli video, but it's not easy to follow since I have no energy and don't feel attached to my body, I haven't nothing of this muscle shaking.

Could it be because of daily using of benzidiazepams that numbs central nervous system?

I'm really interested in body oriented techiques, because all this supplements and medications didn't help at all, or just giving temporarily relief.


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