EMDR therapy in recovery

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) is a trauma therapy that uses eye movements to help your brain process difficult memories. When trauma causes or worsens addiction, EMDR can reduce the emotional impact of those memories. This often reduces the need to self-medicate with substances, helping people in recovery stay sober. EMDR is offered by a number of rehab programmes in the UK and can be an excellent part of an effective treatment plan.

edmr with eyes

What is EMDR therapy for addiction?

Francine Shapiro developed EMDR in the late 1980s after noticing that certain eye movements reduced the intensity of disturbing thoughts. The therapy has since become widely recognised for treating PTSD and other trauma-related conditions, including drug and alcohol addiction.

EMDR is based on the idea that trauma memories can get stuck, so a memory from years ago can feel as raw as if it happened yesterday. The therapy uses eye movement and sometimes tapping or sounds to help your brain process these stuck memories.

Many people with addiction have trauma in their past, including childhood abuse, assault, accidents, and grief. EMDR can work for alcohol and drug addiction, and also common types of behavioural addiction like gambling or sex addiction, where the behaviour is used to distract oneself from the symptoms of trauma.

Why does EMDR work for addiction treatment?

There are many unique qualities benefits of EMDR that make it very useful in drug and alcohol rehab treatment. Some of these benefits include:

Quick results

EMDR can potentially process specific traumatic events in just a few sessions, which is important in rehab treatment where time is limited. This is much faster than traditional trauma-focused talk therapy, which can take months or even years for major breakthroughs.

Less difficult talking about trauma

EMDR requires less talking than other therapies, so you can process traumatic memories without having to describe what happened. This makes it accessible for people who find talking difficult or retraumatising.

Reduced PTSD symptoms

EMDR can decrease the severity and frequency of PTSD symptoms, including flashbacks and nightmares, which sufferers often numb with drugs or alcohol.

Resolved shame

Shame about past trauma often drives substance use and addictive behaviours, but EMDR helps reprocess the shame attached to traumatic memories.

How EMDR works in addiction treatment

EMDR therapy treatment follows an eight-phase protocol. Alcohol and drug rehab centres sometimes modify this to fit their programme timeframes, but the basic phases are:

Phase 1: History taking

Your therapist learns about your addiction and identifies traumatic events contributing to it. You discuss which memories feel most disturbing and how they connect to drinking, drug use or addictive behaviours.

Phase 2: Preparation

The therapist teaches you ways to calm down if processing feels too intense. This phase is crucial because it will protect you when you start recalling the traumatic memories.

Phase 3: Assessment

This is when you identify specific traumatic memories to target. For each memory, you identify the most disturbing image, negative beliefs about yourself, and physical sensations associated with the memory.

Phase 4: Desensitisation

Next, you recall the traumatic memory while following the therapist’s fingers moving side to side. Sets of left-right eye movements last 20-30 seconds, and after each set, you report your thoughts and physical feelings. After multiple rounds, the memory will usually become less upsetting.

Phase 5-6: Installation and body scan

Once the memory feels less distressing, you then focus on a positive belief to replace any negative ones. For example, if the trauma made you feel powerless, you tell yourself that you now have control. Further eye movements help strengthen this new belief. You then check your body for any remaining tension or discomfort related to the memory. If you notice any, you carry on with more eye movements until your body feels clear.

Phase 7-8: Closure and re-evaluation

The session will usually end with calming techniques, and the future sessions will check if the memory still upsets you or if new issues have surfaced.

Limitations of EMDR treatment

EMDR therapy treatment does have some limitations and doesn’t work for everyone. Here are some things to understand when considering if EMDR for addiction is right for you:

It requires emotional stability

You must be emotionally stable enough to start EMDR because it can briefly intensify emotions. If you’re in crisis, actively suicidal, or severely dissociating, EMDR should wait until you have symptoms more under control.

It is not effective for all addiction types

If trauma doesn’t drive your substance use or behaviours, EMDR won’t be an effective primary treatment.

It requires trained therapists

Not all therapists are EMDR-trained, and even trained therapists can vary in experience. EMDR done badly can be ineffective or harmful, so proper training and supervision are crucial.

Time intensive

While faster than some trauma therapies, EMDR still needs several sessions per traumatic memory. Extremely complex trauma needs extended treatment, so some short-term programmes may not allow adequate EMDR work.

Finding EMDR therapy for addiction

When researching programmes, ask directly about EMDR availability and how it fits into treatment. You then need to check the therapists’ qualifications and ask how experienced they are in using EMDR for addiction.

Some programmes offer EMDR as part of a complete treatment with other therapies. Others specialise in trauma-focused treatment with EMDR at the centre. Neither approach is fundamentally better, so you just need to decide whether each centre’s EMDR programme suits your individual situation.

Next steps

If you have trauma contributing to your addiction, programmes including EMDR can make a huge difference. Recovery.org can explain which substance and behavioural rehab treatment centres offer EMDR therapy and how they incorporate it into treatment. Contact us today to explore what is available and begin the life-changing journey of recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can EMDR be done remotely, or does it require in-person sessions?

EMDR can be done remotely via video call, though many therapists prefer in-person sessions when possible. Remote EMDR sometimes uses different bilateral stimulation methods, such as following a moving dot on screen or using self-administered tapping. Some people find remote EMDR works well while others prefer in-person contact for trauma work.

How many EMDR sessions are typically needed for addiction treatment?

Session numbers differ greatly depending on trauma complexity. A single traumatic incident might need three to six sessions to process, while multiple traumas or complex developmental trauma might require months of weekly sessions. In residential treatment programmes, you might have EMDR 1-2 times weekly until traumatic memories no longer trigger distress or cravings. Your therapist will discuss expected timeframes based on your specific trauma history.

Will I have to describe traumatic events in detail during EMDR?

No, unlike traditional trauma therapy, which requires a detailed verbal description, EMDR needs only a brief identification of traumatic events. During processing, you recall the memory silently while making eye movements, and then report what you notice between sets without needing to narrate events. This makes EMDR more tolerable for people who find detailed trauma discussion retraumatising or too difficult.