FAQS About EMDR For Addiction

EMDR Addiction Treatment

EDMR addiction treatment has gained popularity recently. Here are some important things you should know about this new treatment.

What is EMDR Addiction Treatment?

EDMR is the acronym for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. The EDMR addiction treatment is a psychotherapy treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

EDMR uses orientation and stimulation to help patients process difficult memories.

PTSD as described here generally applies to military veterans, automobile crashes, and sexual assault. EMDR addiction treatment is a modern way of approaching these problems. Thus, it is regarded as “non-traditional”

EDMR has evolved over the years and is now used to treat other issues relating to substance abuse.

What Conditions does EMDR treat?

Conditions that EDMR can treat include panic attacks, anxiety, PTSD, phobias, addiction, alcoholism, eating disorders, and negative experiences.

How does EDMR Treat Addiction?

EDMR treats addiction from the perspective of trauma. Usually, addictions are tied to a past traumatic experience.

So, EDMR treatment focuses on past trauma. By treating this past trauma, EDMR destroys the root of the problem and not just the symptoms of addiction.

EDMR addiction treatment consists of 8 phases.

Phase 1- Identifying the Trauma.

Phase 2- Visual Imagery and Stress Reduction.

Phase 3-6: Identifying self-defeating beliefs and other negative emotions.

Phase 7-8: Introducing calming techniques and post evaluation.

How does EDMR Treat Alcoholism?

Just like the treatment of addiction, EDMR focuses on the perspective of trauma when treating alcoholism.

By focusing on a past traumatic event that triggered alcoholism, EDMR attempts to treat the root cause of the problem.

When should EDMR not be used?

EDMR can only be used on patients that are stable or not actively using abusing substances or alcohol.

If the patient is currently unstable or stressed, then the EDMR treatment should be not be used.

What is the success rate of EDMR?

EDMR has a success rate of 80%. Thus, EDMR is considered to have high efficacy levels.

How long does an EDMR Session Last?

EDMR sessions usually last for an hour. In some situations, it can last for as long as 90 minutes.

Is EDMR a form of Hypnosis?

No, EDMR has a distinct process from hypnosis. EDMR is a branch of psychotherapy that focuses on helping people deal with trauma and past memories. This is done through desensitization and bilateral stimulation.

However, hypnosis keeps people in a trance-like state. This is done to help the patient reach a goal or target.

What are the Eight (8) Phases of EDMR?

The eight phases used in treating EDMR include:

Analyzing the history of the patient
Treatment Planning
Complete evaluation of patient’s condition
Desensitization
Installation
Scan
Conclusion
Post-Evaluation

Is EDMR Permanent?

Yes, EDMR results in a permanent reduction of stress and trauma associated with an event. While this is true, EDMR does not take away the memories of this event.

In most cases, people still remember these events. They are just less distressing.

Does EDMR have Side Effects?

Yes, EDMR comes with some side effects. This includes