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Several treatments are available for people who are living with drug and alcohol addiction. Those include medically supervised detox, live-in rehabilitation programs, counseling, and cognitive behavioral therapy to name a few. At this point, though, experts are exploring a new option. Known as EMDR therapy, this treatment has been in use for almost 40 years to treat an array of mental health disorders. Recent studies show that it could also be the latest breakthrough in helping people overcome addiction.

Photo by David Peinado

What Is EMDR Therapy?

Before delving into EMDR therapy for addiction, let's take a closer look at eye movement desensitization and reprocessing in general. It's based on the concept that mental disorders often stem from traumatic experiences, unresolved emotional issues, and the negative habits people develop to help them cope with those issues. EMDR therapy addresses those underlying problems by helping people look at their trauma, negative experiences, and emotions in a different light.

EMDR involves having a person recall a disturbing or traumatic experience while also taking part in bilateral stimulation. That's basically focusing on something while simultaneously thinking about a negative experience to activate multiple areas of the brain. In many cases, therapists use hand movements, auditory tones, or flashing lights to induce bilateral stimulation. This process can help train the brain to process information in different ways. As such, it may aid in reducing the impact of the negative thoughts and memories that cause people to turn to destructive behaviors.

How EMDR Therapy Helps in Addiction Treatment

For addiction treatment, EMDR therapy can be helpful in several ways. First of all, it addresses underlying trauma that may be responsible for addiction. Those who develop an addiction after having a traumatic or painful experience can benefit greatly from learning new ways of processing the feelings and memories associated with it. Finding new ways of processing those thoughts and feelings can reduce a person's need to use drugs or alcohol for self-medication or to avoid uncomfortable situations.

EMDR therapy can also help people develop more effective ways of regulating their emotions. That may help alleviate the intense emotional reactions they have to certain triggers. By extension, it can help them find more constructive ways of handling their emotions than turning to drugs or alcohol. EMDR is also highly effective at treating co-occurring disorders, including depression, anxiety, and PTSD. A significant portion of people who suffer from addiction also live with other emotional disorders. Treating those underlying conditions naturally helps to conquer the addiction that goes along with them.

Overcoming Addiction Through a Multifaceted Treatment Plan

Several treatments are available for people who are living with addiction. That being said, addiction is often a byproduct of other underlying conditions, such as PTSD, anxiety, and depression. It's also commonly the result of destructive ways of dealing with emotions that people learn over time because they've never been given any other options. With that being the case, those learned behaviors and underlying conditions must be addressed to truly treat addiction.

EMDR therapy should be used in conjunction with other treatments. Those include counseling, support groups, and cognitive behavioral therapy among other options. In many cases, rehab programs should also be part of an effective treatment plan. At the same time, EMDR may not be the answer for everyone. Different people respond to treatments in different ways. Though EMDR can be a helpful tool for battling addiction and other mental disorders, it's important to work with a qualified therapist to develop a well-rounded approach to treating addiction as well as its root causes.