EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a kind of treatment that employs visual stimulation to alleviate the effects of trauma. According to a study, there is a correlation between eye movements and painful recollections. It is possible to lessen the powerful emotions commonly connected with such memories by stimulating the patient's eyesight and asking them to recollect memories. In therapy for anxiety disorders, panic attacks, PTSD, and trauma, EMDR may be very beneficial.
How EDMR Therapy Works
Psychotherapies place a high value on using interpersonal strategies to address mental health difficulties. For those who have experienced traumatic situations, EMDR may help them access and process their memories in ways that alleviate their discomfort.
Many people feel better after receiving EMDR treatment. They recall their memories more quickly, and triggering flashbacks don’t plague them. EMDR is most known for its use of eye movements, but it also incorporates several other treatment modalities.
No One Said It Would Be Easy But It Would Be Worth It!
Clients in EMDR treatment are asked to recall an unpleasant experience and concentrate on the therapist's moving hand. The eye movement directs a patient's attention away from the upsetting recollection and toward external stimuli. Some therapists use aural stimulation in addition to eye movements.
To access internal connections associated with memory, scientists feel that eye movement is necessary. A therapist may advise patients to think of powerful words so that they might associate the memory with positive feelings whenever it comes.
EMDR therapy comprises eight stages. In treatment, the therapist assists the patient in overcoming painful experiences, dealing with daily stressors, and developing lifetime stress management skills. EMDR treatment may help people overcome their previous trauma and plan for their future.
In addition to trauma, EMDR therapy can help those coping with addiction. Addictions and compulsions are typically the results of several traumas that make it difficult for people to recognize the truth of their clinical situation. Addiction may be compared to the smoldering ash left after a traumatic event.
It is not the goal of recovery-oriented therapy to extinguish the smoke momentarily. Instead, the goal is to put out the fire while enhancing one's firefighting abilities. New neural pathways to healthy thinking may be created by desensitizing addiction and memory networks. It's possible to tailor an EMDR therapy strategy to a patient's unique capabilities and feelings of self-determination.
Addictions and accompanying behaviors must be considered when determining which areas to focus on when treating a client with a history of trauma and addiction. When a person has a substance or alcohol use disorder, they develop a unique memory related to their cravings and compulsions to use or act.
Trauma-focused EMDR therapy may be used with standard EMDR therapy to treat addiction by focusing on parts of the past, such as cravings and desires. Targeting memories that prevent the client from engaging in healthy habits is a way to address protective factors.
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Benefits of EDMR Therapy
Many people experience crippling negative responses to recalling traumatic events before having EMDR. After EMDR treatment, patients can generally identify that their feelings are linked to a prior experience and control them correctly. For those who are struggling with addiction, EMDR provides the following advantages:
Combines effectively with other treatment modalities
Other therapies, including medicine, may be used with EMDR therapy. When used with medication-assisted treatment, EMDR therapy is safe since it doesn't need prescriptions. Addiction recovery requires a holistic approach that addresses your physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being.
Reduces sensitivity to memories associated with a particular substance
In other cases, trauma is not the underlying cause of addiction. As a result, it is related to a reward, which is the intoxicated feeling. Recalling the positive sensations connected with drug usage might lead to a relapse. These pleasant memories may be desensitized using EMDR treatment. The central nervous system is rewired, so the chain of addictive and rewarding behaviors is broken.
Alters your perception of the world
An inability to think occurs when the sympathetic nervous system is stimulated by recollecting a triggering event. Many people find that EMDR treatment helps them experience the world more positively. Recovery from trauma allows people to see that they're not reliving the event repeatedly. As a result, many individuals can let go of the bad feelings they've harbored.
Improves self-regulation
At first, you may be apprehensive about the feelings that EMDR therapy might evoke. Your therapist, on the other hand, will help you find coping mechanisms for dealing with these overwhelming emotions. You can learn the skill of emotional self-regulation and improve your stress management. You'll gradually be able to react to emotional circumstances more healthily as your capacity to handle stress increases.
Reframe. Rethink. Recover.
At Wish Recovery, our multidisciplinary teams are there to support your needs. We promote healing and complete well-being as you conquer your most complex challenges. With techniques like EDMR, we use our holistic approach to ensure you have all you need to recover, reconstruct your thinking, and rebuild your life. At Wish Recovery, we offer you a comprehensive and integrated addiction program, and we’ll be there with you every step of your journey to long-lasting change.
