What is EMDR Therapy for Addiction?

What is EMDR Therapy for Addiction?

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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychological methodology that is being applied to a wide variety of psychological disorders and to the treatment of substance abuse. EMDR is a structured, client-centered treatment modality that integrates key elements of several different approaches: behavioral, cognitive, body-oriented, intrapsychic, and interactional.
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TheEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is supposed to only be administered by a trained clinician who is both experienced and educated in this approach. The use of EMDR requires a comprehensive client history and extensive preparation so that the client is able to deal with the high levels of disturbance the treatment often engenders.

The Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing experts use horizontal eye movements or other repetitive or bi-lateral stimulation such as tapping or auditory tones during the session. The EMDR therapy for addiction is turning out to be a very successful treatment, and this is why the majority of addiction treatment facilities are offering it now as a preferred option for their patients.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy appear to have a direct effect on the way the human brain processes information. After a successful EMDR session, normal information processing resumes. The patient no longer relives the images, sounds, and feelings when the traumatic event is brought to mind. It isn’t that you don’t remember what happened, but the memory is less upsetting. While many therapies have similar goals, EMDR seems to be similar to what occurs during rapid eye movement (REM), sleep, or daydreaming. You can think of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing as a psychological-based therapy that can help the patients see disturbing things in a new, different and less upsetting way.

A session for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing lasts for 60-90 minutes, which is conducted in phases to identify traumatic experiences, desensitize the patient to those experiences or memories so that they are no longer disturbing from an emotional standpoint, and help the patient form positive feelings about themselves and their experiences. It can also be employed within a standard talk therapy as an adjunct therapy with a separate therapist.

Studies have shown that 78% of veterans no longer met the criteria for PTSD after 12 EMDR treatment sessions. 77-90% of civilians no longer suffered from the symptoms meeting PTSD diagnosis after 3 to 7 EMDR treatment sessions. This is the very reason addiction drug rehabs centers offer EMDR as part of their treatment program.

Addiction rehab centers specialize in the care of addicts. They have trained staff to serve people with addiction problems. For this reason, they offer the internship service and guarantee that the patients will not relapse into their addiction for the reason that they offer a special plan to avoid relapse. Handling addicts is a delicate issue. Thus, you must leave it in the hands of experts for a surefire remedy. The experts at addiction rehab centers make the addicts return to their family, work, and social environment. They help addicts get control of themselves and get out of the addiction pothole.

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