You’ll likely learn about a wide range of therapies for those in addiction therapy. These are all different ways of approaching addiction to help you overcome it. One of the options you may learn about is EMDR therapy. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) sounds overwhelming, but it really does not have to be. What it can be for you is a way to work through your addiction. Harmony Hills can help you with this therapy.
How Does EMDR Therapy Work?
This type of therapy is often a component of addiction therapy. It is not the only thing used to treat you, but it can be a part of a larger picture of treatment options. In EMDR therapy, the goal is to break the connection between your memories and your actions and behaviors today.
If you are struggling with emotional trauma of some type, often due to disturbing life experiences, they may be all-consuming. You see visions of what happened repeatedly, especially when you encounter a specific smell or sound. For some people, seeing a specific person or going to a specific location triggers a negative response because of the tragic or traumatic event you experienced in that area.
The goal of EMDR and a trauma therapy program is to break that connection. That way, when you see and experience those things, they do not bring back the intensive feelings you’ve had previously. This can help to improve the overall quality of life.
What Happens During EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy is very important and beneficial. It works; this tells us that the brain can heal from many types of psychological trauma it’s encountered. It heals much in the same way that our bodies heal after harm. We just need to provide it with the tools to do so.
During this treatment process, your therapy is broken down into eight phases and generally takes several treatments. During the process, we work to plan and assess your needs. Then, we use EMDR therapy techniques to treat the targeted memories during your sessions. You will be asked to think about a negative thought. At the same time, we’ll create specific eye movements to help stimulate your brain. You may use tapping as a way to change these thought patterns, too.
What Are the Benefits of EMDR Therapy?
In individual therapy, the goal is always to break the need to use drugs or alcohol. That’s one of the benefits of this therapy. We can break that connection between thoughts or actions based on past trauma. The benefits of this therapy include:
- Reduced negative reactions to stimuli
- Improved control over thought processes
- Reductions in panic attacks and anxiety
- Reduced depression
- Less desire to use drugs or alcohol
- Better quality of life
Not everyone responds in the same way to this type of therapy. Yet, for those that do, the results can be very impressive. This type of therapy may be exactly what you need to break your addiction and the control it has over you.
As noted, EMDR therapy is a component of addiction therapy. We’ll use it alongside other therapies to help you overcome your addiction. Some of those other therapies include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Relapse prevention therapy
- 12-step therapy programs
It is a combination of these, along with both individual and group therapy, that can help you overcome your addiction. All you have to do is to reach out for help.
Choose to Get Help from Harmony Hills Today
EMDR therapy is one of the tools we offer at Harmony Hills. It may be exactly what you need as a component of your addiction therapy. Our team can help you find out. To learn more, we encourage you to call our professionals at 855.494.0357. Don’t put off your care. Call us today.
