by In a pilot study conducted by Florida Atlantic University (FAU), a promising new treatment modality for addiction cravings has been discovered. The study combined eye movements and guided instructions in a therapy known as Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR), which has proven effective in treating conditions such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety. The research aimed to explore the potential of EMDR for treating substance use disorder, as relapse rates for individuals with addiction remain high, reaching up to 70 percent even with outpatient sober support services.
The study focused on the idea that cravings are fueled by vivid sensory imagery stored in memories. The goal was to transform these dysfunctional memories through processing and integration. Addiction memory, similar to maladaptive traumatic memory seen in PTSD, is believed to be episodic in nature. EMDR has been found to reduce the vividness of negative memories associated with trauma, leading the researchers to hypothesize that it could also reduce the vivid imagery that intensifies addiction cravings.
Elizabeth Woodruff, the first author of the study and a practicing clinical therapist in West Palm Beach, explains that the therapy accesses trauma events to reprocess the negative memories and “repair” the mental injury caused by them. The study specifically focused on cravings, perseverative thoughts (repetitive negative thinking), and irrational cognitions related to the substance of choice. Addiction-focused EMDR was tested with and without cognitive-behavioral therapy, a psycho-social intervention aimed at reducing symptoms of mental health conditions.
The results, published in the Journal of Evidence-based Social Work, showed a nearly 100 percent participant retention rate. Addiction-focused EMDR was found to be as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy for reducing cravings. Moreover, the combination of both therapies resulted in a greater reduction in cravings compared to cognitive-behavioral therapy alone. Both the experimental group, receiving Addiction-focused EMDR, and the control group, receiving only cognitive-behavioral therapy, experienced significant reductions in cravings, perseverative thoughts, and irrational cognitions, with the experimental group showing greater overall decreases.
JuYoung Park, Ph.D., second author and a professor in FAU’s Phyllis and Harvey Sandler School of Social Work, notes that while the study initially focused on chemical addiction cravings, the findings indicate that Addiction-focused EMDR can also be effective for non-chemical compulsive issues such as Internet addiction and gambling. However, further randomized control trials are needed to confirm these findings and determine the number of sessions required for statistically significant and replicable outcomes.
EMDR is an eight-phase intervention that involves client history, preparation, assessment, desensitization, installment, body scan, closure, and reevaluation. In the experimental group, participants received 60 minutes of individual cognitive-behavioral therapy followed by Addiction-focused EMDR once a week. The therapy targeted past memories of relapse and cravings, as well as current triggers. Future fears were also addressed and desensitized using Addiction-focused EMDR.
The study found that 57 percent of participants reported alcohol as their primary substance of dependence, while 20 percent reported heroin or other opiates. Currently, individuals with substance use disorder often undergo inpatient treatment that includes group therapy, education on addiction, coping skills, and cognitive-behavioral therapy. Pharmacological options such as anti-craving drugs are also utilized.
Perseverative thoughts were found to be a significant predictor of relapse. The researchers suggested that combining Addiction-focused EMDR with cognitive-behavioral therapy could decrease relapse rates and support individuals with substance use disorder in maintaining long-term recovery, both in inpatient and outpatient treatment settings.
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1. Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
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