VIRTUAL EMDR BLOG

University Study: EMDR Therapy Key to Addiction Sobriety


20 Jun 2018

Tag: Addiction

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Studies show EMDR Therapy effective in treating addictions and cravings. So why aren’t more people using it yet?  This research article shows the results of a recent scientific study using EMDR EYE Movement Therapy to treat addictions.  The researchers found some amazing results in using EMDR to help people deal with their addiction and mental health problems.
 
The study CLINICAL TRIALS- EMDR Reprocessing of the Addiction Memory: Pretreatment, Posttreatment, and 1-Month Follow-Up was conducted by a combination of medical doctors and therapy professionals based in Germany at Hanover Medical School and also Munich Technical University. 

Here’s the amazing part: 
“Thirty-four patients with chronic alcohol dependency were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions: treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU plus two sessions of EMDR (TAU+EMDR). The craving for alcohol was measured by the Obsessive–Compulsive Drinking Scale (OCDS) pre-, post-, and 1 month after treatment. The TAU+EMDR group showed a significant reduction in craving posttreatment and 1 month after treatment, whereas TAU did not.”

Basically the results of the study show that the EMDR Therapy, when added to a standard treatment program, helped these patients to stay sober. And this is just one of many studies conducted on the effectiveness of EMDR Therapy. (The most famous EMDR study shows it to be more effective than Prozac in treating patients with depression)
This is one of many of these kinds of studies that I have read about. In fact, the company that owns this website Virtual EMDR is currently in the middle of a one-year-long peer-reviewed scientific study on the effectiveness of online, at-home EMDR Therapy on people who have single-incident trauma symptoms. Ours will be one of the biggest studies of its kind because we have had more than 200 initial volunteers give us their time to do the research.

The patients in the Hanover Medical School and Munich Technical University study all self-identified as being alcohol addicted and were seeking treatment in a German regional psychiatric hospital. The patients were tested and those that identified as having a regular and frequent cravings for alcohol were considered for participation.

The patients selected for the study had on average been alcohol dependent for around 11 years. All patients were put through a brief initial detoxification program before the study began.

Six months after the study was completed, the patients were contacted for a follow-up interview. The group who had EMDR Therapy in addition to the TAU (Treatment As Usual) had a substantially smaller rate of relapse.

Due to the positive results of studies like this, more and more mental health hospitals, inpatient treatment facilities and drug and alcohol rehabs are offering EMDR as part of their standard suite of services to help their patients become sober or deal with their symptoms of trauma/PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other mental health problems.

In fact, Virtual EMDR is currently partnering with a large addiction rehab hospital in the Midwest. We will be making a big announcement about this in 2018. 

View Comments

Amy Karman · 19 Jun 2018

I see awesome results with emdr for porn addiction too! EMDR such a gift to the profession of counseling.

Jeff Tejcek · 19 Jun 2018

Our addictions protocol works amazing with both porn addiction and sex addiction. Would you like to try it out with your clients? Contact us.

Amy Karman · 19 Jun 2018

Sounds good!! I’d like to try it out. Amy@agapechristiantherapy.com

hantuseo · 01 Aug 2018

This very good.

autoketing.com · 11 Aug 2018

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dichvu vinaphone · 23 Aug 2018

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Customer Experience Management Software · 28 Aug 2018

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reconnective healing amsterdam · 01 Sep 2018

After reading this blog, I would like to demand more articles again and again. I am feeling myself as satisfy by got to know these all such information which never came to my knowledge. Please writer more.

thành đức · 23 Oct 2018

This comment has been removed by an administrator.

Sheila · 16 Apr 2019

For alcohol addiction; what are you visualizing during the treatments?

tctruongson · 25 Apr 2019

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Beata Szwed · 04 Oct 2023

Po przeczytaniu tego bloga chciałbym raz po raz domagać się więcej artykułów. Czuję satysfakcję, że poznałem te wszystkie informacje, o których nigdy nie miałem pojęcia. Proszę pisać więcej.

Christa Grant · 16 Jan 2020

I'm was a sexually slavery as a child. Sold at 14 for $2000 to a man who i was forced to married at 16. I got away but the abuse of my family follow me everywhere. I had untreated Complex ptsd. Then i got into therapist who showed me EMDR. I work on so much. But she left the small town i live in. No one would take my insurance so more help. I started Google's EMDR online. Virtual EMDR. My life is so full. I dont have to look over my shoulder anyone. I dont have to have my back against the wall and watching door and windows for exits. This what i thought everyone lived like.

Reply

Virtual EMDR · 18 Feb 2020

Hi Christa - Thanks so much for sharing your story! So thrilled to hear that you have been able to get over your childhood trauma and that your life is now what you deserve. Congratulations on taking that important step towards healing! May the light of strength and positivity always shine on you. Good luck!

Reply

Thulani Dzete · 18 Jun 2020

I'm leaving in South Africa how can l be EMDR as well,,, is it possible become I'm going through social phobia issue

Reply

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