If you or a loved one has a mental health condition such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety or addiction, you may have heard that Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a potential solution. But what is EMDR therapy, and how can you expect it to help reduce the effects of mental illness? 

EMDR therapy is a treatment primarily used to improve symptoms in PTSD patients, but positive results have been shown for those struggling with other mental illnesses such as personality or mood disorders. The purpose of EMDR therapy is to desensitize a person from the negative feelings associated with their condition. 

Though EMDR therapy is a relatively new and uncommon practice, many people find it helpful for alleviating the painful thoughts and feelings that arise with PTSD. If you're interested in an EMDR appointment for you or a loved one, it’s critical to understand that the process requires setting realistic expectations and understanding the process in its entirety before you book time with a therapist. 

1. Difficult Emotions

The premise of EMDR therapy is that you recount difficult emotions associated with your condition while the doctor performs visual stimulation. One essential element of a successful EMDR session is that a patient can face those difficult emotions in an effort to heal. 

This type of therapy requires emotional vulnerability, which can be hard for many patients. You or your loved one will have to discuss your issue directly and openly—something that not all patients are ready to do. If you feel comfortable and prepared to discuss potentially traumatic memories or triggering thoughts and emotions with your therapist, EMDR may be the right choice.

2. Bilateral Stimulation

The main purpose of EMDR is to reduce and ultimately eliminate the negative emotions associated with a negative experience. To do this, the doctor will perform bilateral stimulation. 

Bilateral stimulation is a type of stimulus that uses a repetitive lateral motion of light, sound, or motion to help desensitize the patient to their negative experience. While the bilateral stimulation is performed, the therapist will also prompt you to integrate positive thoughts to replace the negative ones. 

One study suggests that this horizontal side-to-side movement can help the patient recall pleasant memories and elicit a sense of calmness and relaxation. It is also thought that the back-and-forth motion of the eyes in light bilateral stimulation might even mimic your eyes in REM sleep—a state that allows a person to process the day’s events, which is akin to processing a difficult memory in a therapy session.

3. Positive Thinking

Ultimately, the goal of EMDR is to eliminate your painful memories and replace them with positive emotions. 

The standard process for EMDR therapy starts with an overview of the patient’s history and treatment plan, followed by introducing the EMDR process and developing effective coping strategies. The patient is taught how to recall positive thoughts and feelings while desensitizing them to the traumatic ones.

4. Revisiting Your Feelings

At the end of each treatment session, the therapist will ask you to assess your negative feelings or thoughts. This is to gauge how effective the treatment is and how the therapist may need to approach the next session. While some patients may be receptive to the initial processes and sessions, if your doctor does not see improvement, they may try another method of bilateral stimulation or rework your treatment plan. 

Ultimately, everyone’s condition will vary, making it hard to predict how effective EMDR therapy will be for your individual needs. Work with your doctor and communicate when you feel progress or a lack thereof to give yourself the best chance at recovery.

5. Results Will Take Time

Like most forms of therapy, EMDR takes time to show results. It doesn’t work in a single session. While you may feel better after each session, the end goal is to unravel the complex emotions of your condition—and that takes time and patience with yourself and your therapist. 

The time it takes to see results will also depend on the extent of the trauma or issues you’re facing. Deep-rooted trauma that consists of multiple or repeated events will likely take more sessions to wade through than an isolated event. Sessions can last from around 60-90 minutes and take anywhere from a few sessions to 12 or more. Again, this wholly depends on the patient’s individual experience and receptivity to therapy.

Does EMDR Therapy Work?

In a review of 90 different studies where patients used EMDR therapy, over 75% showed positive outcomes. EMDR therapy is shown to work for patients with several different types of mental illnesses, especially PTSD, although studies are expanding to include other conditions such as addiction, eating disorders, and more. 

EMDR therapy attempts to dispel painful memories and negative emotions by replacing them with positive ones while undergoing bilateral stimulation. It is practiced by thousands of therapists across the country and has demonstrated encouraging results for many patients. While it may not work for everybody, EMDR therapy is a tool to consider in your therapy journey.

If you've been asking, "What is EMDR therapy?", for yourself or a loved one, continue your research and reach out to ask how EMDR therapy can help you.