Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured form of psychotherapy that helps people process distressing memories and experiences.
Although it has particularly strong research support for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), EMDR is also used for addiction, anxiety, depression, grief, and other emotional difficulties.
In addiction treatment, EMDR may help address cravings and triggers connected to substance use.
These can include stressful situations, uncomfortable emotions, memories, or familiar environments that bring up the desire to drink alcohol or use drugs.
Research suggests that EMDR may help reduce substance-related cravings, particularly when they are connected to emotionally significant memories or learned associations.
However, the findings vary across studies, and improvements in cravings do not always lead to measurable reductions in substance use.
Understanding how cravings and triggers develop can help explain why EMDR is used to address them and what the available research has found.
What Are Addiction-Related Cravings and Triggers?
A craving is an urge or desire to use a substance. Cravings can vary in intensity and duration, and they may occur even after someone has reduced or stopped using alcohol or drugs.
A trigger is something that brings up an urge to use a substance. Triggers may involve emotions, memories, physical sensations, people, places, or situations associated with previous substance use.
For example, someone who regularly drinks alcohol after work may begin to associate finishing the workday with drinking. Over time, simply arriving home may bring up the desire for alcohol.
Another person may experience cravings when feeling anxious, lonely, or upset because substance use has previously provided temporary relief from those feelings.
Cravings and triggers are connected, but they are not the same. A trigger is something that prompts a response, while a craving is the urge that may follow.
Recognizing this distinction helps explain how different addiction treatments address substance use patterns.
Why Do Certain Memories and Experiences Trigger Cravings?
Substance use can become associated with particular experiences through learning and repetition.
When alcohol or drugs are repeatedly used in certain situations, those situations may begin to produce an expectation of the substance's effects.
For example, someone who uses alcohol to relax after stressful experiences may gradually associate alcohol with emotional relief.
Similarly, a person who frequently uses drugs in a particular social environment may experience cravings when returning to that environment.
These associations can become familiar responses, even when someone no longer wants to use the substance.
Memories can also influence cravings. Remembering a previous experience involving alcohol or drugs may bring up anticipation of the feelings associated with that experience.
Some addiction-focused EMDR approaches work directly with these memories and associations.
How Might EMDR Help Reduce Addiction Cravings?
EMDR uses a structured process that involves focusing on selected memories or experiences while engaging in bilateral stimulation.
Bilateral stimulation commonly involves following a moving object from side to side with the eyes. Alternating sounds or gentle tapping may also be used.
In addiction treatment, EMDR may focus on memories that contribute to the desire to use substances.
For example, someone might associate drinking alcohol with a sense of relief after a difficult day. An addiction-focused EMDR approach may target memories involving that expected relief.
The aim is to reduce the influence of the memory or association on the person's current emotional response.
Researchers have proposed that holding an emotionally significant memory in mind while performing eye movements may affect how vividly or strongly that memory is experienced.
This is one possible explanation for how EMDR may influence addiction-related memories, although the exact mechanisms involved are still being studied.
EMDR does not necessarily eliminate cravings entirely. Instead, it may reduce the intensity of certain urges or help change the emotional associations that contribute to them.
What Is Addiction-Focused EMDR?
Addiction-focused EMDR refers to adaptations of EMDR that address memories, emotions, and experiences associated with addictive behaviors.
Standard EMDR frequently focuses on distressing memories connected to trauma. Addiction-focused approaches may also target memories of substance use, anticipated rewards, cravings, or situations associated with drinking or drug use.
For example, an addiction-focused EMDR session might involve identifying a memory of using alcohol and focusing on the feelings or expectations associated with that experience.
The memory may then be processed using bilateral stimulation.
Some approaches focus on the anticipated pleasure or relief associated with substance use, while others address distressing experiences that contribute to cravings.
The specific approach depends on the person's history and the patterns they want to change.
Researchers have examined whether these adaptations can reduce cravings and improve addiction-related outcomes.
What Does Research Say About EMDR and Cravings?
Several studies have investigated whether EMDR can reduce cravings among people experiencing substance use disorders.
The findings include results from individual clinical trials and meta-analyses, which combine evidence from multiple studies.
A 2008 Study Found Reduced Alcohol Cravings
A randomized controlled study published in the Journal of EMDR Practice and Research in 2008 examined EMDR in 34 people with chronic alcohol dependence.
Researchers Michael Hase, Sabine Schallmayer, and Martin Sack compared regular addiction treatment with regular treatment plus two EMDR sessions.
The EMDR sessions focused on addiction-related memories, including experiences associated with drinking and loss of control.
Researchers measured alcohol cravings before treatment, after treatment, and one month later.
Participants receiving EMDR reported significantly reduced cravings after treatment and at the one-month follow-up. The regular-treatment group did not show the same improvement.
These findings suggested that processing addiction-related memories through EMDR might help reduce alcohol cravings.
However, the study involved a relatively small number of participants and did not establish whether the effects continued beyond the short follow-up period.
A 2020 Study Found Mixed Results
A larger randomized clinical trial published in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research in 2020 examined addiction-focused EMDR among 109 adults receiving outpatient treatment for alcohol use disorder.
Participants received either regular addiction treatment alone or regular treatment plus seven weekly EMDR sessions.
Researchers examined alcohol consumption, cravings, and other recovery-related outcomes, with follow-up extending to six months.
The study did not find a statistically significant overall benefit from adding EMDR to regular treatment.
Although a somewhat greater proportion of participants receiving EMDR experienced meaningful reductions in cravings, the findings did not demonstrate that EMDR consistently improved craving outcomes or drinking behavior.
The researchers concluded that the addiction-focused EMDR approach tested had not produced an additional measurable benefit for alcohol consumption.
This study highlights an important distinction: an intervention may influence cravings for some individuals without demonstrating an overall improvement in substance use outcomes.
What Have Meta-Analyses Found About EMDR and Cravings?
Meta-analyses combine findings from several studies to examine whether results follow a consistent pattern.
The 2024 Meta-Analysis
A 2024 meta-analysis published in Brain Sciences examined whether EMDR reduced cravings among people experiencing substance use disorders.
The analysis included five studies involving 266 participants.
Researchers found a statistically significant overall reduction in cravings among participants receiving EMDR compared with control conditions.
The results suggested that EMDR may help reduce the desire to use substances.
However, the included studies differed in the substances examined, treatment approaches, session durations, and comparison conditions.
These differences limit how confidently the findings can be applied to every type of addiction.
The 2025 Meta-Analysis
A broader meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Psychiatry in September 2025 examined 14 studies involving EMDR for substance use disorders.
Researchers evaluated addiction-related outcomes, including cravings and addiction severity, along with emotional symptoms such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
The analysis found a statistically significant improvement in cravings, with a moderate overall effect size of 0.55.
An effect size is a statistical measure used to describe the magnitude of a difference or change observed in research.
The researchers also found improvements in PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms.
However, the overall effect on addiction severity was not statistically significant.
The analysis identified differences in craving outcomes according to the type of substance use disorder and the research design. It also noted limitations in study quality and the availability of long-term follow-up data.
These findings support the possibility that EMDR can help reduce cravings, while leaving questions about its effects on sustained substance use reduction and recovery.
Can EMDR Help With Emotional Triggers?
Some addiction-related triggers involve emotional experiences rather than direct reminders of alcohol or drugs.
For example, a person may experience an urge to use substances when feeling rejected, anxious, frustrated, or reminded of a difficult event.
If substance use has repeatedly provided temporary emotional relief, these feelings may become associated with the desire to drink or use drugs.
EMDR may help address memories and emotional reactions connected to these patterns.
For someone whose cravings are associated with past trauma, EMDR may be used to process distressing memories that contribute to emotional discomfort.
Reducing the distress associated with these memories may help change how the person responds when similar feelings arise.
The research supporting EMDR for PTSD is particularly relevant when trauma-related symptoms and addiction occur together.
However, improvements in trauma-related distress do not automatically establish that substance cravings or use will decrease.
Can EMDR Help With Environmental Triggers?
Environmental triggers include familiar places, objects, routines, or social situations associated with substance use.
For example, someone may experience cravings when passing a particular bar, spending time with people they previously used drugs with, or returning to a familiar drinking environment.
These responses can develop because the environment has become associated with previous substance use.
Addiction-focused EMDR may target memories connected to these situations.
For example, a person might work with a specific memory involving alcohol use in a familiar environment, rather than addressing the location itself.
Processing the memory may influence the emotional response or expectations associated with that situation.
However, research has not established that EMDR consistently eliminates responses to environmental triggers.
Other approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, may help people recognize these situations and develop practical ways to respond to them.
EMDR may complement these strategies by addressing relevant memories and emotional associations.
Does Reducing Cravings Mean Someone Is Less Likely to Relapse?
Not necessarily.
Cravings are one factor that can influence substance use, but addiction recovery involves several different processes.
A person may experience fewer cravings while continuing to face difficulties involving habits, physical dependence, social influences, or environmental triggers.
Similarly, someone may experience occasional cravings without returning to substance use.
This is why addiction researchers measure different outcomes separately.
A study may find improvements in craving intensity without finding significant changes in alcohol or drug consumption.
The 2020 alcohol-focused EMDR trial illustrates this distinction. Although some participants experienced reduced cravings, the study did not find that adding EMDR improved overall drinking outcomes.
The 2025 meta-analysis also found improvements in cravings without a statistically significant overall reduction in addiction severity.
Therefore, reducing cravings may be a meaningful benefit, but current research does not establish that EMDR reliably prevents relapse.
Can EMDR Be Combined With Other Treatments for Cravings?
Yes. EMDR may be used alongside other approaches to addiction treatment.
Different treatments address different aspects of substance use.
For example, cognitive behavioral therapy may help someone recognize patterns that contribute to cravings and develop alternative responses.
Certain medications can also help reduce cravings or support treatment for specific substance use disorders.
EMDR may complement these approaches by focusing on memories and emotional associations related to substance use.
Someone whose cravings are strongly connected to difficult memories may find it useful to address those experiences while also working on changing substance use patterns.
This combination allows different aspects of addiction to be addressed without relying on one treatment to meet every need.
Does EMDR Work for Every Type of Addiction Craving?
Researchers have examined EMDR in relation to different substances, including alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs.
However, study findings are not identical across substance use disorders.
The 2025 meta-analysis found that craving outcomes differed between alcohol or drug use groups and nicotine use groups.
Other differences between studies, including treatment methods and participant characteristics, also influenced the results.
This means findings involving alcohol cravings cannot automatically be applied to nicotine or other drug cravings.
The available evidence supports the potential usefulness of EMDR for cravings across some substance use disorders, but it does not establish that the treatment works equally well for every substance or individual.
What Are the Main Limitations of the Research?
Although studies have reported reductions in cravings following EMDR, several questions remain.
Many studies have relatively small samples, making it difficult to determine how consistently the findings apply to larger populations.
Researchers also use different EMDR approaches. Some target addiction-related memories directly, while others focus on past trauma or emotional symptoms.
Another challenge is that cravings are often measured through self-report questionnaires. These measures provide useful information about a person's experiences but do not necessarily demonstrate changes in substance consumption.
Long-term outcomes are also important. A reduction in cravings immediately after treatment does not establish that the improvement will continue for months or years.
The 2025 meta-analysis identified limited long-term follow-up data and generally low study quality as important limitations.
Further research can help clarify which approaches are most useful and whether reductions in cravings lead to sustained improvements in addiction-related outcomes.
Is EMDR Worth Considering for Addiction-Related Cravings and Triggers?
EMDR may be useful for people whose cravings are closely connected to distressing memories, emotional experiences, or learned associations.
For someone who experiences strong cravings in response to trauma-related distress, EMDR may help address the underlying emotional experiences.
For someone whose cravings are mainly associated with habitual routines or environmental cues, addiction-focused EMDR may offer another way to work with those associations.
The available research suggests that EMDR can reduce cravings for some people, although responses differ and changes in substance use are less consistent.
Its usefulness depends partly on the specific experiences contributing to the cravings and the broader treatment goals.
The Bottom Line
EMDR may help reduce addiction-related cravings by addressing memories and emotional associations connected to substance use.
Research provides evidence of craving reduction, including findings from a 2008 alcohol-dependence study and meta-analyses published in 2024 and 2025.
However, a larger 2020 randomized clinical trial did not find a significant overall benefit from adding addiction-focused EMDR to regular alcohol treatment.
The evidence also distinguishes improvements in cravings from changes in substance consumption, addiction severity, and long-term relapse.
Overall, research suggests that EMDR may help reduce certain addiction-related cravings and address emotional triggers. However, its effects on long-term substance use and relapse prevention remain less certain.
For people whose cravings are connected to distressing memories, emotional difficulties, or past trauma, EMDR may be a useful part of a broader addiction recovery approach.
References
1. Hase, M., Schallmayer, S., & Sack, M. (2008). EMDR reprocessing of the addiction memory: Pretreatment, posttreatment, and 1-month follow-up. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 2(3), 170–179. https://doi.org/10.1891/1933-3196.2.3.170
2. Markus, W., Hornsveld, H. K., Burk, W. J., de Weert-van Oene, G. H., Becker, E. S., & DeJong, C. A. J. (2020). Addiction-focused eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy as an adjunct to regular outpatient treatment for alcohol use disorder: Results from a randomized clinical trial. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 44(1), 272–283. https://doi.org/10.1111/acer.14249
3. Martínez-Fernández, D. E., Fernández-Quezada, D., Garzón-Partida, A. P., Aguilar-García, I. G., García-Estrada, J., & Luquin, S. (2024). The effect of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy on reducing craving in populations with substance use disorder: A meta-analysis. Brain Sciences, 14(11), 1110. https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci14111110
4. Seok, J.-W., Kim, K., & Kim, J. U. (2025). Therapeutic effects of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for substance use disorders: A meta-analysis of addiction-related and emotional symptoms. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 16, 1660046. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1660046
