emdr smoking
 

Can EMDR help me to quit smoking??? I have been addcted for over 30 years and have quit and relapsed several times.. This addiction is so strong.. Does anyone know if there is any evidence that EMDR can be useful with smoking cessation??

Re: emdr smoking
 

I don't know any controlled studies on point. Clinically I'd say it depends upon the nature of the cause of the addiction. Some people smoke because of unmet early dependency needs. EMDR may help with that.

EMDR can be used clinically to desensitize the environmental stimuli or triggers that prompt smoking, the internal urge to smoke, beliefs about self and smoking, the specific behaviors or perameters of the smoking, and the consequences of the smoking. This takes alot of what is unconcious and makes it conscious.

Any time addictive behaviors are used to manage tension, there is a possibility that EMDR can be used to clear the unaddressed reservoirs of emotion that feed that tension, or clear any impediments to experiencing ones emotions.

So those are some ways EMDR CAN be used clinically, but I know of no controlled studies on this question.