title: Treating Trauma in Addiction with EMDR: A Pilot Study.
abstract: Abstract Objective: This study investigated the effects of standard eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) protocol in chronically dependent patients. We propose that reprocessing traumatic memories with EMDR would lead to measurable changes of addiction symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve patients with alcohol and/or drug dependency were randomly assigned to one of two treatment conditions: treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU plus eight sessions of EMDR (TAU+EMDR). Measures of PTSD symptoms, addiction symptoms, depression, anxiety, self-esteem, and alexithymia were included in this study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TAU+EMDR group showed a significant reduction in PTSD symptoms but not in addiction symptoms. EMDR treatment was also associated with a significant decrease in depressive symptoms, while patients receiving TAU showed no improvement in this area. The TAU+EMDR group also showed significant changes in self-esteem and alexithymia post-treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that PTSD symptoms can be successfully treated with standard EMDR protocol in substance abuse patients.
authors.affiliation: a Clinical Psychologist , Centre d'Etude et d'Information sur les Drogues (CEID), Bordeaux, France; Institut Michel Montaigne, Centre de Thérapies Familiales et de Traumatismes , Cenon , France.
authors.forename: Béatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Perez-Dandieu
authors.forename: Géraldine
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tapia
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D055030:Drug Users / Q000523:psychology*; D057169:Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012649:Self Concept; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: EMDR; PTSD; substance abuse; traumatic memory; treatment