EMDR has seen a huge growth in popularity when it comes to trauma treatment. It has proven to be extremely effective for many people, allowing them to reprocess their trauma so it doesn’t seem so overwhelming, and doesn’t completely take over their lives. 

Because of the success of EMDR, it’s completely normal to wonder what else it might be able to help with. 

Maybe you’re not necessarily struggling with trauma, but something else in your life is invading your thoughts and making it difficult to lead a full, calm, happy life. So, can you use EMDR for other conditions? What can you expect from the process if you do? 

Let’s take a closer look at some of the conditions that might benefit from this type of therapy. 

Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression are two of the most common mental health conditions in the world. Millions of people in the United States struggle with them in different severities. Some people can even have a hard time functioning due to extreme fear or sadness. 

Because these conditions are so common, there are plenty of treatment options available for both. However, EMDR can be very effective—especially if you’ve tried other forms of talk therapy that haven’t worked as well. 

When used to treat trauma, EMDR is designed to help you desensitize yourself to the traumatic event and reprocess your thoughts so it doesn’t seem so overwhelming. It works the same way when it comes to anxiety and depression. By getting to the root cause(s) of your condition, you can start to reprocess your thoughts so they’re not so overwhelming or frightening. 

Along the same line, EMDR can help people who deal with panic attacks or severe phobias. 

Grief and Loss

Everyone deals with grief differently. However, the stages of grief are important to go through when it comes to healing and moving forward.

Some people have an easier time with those stages than others. 

Loss isn’t easy for anyone. For some, however, it can almost feel like a traumatic event. EMDR can help to reprocess the way you view that loss. The nice thing about this process is that it doesn’t make the loss you experienced “disappear”. It doesn’t take away from what happened. However, it can change the way you view and experience it. 

So, while you might still feel sad about the loved one you lost, you can grieve in healthy ways and move forward with your life without feeling so overwhelmed and hurt. 

silhouette of man against sunset skyPast Abuse

While past abuse is often considered a type of trauma, it’s important to know that EMDR can help with past experiences as well as more recent ones. 

Even if you were abused as a child, EMDR can help you overcome the negative symptoms you’re dealing with now. 

Many people repress childhood abuse. Maybe you haven’t thought about it in years. However, the effects of past abuse can manifest themselves in a variety of ways. Maybe you often feel guilty or ashamed. You might have a distorted self-perception. You might even struggle with physical issues like digestive problems or tension headaches. 

EMDR can help by digging into that past trauma and reprocessing it. Again, it doesn’t go away, but your perspective on it changes. You’re finally in control, rather than letting the trauma control you. 

Is EMDR Right for You? 

If you haven’t necessarily experienced trauma in your life, but you’re struggling with your mental health or you’ve been diagnosed with another condition, EMDR might still be an effective solution. 

If you’re interested in learning more or want to set up an appointment for EMDR Therapy, feel free to contact me.