EMDR Therapy for Smoking Cessation
Addiction and substance use disorders are complex conditions that can have devastating effects on individuals and their loved ones. While traditional treatments such as counseling and medication are valuable components of recovery, integrating innovative approaches like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy can provide a unique pathway to healing. One of the toughest substances to kick for many people is nicotine. In any form, nicotine is highly addictive and most people that I have met got hooked at a young age. Whether in the form of cigarette smoking, vaping, dip (chewing tobacco), or the more recent nicotine pouches, addiction to smoking and nicotine vehicles results in major health problems that greatly reduces the quality of life for smokers and also for those who are exposed to the smoking (second-hand smoke).
Understanding the Connection Between Trauma and Addiction
Many individuals struggling with addiction have a history of trauma or adverse life experiences. Trauma can manifest in various forms, including physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, accidents, or witnessing traumatic events. These experiences can leave deep emotional wounds that contribute to the development of addiction as a coping mechanism to numb pain, alleviate distress, or regain a sense of control. However, trauma may not always be the source of addiction. When it comes to cigarette smoking, many people started because they saw their peers smoking, their family members smoking, and it was a generally socially acceptable practice. Nowadays, with the wealth of medical knowledge available to us, we know that no matter how socially acceptable cigarette smoking may have been, the health outcomes are devastating.
Addressing Underlying Trauma with EMDR Therapy and the DeTUR Protocol
EMDR therapy is particularly well-suited for addressing the underlying trauma that fuels addiction and substance use. By targeting distressing memories and associated negative beliefs, EMDR helps individuals process and reframe their experiences in a way that reduces their emotional intensity and power over their behavior. This can lead to a reduction in cravings, triggers, and the compulsion to use substances as a means of self-medication. But, before getting to this point in the use of EMDR to help navigate through addiction, I feel it is important to first desensitize the triggers that lead to the use of the substance (i.e. smoking the cigarette). In my practice I utilize the DeTUR protocol to help reduce the level of urge associated with smoking, and to focus on the desired positive outcomes of not smoking. This is a critical part of the overall EMDR process for addiction, as we first need to increase a sense of control, agency, and stabilization before undertaking trauma reprocessing that may be connected to the addiction.
Breaking the Cycle of Addiction
Addiction often follows a cyclical pattern characterized by cravings, substance use, temporary relief, and subsequent guilt or shame. EMDR therapy interrupts this cycle by helping you identify and address the root cause of your addictive behaviours. Through the desensitization and reprocessing of triggers that lead to reaching for a cigarette, EMDR therapy can help you reduce the intensity of the urge to smoke and ultimately forego the smoking altogether.
Enhancing Treatment Outcomes
Integrating EMDR therapy into addiction treatment programs can enhance overall treatment outcomes and promote sustained recovery. By building more positive associations with not smoking and reducing the level of urge to smoke, you can be better equipped to address the underlying issues that contribute to your smoking. This comprehensive approach addresses you as a whole person, not just the symptoms of addiction, leading to more profound and lasting change.
How to Access Smoking Cessation Programs and Assistance
In Canada there are free supports available for individuals looking to quit smoking. Here’s a link for more information and resources from Health Canada: https://shorturl.at/GMBJn
Specific supports and tools available to support smoking cessation differ from province to province, but most offer free quit smoking medications, or even the patch, or nicotine gums. Some provincial programs even offer access to “quit coaches”, support groups, and financial savings tracking to help keep you motivated. In PEI, the provincial smoking cessation program can be accessed by self-referral (without having to speak to a family doctor or physician). All you have to do is contact your local pharmacist and they can help you get set up with the PEI smoking cessation program.
For more specialized services like EMDR therapy to help quit smoking, extended benefits and health insurance will cover this, it’s the the same coverage as therapy. Some extended benefits plans and health insurance programs even cover the cost of the quite smoking medication. Paying out of pocket for EMDR therapy for smoking cessation may be an option too. For some the financial cost of 10 to 12 sessions of EMDR therapy to help quit smoking pales in comparison to the cost of smoking over the course of a year, or even a lifetime. This is not to say that EMDR therapy is a guaranteed fix for smoking cessation, but it is one extra tool that you may choose to explore in order to support your health and wellness goals.
If smoking is a problem for you, and you want to explore an additional or alternative treatment option, maybe EMDR therapy is something to check out.
