EMDR therapy reduces intense treatment-resistant cravings in a case of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid addiction

This article presents the first experiences of using eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy to aid in the treatment of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) dependency. A case presented itself as a result of intense, treatment-resistant cravings despite pharmacological treatment. The patient received 7 weekly sessions using a subset of the palette of EMDR interventions in addiction (PEIA; Markus & Hornsveld, 2017) targeting both negative and positive valenced addiction-related memory representations from the past, present, and future. Patient-reported GHB craving showed a gradual and prolonged reduction. Urine samples showed that the patient remained abstinent during and at least 6 months after EMDR therapy. Further research regarding the effectiveness of EMDR therapy in this particularly challenging group of substance users is warranted.

Journal

English

Rouhollah Qurishi
Wiebren Markus
Maaike M.J. Habra
Cornelis A.J. De Jong

Qurishi, R., Markus, W., Habra, M. M. J., & de Jong, C. A. J. (2017). EMDR therapy reduces intense treatment-resistant cravings in a case of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid addiction. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 11(1), 30-42. doi:10.1891/1933-3196.11.1.3