Treating addiction with schema therapy and EMDR in women with co-occurring SUD and PTSD: A pilot study

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to examine whether the combined use of schema therapy (ST) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can improve substance use disorder (SUD) outcomes in a sample of women with co-occurring SUD and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To our knowledge, no research has examined this question in a SUD-PTSD clinical sample.Methods: We proposed to 15 women with SUD/PTSD comorbidity a two-phase-protocol therapy: eight ST sessions associated with EMDR focused on reprocessing traumatic memory (phase A) and eight ST sessions associated with EMDR focused on reprocessing addictive memory (phase B). We evaluated addiction severity, alcohol craving, cannabis craving, PTSD symptoms, early maladaptive schemas (EMS) intensity and depressive symptoms before and after treatment.Results: Findings indicated that eight sessions of ST combined with EMDR focused on traumatic memories (phase A) reduced PTSD symptoms and the number of EMS. Findings on phase B showed a statistically significant decrease for addiction severity and depressive symptoms.Conclusions. This study supports the importance of providing integrative therapies for improving SUD outcomes. Overall, this study indicates that ST plus EMDR is an effective, rapid, thorough and enduring treatment for SUD-PTSD women.