Can EMDR help with anxiety and panic attacks?

If you live with anxiety, you may sometimes wonder why your body reacts so strongly to things that you know are not dangerous.

You might feel constantly on edge, worry that things will go wrong, avoid certain situations, or have sudden panic attacks. You may understand that you are safe, but your body does not seem to believe it. This can be exhausting.

You may also have tried talking about your anxiety before and wondered why understanding where it comes from has not been enough to make it go away. This is where EMDR may help.

What is EMDR?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It is a form of therapy that was originally developed to help people process traumatic experiences.

EMDR is best known for treating trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It may also be helpful when anxiety, panic or fear is connected to a frightening or distressing experience.

You do not have to have experienced a major event for something to have had a lasting effect on you. It could be an accident, a difficult relationship, bullying, being humiliated, a frightening medical experience, a bereavement or something that happened when you were younger. Sometimes an experience may seem small when you look back. But your mind and body may still react as though the danger is present.

Why can anxiety continue when you know you are safe?

Anxiety is not just about thoughts. It can involve your whole body. Your heart may race. Your breathing may change. You may feel sick, shaky, dizzy or tense. You may find yourself constantly checking, avoiding or preparing for something to go wrong. This is your body’s threat system trying to protect you.

Sometimes that system becomes very sensitive. A situation, thought, feeling or physical sensation can remind your brain of something that felt unsafe. You may then have a strong reaction before you have even had time to think about what is happening. This can be one reason why simply telling yourself, “There is nothing to worry about,” does not always work.

What happens in EMDR therapy?

EMDR is not simply about moving your eyes from side to side. Before any reprocessing work begins, your therapist should spend time understanding your difficulties, helping you feel safe and making sure you have ways of managing difficult emotions. You remain in control of the process.

When you are ready, EMDR may involve briefly bringing a distressing memory, image, thought or feeling to mind while using a form of bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tapping. 

The aim is not to erase the memory. Instead, the aim is to help you process what happened so that the memory becomes less distressing and feels more like something that happened in the past. You may still remember what happened. But it may no longer feel as though it is happening now.

Can EMDR help with panic attacks?

Panic attacks can be frightening. You may feel that you cannot breathe, that your heart is going to stop, that you might faint, lose control or that something terrible is about to happen.

After experiencing a panic attack, it is also common to become afraid of having another one. You might start avoiding certain places or situations. You may stop travelling alone, going to busy places, driving, using public transport or being far from home. Over time, the fear of panic itself can become part of the problem.

EMDR can be considered when panic or anxiety is connected to distressing experiences, memories or fears. It is not necessarily the right approach for everyone, which is why it is important to understand what is behind your anxiety before deciding on a treatment.

What about phobias and intense fears?

A phobia can make something that other people see as ordinary feel extremely threatening. It might be a fear of flying, driving, dogs, heights, needles, vomiting, medical procedures or another specific situation. Phobias can lead to avoidance, and avoiding what you fear can sometimes keep the fear going.

EMDR is sometimes used when a phobia is linked to a distressing experience. For example, someone who developed a fear of driving after a car accident may find that the memory of the accident continues to trigger a strong sense of danger.

However, EMDR is not automatically the right treatment for every phobia. CBT and exposure-based approaches can also be effective, depending on the type of fear and the individual. This is why assessment matters.

You don’t need to know exactly why you feel anxious

One of the most difficult things about anxiety is not always knowing where it comes from.

You might think:

• “Nothing terrible has happened to me.”
• “So why am I like this?”
• “Why do I keep reacting this way?”
• “Why can’t I just get over it?”

There is no need to blame yourself. Sometimes the more useful question is not, “What is wrong with me?” It is: “What has my mind and body learned to be afraid of?” Therapy can give you space to explore this gently and at a pace that feels manageable.

You don’t have to wait until anxiety becomes unbearable

You do not need to be in crisis before seeking therapy. If anxiety, panic or fear is affecting your relationships, work, sleep, confidence or everyday life, it may be worth talking to someone.

And if you have tried therapy before, it does not necessarily mean that therapy “doesn’t work” for you. Different approaches can be helpful for different people and different difficulties. EMDR may be worth considering when anxiety, panic or fear is connected to experiences that your mind and body have not fully processed.

The first step is simply to understand what is happening for you. You do not have to have all the answers before you begin.