EMDR side effects can feel frightening, especially if you tried EMDR and feel worse afterward. You may feel emotionally raw, more anxious, exhausted, or unusually aware of painful memories. You might even be asking, “Did EMDR make me worse?”
EMDR can bring temporary discomfort because treatment involves focusing on distressing memories, beliefs, emotions, and physical sensations. However, feeling worse should not automatically be dismissed as proof that therapy is working. Your reaction deserves attention, and your therapist should help you understand what is happening.
If your symptoms feel intense, continue to worsen, or interfere with daily life, contact your therapist before your next session. You do not have to push through severe distress alone.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, urges to harm yourself, or an immediate safety concern, call or text 988 or seek emergency help. This article is educational and is not a substitute for individualized mental-health care.
A difficult reaction deserves curiosity, careful assessment, and support—not automatic reassurance or dismissal.
Can EMDR Side Effects Make Things Worse?
The most honest answer is: EMDR can temporarily increase distress for some people, but persistent or severe worsening should be evaluated rather than normalized. Some EMDR side effects may be brief and manageable, while others signal that the pace or treatment plan needs attention.
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a trauma-focused psychotherapy. During the processing portions of treatment, a person briefly brings an upsetting memory to mind while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as guided eye movements, alternating sounds, or tapping.
Because this work activates painful material, discomfort can arise during or after a session. The National Center for PTSD notes that focusing on trauma-related memories or beliefs may feel uncomfortable, although these feelings are usually brief.
At the same time, research has not always monitored adverse effects consistently. A recent review of adverse-effect reporting in EMDR research found that only a small portion of the trials it examined reported on adverse effects. That means clinicians should avoid making sweeping promises about exactly what every person will experience.
The better question is not simply, “Is feeling worse normal?” It is:
What am I experiencing, how intense is it, how long is it lasting, and what support do I need?
Why EMDR Side Effects Can Feel Worse
Several different things may contribute to feeling worse after an EMDR session.
The session activated painful memories
EMDR asks you to notice emotions, beliefs, images, and body sensations connected to distressing experiences. Even when you do not describe every detail aloud, turning toward the memory can be uncomfortable.
You may leave a difficult session feeling more emotionally sensitive than usual. Memories or feelings connected to the session may also remain noticeable afterward.
The session ended before the material felt settled
Not every memory is fully processed in one appointment. EMDR includes a closure phase intended to help you return to stability, even when processing is incomplete.
If a session ends while you still feel highly activated, you and your therapist may need to revisit the pace, closure process, or coping resources used before you leave.
Treatment may be moving too quickly
EMDR is not supposed to be a race toward the most painful memory. The beginning phases include history-taking, treatment planning, preparation, and the development of skills for managing distress.
The EMDR International Association describes preparation and distress-management skills as part of the standard eight-phase EMDR process. Some clients need more preparation before trauma processing begins. Others benefit from shorter processing periods, different targets, or additional stabilization between sessions.
Needing a slower pace does not mean that you have failed at EMDR.
Other stressors may be affecting your ability to recover
Sleep loss, relationship conflict, work pressure, substance use, illness, grief, and current safety concerns can all affect how much emotional strain you can manage.
A treatment pace that felt manageable one month may feel overwhelming during a new crisis. Therapy should respond to your current circumstances rather than following a rigid timetable.
EMDR may need to be adapted—or reconsidered
No treatment is the right fit for every person at every moment. Your therapist may need to assess dissociation, emotional regulation, current safety, medication changes, or other mental-health symptoms.
Sometimes the appropriate next step is more preparation. In other cases, your therapist may recommend a modified EMDR protocol or a different treatment approach. Lumin also offers Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Columbus for clients exploring other evidence-based options.
Before the next processing session
Pause and Look at the Whole Pattern
One difficult session does not tell the whole story. Notice whether your distress settles, whether coping tools help, and whether you can function between appointments.
If the pattern keeps intensifying, bring those details to your therapist before doing more trauma processing.
Possible EMDR Side Effects After a Session
People sometimes report reactions such as:
- Feeling tired or mentally drained
- Increased anxiety or emotional sensitivity
- Sadness, irritability, or feeling emotionally raw
- Vivid dreams or disrupted sleep
- Greater awareness of memories or body sensations
- Difficulty concentrating
- Temporary increases in intrusive thoughts
- Headaches, muscle tension, or other stress-related sensations
A reaction is not automatically dangerous simply because it is uncomfortable. However, its severity, duration, and effect on your functioning matter.
It is also important not to label every new symptom an EMDR side effect. Physical or psychological symptoms can have many causes. Discuss significant changes with an appropriate healthcare professional.
When EMDR Side Effects Need More Support
A mild increase in emotion that settles with your usual coping tools is different from symptoms that leave you unable to function or feel safe.
Contact your therapist promptly if you experience:
- Distress that keeps intensifying instead of settling
- Panic attacks or flashbacks that feel unmanageable
- Severe dissociation, depersonalization, or loss of time
- Several nights of significantly disrupted sleep
- Inability to work, care for yourself, or complete daily tasks
- Increased alcohol or drug use to cope
- New or worsening self-harm urges
- Suicidal thoughts
- Feeling unsafe between appointments
You do not need to wait until your next scheduled session to report a serious reaction. A responsible therapist will want to know that the current plan is not keeping you adequately supported.
Does Feeling Worse Mean EMDR Is Working?
Not necessarily.
Some discomfort can occur during effective trauma treatment. However, suffering is not a scorecard, and greater distress does not automatically mean that deeper healing is taking place.
A response such as “that means it’s working” is incomplete unless your therapist also assesses:
- How severe the symptoms are
- Whether you can recover between sessions
- Whether grounding strategies are effective
- Whether the treatment pace is appropriate
- Whether dissociation or another condition is present
- Whether you still feel safe and collaborative in therapy
Good trauma treatment should be challenging at times without becoming careless. You should be able to discuss concerns without feeling pressured, blamed, or dismissed.
What Should I Do If EMDR Made Me Feel Worse?
1. Tell your therapist specifically what changed
Instead of saying only, “I felt bad,” describe the reaction as clearly as you can:
- When did it begin?
- How long did it last?
- What thoughts, emotions, dreams, or body sensations appeared?
- Could you work, sleep, eat, or care for yourself?
- What helped?
- What made it worse?
This information can help your therapist determine whether to continue, slow down, return to preparation, or change the treatment plan.
2. Ask to review preparation and grounding
Preparation is not merely a hurdle to clear before “real” EMDR begins. It is part of EMDR.
Ask whether you need more time developing grounding, emotional regulation, containment, or other ways to return to the present. The National Center for PTSD’s professional overview explains that EMDR begins with history-taking and techniques for managing stress reactions.
3. Discuss pacing and session closure
You and your therapist might consider:
- Shorter periods of memory processing
- More time for closure at the end of each session
- Beginning with a less distressing target
- Increasing preparation before resuming reprocessing
- Scheduling difficult sessions when you have recovery time
- Creating a clear between-session support plan
These decisions should be individualized. Online advice cannot determine the correct pace for your treatment.
4. Track your response without constantly monitoring yourself
A short daily note can help you notice patterns. Record sleep, distress level, intrusive symptoms, functioning, and anything that helped.
Try not to examine your internal state every few minutes. Constant checking can sometimes increase anxiety. The goal is to collect useful information, not to test yourself all day.
5. Seek another professional opinion when needed
A second opinion may be appropriate if you repeatedly feel destabilized, your concerns are dismissed, or you are unsure whether the therapist has sufficient trauma and EMDR training.
You can review Lumin’s EMDR therapy services in Columbus or learn about Stephen Duraney’s work as an EMDR Consultant and trauma therapist.
Is EMDR Dangerous?
EMDR is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD, and multiple clinical guidelines recommend it. The National Center for PTSD describes EMDR as one of the most effective PTSD treatments, while the World Health Organization’s PTSD guidance includes EMDR among psychological treatments for adults with PTSD.
That does not mean EMDR is risk-free or appropriate for everyone in every circumstance. Trauma-focused therapy can be emotionally demanding. Moreover, systematic reporting of adverse effects in EMDR research has been limited.
Both truths can coexist:
- EMDR can be an effective treatment.
- A person’s worsening symptoms still require careful assessment.
Honest treatment conversations should leave room for benefits, limitations, uncertainty, and individual differences.
Finding EMDR Support in Columbus, Ohio
Lumin Counseling provides trauma-focused care for clients in Columbus, Westerville, New Albany, Gahanna, Dublin, and other Central Ohio communities. In-person and telehealth availability varies by clinician and clinical need.
Our EMDR-trained clinicians take a collaborative approach to treatment planning. If you feel uncertain about a previous EMDR experience, a consultation can help you discuss what happened and consider whether a slower pace, a modified approach, or another therapy may fit your needs.
You can explore Lumin’s counseling locations or request a complimentary consultation.
A Short Introduction to EMDR
This overview from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America explains what EMDR is and how it is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal to feel worse after EMDR?
Some people experience temporary discomfort after focusing on painful memories during EMDR. However, severe, persistent, or escalating symptoms should be discussed with your therapist rather than automatically treated as normal.
How long should EMDR side effects last?
There is no universal timeline that applies to everyone. The intensity, duration, and effect on your daily functioning are more important than an arbitrary number of hours or days. Contact your therapist if symptoms concern you or are not settling.
Can EMDR make anxiety worse?
EMDR may temporarily activate anxiety when distressing material is addressed. Increased anxiety that becomes severe, continues escalating, or prevents normal functioning warrants prompt contact with your therapist.
Can EMDR make trauma worse?
Trauma symptoms can feel more noticeable during treatment. That does not necessarily mean the underlying trauma has permanently worsened. Still, significant destabilization may indicate that the treatment pace, preparation, target, or overall approach needs to change.
Should I stop EMDR if I feel worse?
Do not make that decision from a general article alone. Tell your therapist what you are experiencing and discuss whether treatment should pause, slow down, return to preparation, or change. Seek urgent help for suicidal thoughts, self-harm urges, or immediate safety concerns.
What if my therapist says feeling worse means EMDR is working?
Ask for a fuller assessment. Temporary discomfort can occur, but worsening symptoms are not automatically evidence of progress. Your therapist should consider safety, functioning, recovery between sessions, dissociation, pacing, and whether the treatment remains appropriate.
Talk Through What Happened
If EMDR left you feeling unsettled, a careful conversation can help you understand the reaction and decide what support makes sense next.