What is the downside of EMDR?
Written by the clinical team at The Lyceum Clinic. Clinically reviewed by Sanah Younis, Founder and Clinical Director, BABCP-accredited (no. 1000792). Published 28 October 2026. Last reviewed 28 October 2026.
Clinical perspective: The Lyceum's specialist therapist in EMDR.
What happens in the hours and days after EMDR?
I call it the 'EMDR Hangover.' Your brain will continue processing for 24 to 48 hours. It is completely normal to have vivid, bizarre dreams, sudden flashes of emotion, or profound fatigue. I tell clients: 'Do not plan a massive presentation or a heavy social event the evening after a session. Go home, drink water, watch terrible TV, and let your nervous system rest.'
What if EMDR did not work before?
I ask them, 'Did your therapist spend time building your brakes, or did they just ask you to look at the worst day of your life in week two?' Usually, it failed because the preparation phase was skipped, the target was wrong, or the therapist didn't know how to handle 'blocking' (when the brain's protective parts shut the processing down). We start fresh, with proper scaffolding.
For more detail, read about trauma-focused CBT.
Where does EMDR fit, and where is it over-sold?
It is brilliant for specific phobias (like a fear of dogs stemming from a bite) and performance blocks (like freezing during public speaking due to a past humiliation). However, it is vastly over-sold for Generalised Anxiety Disorder (free-floating worry) or primary OCD. If the difficulty is driven by an intolerance of future uncertainty or mental rituals, CBT with ERP is usually the more relevant focus. EMDR is directed at past trauma, while CBT can address the present maintenance cycle.