Breaking the Cycle: How Accelerated Resolution Therapy Helps with Addiction Cravings
Understanding the Connection Between Addiction and Cravings
Addiction is often misunderstood as purely a matter of willpower. In reality, cravings are driven by complex interactions between brain chemistry, emotional pain, and trauma stored in the body. When a person experiences intense cravings, it can feel nearly impossible to resist the pull toward alcohol, drugs, or other addictive behaviors.
For many, cravings aren’t only about seeking pleasure—they are about avoiding pain. Substances can temporarily numb feelings of fear, shame, grief, or anger. But when the effect wears off, those emotions return, often stronger than before, reinforcing the cycle of addiction.
Traditional talk therapy and support groups can help people develop coping strategies, but they don’t always address the deep-rooted trauma that drives cravings. This is where Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) comes in.
What Is Accelerated Resolution Therapy?
Accelerated Resolution Therapy is a relatively new form of psychotherapy designed to help people quickly and effectively resolve distressing memories, emotions, and sensations. It combines elements of evidence-based therapies such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive behavioral therapy, and exposure therapy, while being structured to achieve results in fewer sessions.
During an ART session, a therapist guides the client through eye movements and visualization techniques that help the brain reprocess traumatic or triggering memories. Instead of re-living trauma, the individual replaces the emotional distress connected to the memory with new, healthier associations.
This unique approach allows ART to target the root of cravings—the unresolved emotions and trauma that fuel addictive behaviors.
How ART Helps with Addiction Cravings
Rewiring the Brain’s Response to Triggers
One of the main challenges in addiction recovery is dealing with triggers—people, places, or situations that activate cravings. ART helps by changing how the brain processes these triggers. Through guided imagery and eye movements, the emotional charge connected to a trigger can be reduced or even eliminated. For example, someone who used to crave alcohol every time they felt anxious might find that the anxiety no longer drives the urge to drink after ART sessions.
Resolving Trauma That Fuels Addiction
Many people with addiction histories also carry unresolved trauma. Whether from childhood, relationships, or major life events, these painful experiences often drive substance use as a way to cope. ART directly addresses trauma by allowing individuals to process painful memories in a safe and controlled way, without being overwhelmed by them. Once the trauma is resolved, the need to self-medicate often decreases.
Reducing Emotional Distress and Stress Responses
Stress is one of the most common relapse triggers. ART helps regulate the body’s stress response by calming the nervous system and reprogramming emotional reactions. Clients often report feeling lighter, calmer, and more in control after sessions, which makes it easier to manage cravings in daily life.
Supporting Long-Term Recovery
Recovery is about more than abstinence—it’s about building a fulfilling life without the need for substances. ART helps clients strengthen positive self-beliefs, increase resilience, and develop healthier coping mechanisms. By addressing both the cravings and the underlying pain, ART supports long-term recovery and helps prevent relapse.
ART Compared to Other Addiction Treatments
Addiction treatment often includes multiple approaches, such as medical detox, group therapy, 12-step programs, and medication-assisted treatment. Each plays a role, but many clients find that cravings and emotional triggers linger even after months or years of treatment.
Unlike traditional therapy, which can take months to years of processing, ART is designed to achieve noticeable results in just a few sessions. Its structured, goal-oriented approach makes it particularly useful for people who need relief quickly. ART is not a replacement for comprehensive addiction treatment, but it can be a powerful complement, especially when cravings remain a significant barrier to recovery.
A Mind-Body Approach to Addiction Recovery
One of the reasons ART is so effective is because it treats addiction as both a psychological and physiological condition. The mind and body are deeply connected in addiction: unresolved trauma is stored in the nervous system, stress hormones increase cravings, and repetitive behaviors create ingrained brain pathways.
By working with imagery, memory, and the body’s stress response, ART helps rewire both the mind and body for healing. This integrative approach provides relief on multiple levels, helping individuals break free from the cycle of cravings more effectively than talk-based methods alone.
Who Can Benefit from ART for Addiction?
ART can be beneficial for individuals struggling with:
Alcohol cravings
Drug dependency and cravings
Behavioral addictions such as gambling, food, or pornography
Relapse prevention
Stress and trauma driving addictive patterns
It is also particularly helpful for people who have tried traditional therapy but still feel “stuck” or unable to control their cravings.
What to Expect in an ART Session
A typical ART session begins with identifying the specific craving, memory, or situation causing distress. The therapist then guides the client through sets of eye movements while they recall and reimagine the experience. Unlike some therapies, ART doesn’t require clients to share details of their trauma or craving triggers out loud, which makes it more comfortable for many people.
Over the course of the session, the distressing images and feelings are gradually replaced with more positive and empowering ones. Clients usually notice immediate relief, and the results tend to last.
ART and Hope for Recovery
Addiction can feel overwhelming, especially when cravings are strong and persistent. But recovery is possible—and ART offers new hope. By directly addressing both the cravings and the root causes that fuel them, ART gives individuals the chance to reclaim their lives, restore self-worth, and build a future free from addiction.
Healing from addiction is not just about saying “no” to substances. It’s about saying “yes” to peace, resilience, and a healthier connection to yourself and others. ART provides a powerful path toward that transformation.
Taking the Next Step
If you’re struggling with cravings or addiction, you don’t have to face it alone. Accelerated Resolution Therapy can help you break the cycle and move toward lasting recovery.
I offer ART for individuals seeking freedom from addiction and trauma in Philadelphia in-person and virtually throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Florida.
Take the first step toward healing today by completing my intake form:
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Peer-Reviewed Sources
Kip, K. E., et al. (2012). Evaluation of accelerated resolution therapy for treatment of symptoms of PTSD: A randomized controlled trial. Military Medicine.
Kip, K. E., et al. (2014). Brief treatment of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by use of accelerated resolution therapy (ART). Behavioral Sciences.
Porges, S. W. (2011). The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiological foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. Norton.
Garland, E. L., & Howard, M. O. (2018). Mindfulness-based treatment of addiction: Current state of the field and envisioning the next wave of research. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice.
Volkow, N. D., Koob, G. F., & McLellan, A. T. (2016). Neurobiologic advances from the brain disease model of addiction. New England Journal of Medicine.