Treatment of tobacco addiction using the Feeling-State Addiction Protocol (FSAP) of the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) treatment

Background Compulsions and cravings for smoking have been the subject of behavioral treatment. EMDR [1] is an established, effective treatment of trauma-based disorders [2]. Its use in the treatment of addictions and compulsions is relatively new. Although there are ways of targeting irrational positive affect via EMDR [3]. Merging the Feeling-State Theory of Compulsions and EMDR, the Eye Movement Compulsion Protocol (EMCP) was developed. EMCP is used for fading both feelings and un-wanted behavior related to smoking. The FSAP hypothesizes that the pleasure during smoking is imprinted in the brain generating feelings like comfort, contentment and happiness [4]. Thus, when craving resurges, the Feeling-State (FS) behavior is re-enacted. The EMCP incorporates the standard eye movement technique of EMDR to reduce the FS associated with impulsion to smoke. This study aims to assess the efficacy of the FSAP in the treatment of tobacco addiction of relapsed smokers with persistent compulsions to smoke