Can you do EMDR if you're on antidepressants?

Yes. Combining an SSRI or SNRI with EMDR or self-guided bilateral stimulation is standard practice, not a contraindication. Guidelines don't treat medication and trauma-focused therapy as either-or. Keep your prescriber informed, and never stop or change your antidepressant because you've started a bilateral stimulation practice.

Does taking Xanax, Ativan, or Klonopin affect EMDR?

It can. A 2015 meta-analysis in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice linked benzodiazepines to worse psychotherapy outcomes, likely because they blunt the emotional engagement reprocessing needs. That's not a reason to stop one on your own. Talk to your prescriber if self-guided practice feels muted or ineffective.

Should you stop medication before trying EMDR or bilateral stimulation?

No. Never start, stop, or change a medication because of a self-guided practice or a new therapy. That decision belongs with the prescriber monitoring you, and it should be based on your full treatment picture, not on how one practice session felt.

Can you combine EMDR therapy with medication?

Yes. Pairing medication with trauma-focused therapy, including EMDR, is common clinical practice, especially when symptom relief helps someone tolerate therapy sooner. A 2007 trial in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry compared EMDR and fluoxetine directly; both helped, and EMDR's gains held up better after six months.

What about medication for something unrelated, like blood pressure or thyroid?

Medications unrelated to mental health don't interact with bilateral stimulation, since it isn't a chemical intervention. The exceptions are medications that heavily sedate you or blunt emotion, which can make it harder to gauge your own distress accurately during a session.

Can You Do EMDR While Taking Medication?

Yes. Taking medication doesn’t rule out self-guided bilateral stimulation, and most people on SSRIs, SNRIs, or other common prescriptions can practice safely. The one caution in the research is benzodiazepines, which can blunt the emotional engagement this work depends on. Either way, never start, stop, or change a medication because of this practice. That decision belongs with your prescriber.

If you’re on medication and wondering whether that changes anything, you’re asking a fair question, not an unusual one. Plenty of people who look into EMDR are already taking something for anxious feelings, low mood, or sleep. Medication doesn’t put bilateral stimulation off-limits. It just changes a couple of things worth knowing first.

Does medication rule out bilateral stimulation?

Not on its own. Bilateral stimulation, the left-right eye movements, tones, or taps at the center of EMDR, isn’t a chemical intervention. It doesn’t carry drug interactions the way combining two medications might.

Pairing medication with trauma-focused therapy is also standard clinical practice, not a red flag. A 2007 randomized trial in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry compared EMDR directly against the SSRI fluoxetine and a placebo pill; both groups improved, and EMDR’s gains held up better once treatment ended. SSRIs and SNRIs also take four to six weeks to reach full effect and can cause withdrawal-like symptoms if stopped abruptly, according to NIMH, one more reason any change belongs with your prescriber, not a bilateral stimulation session. Our deeper comparison, EMDR vs SSRIs, walks through how major guidelines approach combining the two.

What about benzodiazepines specifically?

This is the one class worth pausing on. A 2015 systematic review and meta-analysis in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice linked benzodiazepines, drugs like Xanax, Ativan, and Klonopin, to worse PTSD severity and worse psychotherapy outcomes overall. The leading explanation is that they dull the emotional intensity trauma-focused work relies on to be effective. The 2023 VA/DoD clinical practice guideline goes further, recommending against benzodiazepines for PTSD partly because they can interfere with first-line psychotherapies.

None of that is a reason to stop a medication you’ve been prescribed. It’s a reason to expect that reprocessing-style work might feel muted while you’re on one, and to mention it to your prescriber if a session isn’t landing the way you hoped.

What about other psychiatric medications?

Mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, and sleep medications usually mean a prescriber is already involved in your care. That’s exactly who should hear about any new practice you’re adding, especially before you aim bilateral stimulation at anything heavier than everyday tension. The same goes for situations like active mania or psychosis, where self-guided work should wait for stabilization first.

Worth remembering, too: EMDRIA, the field’s professional association, is clear that full EMDR therapy should only be delivered by a trained, licensed clinician. Self-guided bilateral stimulation is a lighter, wellness-oriented practice, not a stand-in for whatever clinical treatment your prescriber and therapist may already be coordinating.

How should you approach a session?

If your prescriber hasn’t flagged any concerns, three habits keep self-guided practice safe no matter what you’re taking.

Stabilize first. Ground yourself before you begin: name five things you can see, feel your feet on the floor, or picture a calm, safe place. Our safety plan guide walks through building this habit before you need it.
Keep it small and short. Aim bilateral stimulation at everyday tension, not the memory or condition your medication treats. Five or ten minutes is plenty.
Know your stop point. If distress climbs above a 7 out of 10 and won’t settle, stop, ground yourself, and consider working with a professional on that material instead of pushing through alone.

EmEase, a self-guided EMDR app, fits into this lane: guided bilateral stimulation for everyday stress and difficult emotions, at your own pace. It isn’t framed as treatment for any condition, and it isn’t a substitute for therapy or your prescription. If you’re unsure whether self-guided practice fits your situation more broadly, is self-guided EMDR safe? is a good next read. If you’re navigating a different medically-adjacent question, can you do EMDR while pregnant? covers similar ground for that situation.

The bottom line

For most people, medication and bilateral stimulation aren’t in conflict; SSRIs, SNRIs, and most other prescriptions don’t rule this out. Benzodiazepines are the one class where research urges some caution, and any psychiatric medication is a good reason to keep your prescriber informed, not a reason to stay away. This practice is never a reason to start, stop, or adjust anything you’ve been prescribed. That call stays with the person who prescribed it.