Can EMDR Bring Up a Sinking Feeling in the Stomach?

Can EMDR Bring Up a Sinking Feeling in the Stomach?

Short Answer: Yes, some people may notice a temporary sinking, dropping, hollow, or uneasy feeling in the stomach during Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), particularly while focusing on emotionally activating material. EMDR specifically includes attention to physical sensations connected with a target, and emotional states can affect the digestive system through the gut-brain connection. However, a sinking feeling in the stomach is not a required or established standard EMDR side effect. If it appears, you can usually notice the sensation, let it change if it changes, and continue without feeling that you have to explain exactly what it means.

Key Takeaways

• A sinking or dropping sensation in the stomach may sometimes become noticeable during emotionally activating EMDR.
• The brain and digestive system communicate closely, so emotional arousal can affect sensations in the stomach.
• EMDR specifically includes body sensations as part of assessing and processing a target.
• A sinking stomach is not something everyone experiences during EMDR.
• The sensation does not mean the memory is more important or that EMDR is working better.
• You usually do not need to analyze the sensation or try to make it disappear.
• Hunger, digestion, caffeine, posture, and ordinary nervousness can also affect how your stomach feels.
• The same general approach applies during therapist-guided, online, and self-guided EMDR.

What Does a “Sinking Feeling” in the Stomach Feel Like?

People use this phrase to describe several related sensations.

You might describe it as:

• A sudden drop in the stomach
• A hollow feeling
• A falling sensation
• Tightness followed by a sinking feeling
• A wave of nervousness
• A brief churning or uneasy sensation
• Something similar to the feeling you get when receiving unexpected news

The sensation may appear suddenly and then fade, or it may remain noticeable for a while.

During EMDR, a simple observation may be enough:

“I notice a sinking feeling in my stomach.”

You do not need to immediately decide why it happened.

Why Might Your Stomach React During EMDR?

EMDR involves paying attention to more than the factual details of a memory.

During assessment and processing, you may notice:

• Images
• Thoughts
• Emotions
• Beliefs
• Physical sensations

The EMDR International Association specifically notes that people identify physical sensations associated with a target, including examples such as stomach tightness. During processing, clients continue noticing changes in thoughts, feelings, images, and body sensations.

A sinking stomach can simply be one possible sensation that enters awareness while emotionally meaningful material is being processed.

How Are Emotions Connected With the Stomach?

The brain and digestive system communicate continuously.

This relationship is often called the gut-brain connection.

Nerves and chemical signals travel between the brain and digestive system in both directions. That is why thoughts or emotions can sometimes produce immediate sensations in the stomach.

Cleveland Clinic gives familiar examples: anticipation can create “butterflies,” while the thought of something distressing can feel “gut-wrenching.”

A sinking feeling during EMDR can fit within that same general mind-body connection.

Does Stress Affect Digestion?

Yes.

When the body's stress response becomes more active, digestion can temporarily change.

The sympathetic nervous system, which participates in the body's response to stress, can slow digestive activity while directing resources elsewhere.

That can contribute to sensations such as:

• Butterflies
• Tightness
• Churning
• A hollow feeling
• An uneasy stomach

This does not mean every sinking sensation has the same cause. It simply explains why emotions and stomach sensations often occur together.

Is a Sinking Stomach a Standard EMDR Side Effect?

No.

There is not good evidence establishing a sinking feeling in the stomach as a standard EMDR side effect.

It is more accurate to say that body sensations may become noticeable while emotionally significant material is being processed, and stomach sensations are one possible example.

Some people may notice a sinking feeling.

Others may notice:

• Chest tension
• A lump in the throat
• Jaw tension
• A faster heartbeat
• Warmth or coldness
• No obvious physical sensation

There is no single bodily reaction that everyone should expect.

Does a Sinking Feeling Mean You Are Afraid?

Not necessarily.

A sinking stomach can occur with fear or anxiety, but similar sensations may accompany:

• Sadness
• Anticipation
• Surprise
• Disappointment
• Uncertainty
• General emotional activation

You do not need to translate the body sensation into a particular emotion unless that emotion is already clear to you.

You can simply notice:

“My stomach dropped when that thought came up.”

That may be enough information for the moment.

Does It Mean the Memory Is Especially Important?

No.

The strength of a physical sensation does not reliably tell you how important a target is.

One memory may bring up a strong sinking sensation.

Another may produce intense emotion but very little physical reaction.

Another may mainly bring up thoughts or images.

None of those patterns automatically makes one target more significant than the others.

Does a Sinking Stomach Mean EMDR Is Working?

No.

A stomach sensation is not a measure of EMDR effectiveness.

You do not need to experience:

• A sinking stomach
• Butterflies
• Tears
• Sweating
• Tingling
• Tightness
• Any other specific physical reaction

for processing to occur.

EMDR involves noticing how memories, thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and body sensations change. The process is not designed to produce a particular physical response.

What Should You Do if the Sensation Appears?

Usually, start by noticing it.

For example:

“There is a sinking feeling in my stomach.”

Then see what comes up next.

You generally do not need to:

• Work out exactly why it happened
• Decide what it symbolizes
• Force it to disappear
• Check whether it is getting stronger every few seconds
• Assume something unusual has happened

EMDR processing emphasizes noticing what arises without immediately trying to change it.

Can the Sensation Change During Processing?

Yes.

You might notice:

“The sinking feeling is stronger now.”

Then later:

“It has eased.”

Or the sensation might change into something else entirely.

For example:

• Sinking may become tightness.
• Tightness may become warmth.
• The stomach may feel neutral again.
• Your attention may move to another thought or body sensation.

You do not need to make any of these changes happen.

Simply notice what is different.

Can You Pause if the Feeling Is Distracting?

Yes.

If the stomach sensation becomes distracting, you can pause.

You might:

• Feel your feet on the floor
• Look around your surroundings
• Notice the chair beneath you
• Let your breathing remain comfortable
• Take a sip of water
• Give yourself a moment before continuing

A pause is part of managing the pace of EMDR, not a failure to process.

Should You Try to Relax Your Stomach?

You do not have to.

If you notice that you are deliberately tightening your abdominal muscles, you can let them soften if that feels comfortable.

But there is no need to repeatedly check whether your stomach is relaxed.

The aim is not to maintain perfect physical calm during EMDR.

It is simply to notice what is happening without forcing a particular response.

Could the Sensation Be Caused by Something Else?

Yes.

The stomach is active throughout the day, and many ordinary factors affect how it feels.

These may include:

• Hunger
• Eating recently
• Caffeine
• Digestion
• Gas
• Sitting position
• General nervousness
• Anticipation about the session itself

The timing of a sensation during EMDR does not prove that EMDR caused it.

Sometimes the session may bring your attention to a body sensation that was already present but had not stood out before.

What If the Sinking Feeling Appears With a Particular Memory?

That can be something worth noticing.

You might observe:

“Every time I come back to that moment, my stomach drops.”

During therapist-guided EMDR, you can simply report that observation.

You do not have to explain why your stomach responds that way.

As processing continues, you might notice the sensation changes—or it may remain the same for a while.

Either way, noticing is enough.

What About the EMDR Body Scan?

The body scan is one of the standard phases of EMDR.

Later in processing, the target and positive belief are brought to mind while you mentally scan your body for any remaining disturbance or tension.

If you still notice a sinking or uncomfortable stomach sensation, you can simply identify it.

For example:

“I still feel something in my stomach.”

The body scan is not an invitation to search for sensations that are not naturally there.

What If Your Stomach Feels Completely Normal?

That is equally valid.

Many people may never notice stomach sensations during EMDR.

You may instead experience:

• A change in emotion
• A different thought
• A new association
• Less vividness in the memory
• A sensation somewhere else
• Very little physical change

There is no required stomach response.

Can the Feeling Continue After the Session?

You may notice a stomach sensation for a while afterward, particularly if you were already emotionally activated.

But you do not need to assume that every later stomach sensation is “continued EMDR processing.”

Normal digestion, hunger, food, caffeine, stress, and other everyday factors continue to affect the stomach after the session.

If something meaningful stands out, notice it briefly and then return to normal life rather than repeatedly checking your stomach.

Should You Write It Down?

Only if it seems useful.

For example:

“I noticed a sinking feeling when that memory came up.”

or:

“The same memory came up today without the stomach drop.”

That may help you remember a meaningful change without turning body sensations into something you have to monitor all day.

What About Therapist-Guided Online EMDR?

The same principles apply during therapist-guided EMDR by video.

If you notice a sinking sensation, you can simply tell the therapist:

“I feel it in my stomach.”

The sensation can be included with the other thoughts, feelings, images, and physical responses you notice.

Being online does not make the sensation fundamentally different.

What About Self-Guided EMDR?

The same practical approach applies during Virtual EMDR, the structured self-guided online program.

Virtual EMDR users manage their own pacing and pauses and select or adjust the available visual or audio bilateral stimulation settings.

If a sinking sensation appears:

• Notice it without judging it.
• Pause if it becomes distracting.
• Reorient to the present if useful.
• Continue when the pace feels workable.

You do not need to change bilateral stimulation simply because your stomach feels different.

Conclusion

A sinking feeling in the stomach can sometimes become noticeable during EMDR, particularly when you are focusing on emotionally activating material.

That connection makes sense because the brain and digestive system communicate closely, and stress or emotional states can change what you feel in your stomach.

But a sinking stomach is not a required EMDR response.

It does not prove that a memory is especially important.

It does not show that processing is working better.

And it does not necessarily mean EMDR caused the sensation.

If a sinking feeling comes up during EMDR, notice it, let it change if it changes, and treat it as one part of the experience rather than something you have to immediately explain.