Anxiety and EFT.
Anxiety seems to be on the increase and often is considered part and parcel of the everyday stresses in life yet it seriously disrupts our health. What is anxiety ? Is it the same as stress ? They are often lumped together. Anxiety is a Feeling we have and Stress is something that makes us feel anxious sometimes for no good reason.
When there is an adrenalin overload it can lead to panic attacks which are extremely disturbing having once experienced one myself in my twenties in a stressful job and that can quickly take us into ill health. It certainly took me to the Doctor who advised me to leave my job which just wasn't possible!
Whenever we use EFT or 'tapping', anxiety is constantly controlled at every 'step of the way' or should I say every 'tap of the way'.
There is anxiety around most issues and problems and anxiety is a negative emotion. EFT can eliminate negative emotions.
To start let's have a look at this more closely; the amygdala in your brain is where your survival instincts are and when you’re in a dangerous situation, the amygdala perceives the threat and releases biochemicals that flood your body with the mental and physical energy you need to fight or flee it. Unfortunately for many of us, that ancient survival instinct kicks in anyway and often very normal day stressors are all it takes to start it off eg:a busy school run, hospital appointment etc. But there are also the big ones, which may not be life-threatening, but can seriously trigger our anxiety for example: money worries, health concerns, work, traumatic memories and relationship issues.
Evidence suggests that people with anxiety disorders are at greater risk of developing a number of chronic medical conditions.
This is where EFT or Tapping comes in and rewires your brain, which means it short-circuits the amygdala’s response so you don’t have to continue with those anxious feelings.
Anxiety is brought to life at particularly stressful moments particularly with the current Covid situation where Tapping sends a calming signal to the amygdala, allowing your brain and body to feel safe, and thus, dissipate your anxiety.
So Tapping on the meridian points of your body whilst acknowledging the issue, reduces those anxious feelings.
Think about phobias & fears i e: a fear of spiders doesn't exactly have you jumping for joy, there is always anxiety present and many phobias and fears are completely irrational yet with EFT we can discover the root cause that will help eliminate it.
Serious illness seems inbuilt with anxiety i e: worried and anxious about the 'illness' and many contributing factors that add to anxiety such as hospital appointments, tests, finance issues and a million other things that keep layering away.
Addictions. Smoking, weight issues etc. all arrive with anxiety built in and the addictive substance or craving is 'trying' to tranquilise the anxiety caused by many underlying factors..and so the addictive cycle begins and sometimes never goes away.
Performance issues related to sports, learning, the arts etc.where anxiety creates multiple problems for performers and affects their whole mental & physical state.I remember doing an interview with a USA soprano singer Rachel Cobb who has used EFT for just this and her students with vocal training and stage nerves especially as some were very anxious entering US X-Factor TV program. And at that time, a new mom and with baby teething, she used EFT for her own anxiety being a new mum and surrogate for baby's endless crying with great success.
Next, the big one,Trauma where anxiety of even discussing or thinking about the trauma is present. Low, middle and high intensity traumas all come with anxiety whether it be underlying or obvious.
Interestingly, Public speaking is on the Top Ten list of people's fears.This isn't surprising when we consider how most of us may have had a memory or event from past where someone may have laughed or criticised you, shown complete disinterest in your speaking and it may have been a teacher at school, school peers in the classroom, our family and parents or a boss or work colleague who may have been the critique or an instrumental judge and factor in creating this fear. People even avoid employment which involves public speaking. Some people are terrified or nervous speaking in front of a small group, or for other it may be the extreme of speaking in front of hundreds of people. The Anxiety this creates can create overwhelm.
Anxiety can be caused by such underlying factors as guilt, anger, fear, trauma etc. which can be found in many of the above and are again all negative emotions. Reading a recent Institute of Heartmath article who quote 'that as we experience feelings like anxiety, anger, frustration and insecurity, our heart rhythm patterns become more erratic. These erratic patterns are sent to the emotional centers in the brain , which recognises them as negative or stressful feelings. These signals create the actual feelings we experience in the heart area and elsewhere in the body. Erratic heart rhythms also block our ability to think clearly.'
Is this why we may experience palpitations with anxiety and may feel 'fuzzy headed or blank' if anxious ?
Whilst anxiety is present in many areas and because it is a negative emotion , it therefore creates a disruption in the body's energy system which then when addressed with EFT eliminates the disruption.
The knowledge that EFT is automatically working on any anxiety, underlying or otherwise is a such a bonus to our bodily systems and that it is good to tap even if there is nothing presenting itself as it maintains a healthy balanced system .
TAPPING TIPS when working with 'presenting' anxiety.
I often use the Wrist point ( P-6 pericardium ) as it deals with the heart , lungs and pericardium.I often put it in a normal tapping session and it is easy to incorporate. It is located three fingers width from the inner wrist crease where the outer edge of the index finger locates the point. Then firmly but gently tap here using most of the flat of the palm of the hand to cover this point.
The Collar Bone Breathing Technique of Roger Callahan's is very underused considering the remarkable results that can be offered with anxiety and anxious states. Whilst it may seem a little awkward it is highly relaxing and 'settling' to the body's system and is taught on the course.
Additionally 'Constricted Breathing' is very relaxing as a technique and taught on the courses.
It is worth bearing in mind how often anxiety is present that EFT automatically tranqulises and neutralises it.
Of course, more recently, anxiety is highly present with Covid and EFT helps to maintain our anxiety levels with tapping around anything bothersome.
All these techniques are taught on EFT Courses online and information here.
Thank you for reading and I hope you may have found it useful,
Marie x
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