"Tapping" for Anxiety, Better Health and...Shifting Perspectives!
- Mary Contrary
- 2 hours ago
- 6 min read
So, we're open to a new perspective. But, are we really? Our subconscious voices and limiting beliefs can make genuine change difficult. Enter energy tapping. Intrigued? Read on as Mary Contrary explores the topic. Mary has successfully used tapping for years on various issues and often practices it while walking her dog.
Many of us go through life with certain habits and ways of thinking, seeing these beliefs as truths and our thoughts as part of who we are. This shapes how our lives unfold and affects our health. Shifting how we see things, our perspectives, especially on an emotional level, can be tough. But fans of a new health technique that mixes psychology with body energy say there's a worldwide solution out there. They call it tapping.
Energy tapping, like the popular EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques), is said to be really helpful for dealing with both physical and mental health issues, which are frequently interrelated. Nick Ortner from the Tapping Solution noted in the Huffington Post that "10 million people worldwide have used tapping." The Tapping Solution, a leading provider of online EFT support, provides extensive scientific explanations and background on their website and also hosts the free annual Tapping World Summit.
So, What's This Thing All About?
Energy tapping is a unique blend of Eastern health approaches and Western psychology. It’s all about tapping on acupuncture points, or meridians while chatting about our personal concerns. Loads of scientific studies and people from around the world swear by how effective it is. It's known to work on two fronts: mentally, by affecting our emotions, brain patterns, and beliefs; and physically, by having an impact on our body, immune system, fight-or-flight response, and nervous system. Fans of this technique say it offers perks that go beyond just therapy or exercise on their own.
"Tapping has been shown to change activity in the amygdala, the part of the brain that moderates the fight-or-flight response (sympathetic nervous system)," we are told by physician, author of the MindBody Toolkit, and Founder of the American Institute of MindBody Medicine Dr. Kim D’Eramo, whilst sharing her perspective with us.
"This allows the resolution of triggers where perceived threats [would otherwise] ignite a full-blown sympathetic nervous system response," she explains. So, by shifting this activity means "we are properly responding to stimuli, but not igniting this trigger response inappropriately."
"Tapping alters activity in the amygdala, which moderates the fight-or-flight response, allowing us to respond appropriately to stimuli without triggering an unnecessary sympathetic nervous system response."
It's Just a Placebo
But, even though it's considered very effective, it is still a relatively unknown technique. Some people brush it off as being too basic or just a placebo. But, both research and personal stories show it's 'legit'. Since the 1980s, it's been a game-changer for millions around the world, helping people deal with earthquakes, PTSD, and all sorts of health and mental challenges. Nowadays, some scientists even think it might have an impact on inherited health problems.
"Tapping has been shown to alter brain activity, serotonin, and rebalance the autonomic nervous system," Dr. D'Eramo explains. She also points out that the use of energy tapping has not only proven useful for anxiety and depression, but also many other issues, such as chronic pain syndromes, chronic fatigue and other physical conditions, where previously there seemed to be no answers.
"Tapping has been shown to alter brain activity, serotonin, and rebalance the autonomic nervous system"
How Can We Begin This on Our Own?
So how can we get into tapping? We can start energy tapping for mind or body issues by working with a specially trained health practitioner, which is great for tackling tough topics. Or, we can find tons of online videos or audio scripts to tap along with for specific issues. Once people get the hang of it, many find they can tap on their own, which is useful because it lets us keep helping ourself with whatever life throws at us. Tapping is considered a lifelong way to clear energy in our bodies.
What is the Procedure?
A tapping session typically kicks off with something called a setup statement in the EFT community. This is where you focus on a personal emotional or health issue you're facing. It might also be a limiting belief, like thinking your body is weak and gets sick often, or an old belief many of us share, like the idea that success only comes from hard work. The setup statement also includes something positive about yourself, like how you love or respect yourself despite the issue.
The process involves tapping on specific spots on the hands, head, and upper body while repeating words related to the issue. Participants may repeat this process multiple times, addressing different aspects of the issue. Subconscious issues may also surface and be tapped on. If desired, final rounds can introduce a more positive perspective. Some experience immediate effects, like reduced anxiety or cold symptoms, while others notice changes over time. Overall, the tapping technique aims to release energy tied to these problems and beliefs from the body.
Why They Say it Works So Well
Our body and mind are considered interconnected, and working on them together is proven effective. It is said that tapping on meridians while stating issue can help balance our nervous system in an over-triggering world. This process is known to help restore our power and create a sense of safety.
By tapping to address fears and send calming signals at the same time, we can reassure the brain all is well despite these thoughts, transforming stress into calmness and gaining new perspectives. This method, say proponents, tackles subconscious issues, clearing and neutralising energy in the mind and body without solely relying on positive thinking or affirmations.
"EFT Tapping helps to access the body's energy and send signals to the part of the brain that controls stress," wrote EFT Tapping therapist Kim McPherson in a similar vein in an article in the Australian Nursery and Midwifery Journal (ANMJ).
Tapping is said to work on many issues, and McPherson, a former nurse, tells us in addition, that she has helped clients with eating disorders through EFT, and references an EFT study conducted by researcher Susan Patterson among nursing students in her ANMJ article.
Mind Body Connection 2.0
Energy tapping is now also being used in the area of psychology, and experts in this area such as Phil Mollon of the British Psychoanalytical Society, refer to it as energy psychotherapy.
Mollon, himself the developer of something called Psychoanalytic Energy Psychotherapy [PEP], has described forms of energy psychology in scientific writings as 'a missing ingedrient in psychotherapy,' that can support a 'truly astonishing' fast and in-depth change.
He told us: "Emotions are of course bodily events as well as mental. The deeper patterns of emotion and behaviour are encoded in the subtle energy system and energy psychology methods such as acupoint tapping, can enhance psychotherapy greatly. By combining attention to the mind, body, and subtle energy system concurrently, we achieve a much greater effect than focussing on the mind alone."
"By combining attention to the mind, body, and subtle energy system concurrently, we achieve a much greater effect than focussing on the mind alone."
Final Thoughts
Tapping, supported by scientific research, is used in therapy, schools, and trauma survivor projects. It's versatile, allowing for self-practice, online guidance, or therapist assistance. Tapping addresses life challenges, providing quick stress relief and a sense of control. Advocates believe it benefits both health and mental issues, effectively shifting our mindset in a tangible way. Still, often people doubt tapping because it's so simple, thinking that real solutions have to be complicated and take a lot of time. But is that belief really justified?
About The Author: Mary Contrary
Mary Contrary is a natural-born perspective creator. Her stories give us a different perspective on life than we might have ourselves. In any case, Mary never shies away from being a little contrary. That's what makes life interesting, she says. Mary lives somewhere that's not exactly nature nor a village, and in the evenings, she enjoys watching the bat show with her dogs.
The Background of Tapping for Anxiety
Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) and similar "energy tapping" methods, like energy psychology, are supported by extensive research, including over 100 clinical trials and more than 50 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Studies show that tapping is effective for dealing with anxiety, depression, PTSD, pain, and insomnia. It can quickly lower stress hormones like cortisol—by as much as 43% in just an hour—and affect brain activity in areas like the amygdala and hippocampus.
A large number of controlled studies have demonstrated its efficacy and energy or acupoiunt tapping is scientically regarded as an evidence-based, self-help therapeutic method.
Today, there are various forms of energy tapping – from Thought Field Therapy (TFT) to the popular EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), developed by Gary Craig.
Want to find out more about its history? please check out this amazing blog by The Tapping Solution, who made tapping available around the world, in honour of tapping's founder, Cary Craig, who has sadly now passed away.
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