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One of my friends reminded me of a very easy but powerful anxiety-attack tool. Some of you may know it.
Right now many of us are dealing w anxiety. Unemployment. Illness. Overwhelming stress. Or just the state of the unknown.
Let me introduce you to Tapping.
(THREAD)
Right now many of us are dealing w anxiety. Unemployment. Illness. Overwhelming stress. Or just the state of the unknown.
Let me introduce you to Tapping.
(THREAD)
First, Biology 101: There's the sympathetic system and parasympathetic system.
The sympathetic system ignites your hormones to react to stimuli. It makes your body go go go.
The parasympathetic system calms down your hormones. It tells the sympathetic system to chill TF out.
The sympathetic system ignites your hormones to react to stimuli. It makes your body go go go.
The parasympathetic system calms down your hormones. It tells the sympathetic system to chill TF out.
To put simply:
The sympathetic system is responsible for releasing hormones like releasing epinephrine, adrenaline, cortisol.
The parasympathetic system releases acetylcholine which slows down the heart rate.
The sympathetic system is responsible for releasing hormones like releasing epinephrine, adrenaline, cortisol.
The parasympathetic system releases acetylcholine which slows down the heart rate.
Thing is, when our sympathetic system hits, especially when we're least expecting it can act like a waterfall. Cascading with more go Go GO hormones.
We freak out, then we freak out about freaking out, and then the hormone levels start going up and up and up.
We freak out, then we freak out about freaking out, and then the hormone levels start going up and up and up.
Our bodies are evolved to release *short bursts* of cortisol when we face stress. Cortisol is the "stress hormone" and it's necessary bc it increases glucose in the bloodstream for your brain and muscles to function better. Allowing you to run away from the man-eating Tiger.
Problem is many of us aren't running away from man-eating Tigers all the time (maybe Joe Exotic?)
Too much cortisol can be detrimental if we don't physically need it. If our bodies are under chronic "threat" then it's constantly pumping. Bad for our physical and mental health.
Too much cortisol can be detrimental if we don't physically need it. If our bodies are under chronic "threat" then it's constantly pumping. Bad for our physical and mental health.
This first solution would be to remove the things in your life that cause you stress (or cortisol to spike) but that's not always an option
*gestures at everything broadly*
*gestures at everything broadly*
Or to use parasympathetic-inducing methods (deep breathing, meditation, yoga, etc.) to intervene. To stop the cascade or cortisol.
These types of activities have _been proven_ to increase the body's parasympathetic response and thus lower cortisol levels - slow the panic.
These types of activities have _been proven_ to increase the body's parasympathetic response and thus lower cortisol levels - slow the panic.
But for some of us, especially those prone to panic attacks, doing yoga or meditation isn't just "easy to do" and our stress hormones are in fuego so even getting our brains to that mental point seems impossible.
Tapping (EFT) is an alternative technique where you tap your fingers on "pressure points" or of the body rapidly, while thinking about "worry thoughts" or emotions happening.
Points like your hand, eyebrow, clavicles, chin, upper lip, temple, and top of head.
Points like your hand, eyebrow, clavicles, chin, upper lip, temple, and top of head.
Typically while you're tapping you attempt to talk yourself through your emotions, either to yourself or out loud (I do this out loud because, for me, it works better). And you alternate tapping from spot to spot.
I know - this seems weird. Just stay with me.
I know - this seems weird. Just stay with me.
There's actual research that shows this tapping helps to reduces stress in the brain because you're connecting and centering the mind and the body.
By tapping these points, talking yourself through the overwhelming emotion, and focusing on the panic attack - you can recover.
By tapping these points, talking yourself through the overwhelming emotion, and focusing on the panic attack - you can recover.
Ever find yourself uneasy and your leg is twitching cause you're anxious? Or your eye? Or you have to pace?
It's our bodies natural response to stress - to MOVE. That's the sympathetic hormones.
It's our bodies natural response to stress - to MOVE. That's the sympathetic hormones.
By tapping, and talking (and thus breathing) and focusing on the current state of our stress/panic, the body processes the spiked cortisol levels but then allows time for the parasympathetic system to kick in. Hopefully, calming us down.
They've seen the benefit of tapping (EFT) in Rwandan orphanage survivors, in veterans who have PTSD, and many many psychological studies.
It's taught by counselors, therapists, psychologists, etc. as a great tool for anxiety attacks.
It's taught by counselors, therapists, psychologists, etc. as a great tool for anxiety attacks.
I learned tapping years ago from a wonderful human @KCLAnderson. And any time I feel a panic attack coming on I use it and it works every. damn. time.
Here's a great video on tapping and how to tap and give yourself safe reassuring thoughts:
My own personal preference is to tap and talk out loud work through the thought or problem by allowing myself to accept the worst possible solution.
For example: "I know I'm unemployed. tap tap tap I know that's going to be stressful and hard on me and my family. tap tap tap And I know that I may be here for a while. tap tap tap But I also know that I've done hard things tap tap tap And I'll get through this too. tap tap tap"
The tapping gets out the nerves. Gives the body something to do w all that hormone-heightened muscle-ness. Same with the brain, talking makes the brain to focus.
But the combo of the two help breathing and give the body TIME to let the parasympathetic system to respond.
But the combo of the two help breathing and give the body TIME to let the parasympathetic system to respond.
So if you feel yourself breathing fast, in an excited emotional state, and difficulty being able to calm down, or just needing a different method when anxiety gets too much -
Try tapping (EFT).
Try tapping (EFT).
Research linkage:
Feinstein study (2012): http://tapping-foundation.s3.amazonaws.com/Acupoint_Stimulation_Research_Review-2.pdf
Church study (2013): http://tapping-foundation.s3.amazonaws.com/Clinical-EFT-as-Evidenced-Based-Practice.pdf
Rwandan Orphange Survivor study (2009): http://tapping-foundation.s3.amazonaws.com/EPJournalArticle12-09.pdf
Veterans Stress Project: https://stressproject.org/
Feinstein study (2012): http://tapping-foundation.s3.amazonaws.com/Acupoint_Stimulation_Research_Review-2.pdf
Church study (2013): http://tapping-foundation.s3.amazonaws.com/Clinical-EFT-as-Evidenced-Based-Practice.pdf
Rwandan Orphange Survivor study (2009): http://tapping-foundation.s3.amazonaws.com/EPJournalArticle12-09.pdf
Veterans Stress Project: https://stressproject.org/
And the The Tapping Solution Foundation has a bunch of great resources, many of which I used in this thread: https://www.tappingsolutionfoundation.org/
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